AT ten o\u2019clock each morning, Ballarat\u2019s Sing Australia choirs stop to sing the same song at home.<\/p>\n
Whether in the garden, the kitchen or bathroom this week, singers have already covered a repertoire of Love Me with All Your Heart<\/em>, Catch a Falling Star<\/em>, I am Australian<\/em>, I Love A Sunburnt Country<\/em> and Autumn Leaves<\/em>.<\/p>\n Sing Australia member, Fiona Watson enjoys the initiative so much, she records her singing to share on social media. She even wrote her own short song for Sunday, when the choir has a day off.<\/p>\n \u201cOther people have started to record themselves too and upload to Facebook. It\u2019s good to know that even former members can see what their friends are doing. We\u2019re keeping in touch,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of our members are older and living on their own, so just this feeing of being connected, even if they\u2019re not seeing each other is having positive ramifications.<\/p>\n \u201cThey know that somewhere around Ballarat there\u2019s 180 people being as silly as they are, singing in their backyards. It\u2019s having a wonderful affect. We never realised it would be so much fun.\u201d<\/p>\n Coco Sounds\u2019 Thursday Night Choir experimented with a Zoom rehearsal last week for the first time, led by Stella Savy.<\/p>\n Like Sing Australia Ballarat and Ballarat North, her group is about fostering friendships and getting in touch with what\u2019<\/p>\n s happening in the community, as much as it is about music.<\/p>\n \u201cZoom choir is definitely not the same as choir, but they all got to chat and catch up,\u201d Ms Savy said.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause there\u2019s an internet delay, you\u2019re really singing on your own. I got them to mute their sound, and I would sing and run a warmup while they all sang in their lounge rooms.<\/p>\n \u201cWe ran through our usual songs, going over parts so they could sing their harmony against what I was singing.\u201d<\/p>\n She said conducting a rehearsal via Zoom is great if choir members are already experienced, and understand the repertoire, but it would be difficult for a new singer to have their introduction in this online space.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019d still be singing, but you don\u2019t get the awesome high you get when the group is singing together,\u201d Ms Savy said.<\/p>\n Regardless of how smooth the choir runs via video, it\u2019s simply most valuable to keep a relationship with music at home.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are mental health benefits to music and there are beautiful endorphins you get when you stand up, take a deep breath and sing in full voice. There\u2019s something very powerful about that.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s extremely important for people to maintain their musical skills whether it be singing, an instrument, dancing, or starting to learn something,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s never been a better time.\u201d<\/p>\n Coco Sounds is set resume its choirs, drum group and instrumental lessons over Zoom in term two. Visit facebook.com\/CocoSounds<\/strong><\/a> to get in contact and involved.<\/p>\n