Sing for Happiness
Can singing change your mood? Take part in our groundbreaking new project
Do you enjoy singing? Take part in our groundbreaking new project!
Book your Sing for Happiness place now – LIMITED AVAILABILITY
We’re working with friendly, experienced choir leaders from the Bristol choir community and specialist researchers from UWE Bristol to learn some great songs and find out how singing really affects our wellbeing. And we’d love you to take part and join hundreds of other keen singers!
Don’t know how to sing? Don’t read music? Never sung before? It doesn’t matter!
Maybe you’re a complete beginner, or maybe you’re already an experienced singer. Or perhaps you’re somewhere in the middle (do you sing in the shower, or in the crowd at a football match?) If any of these apply to you…then why not get involved? The project is open to anyone over 18, regardless of musical experience or ability – you just need to be keen to take part.
The project will include five in-person rehearsals at St George’s from March onwards, catch-up rehearsals online and a final massed performance in June 2024 at Bristol Beacon. Each session will be led by professional choir leaders from across Bristol, and there will be online resources if you want to sing at home too. You’ll meet new people, learn a variety of fantastic songs, and you’ll have the opportunity to take part in a pioneering research project to find out whether singing can really make you happy.
You’ll learn songs including Couldn’t Keep it to Myself, Rise up (Karine Polwart & Luminate Scotland), Walking on Sunshine, Leave her Johnny, Chasing Cars, I wish I knew how it would to feel to be free, Will ye go lassie go, Vela Sikubone, Shenandoah, Leaving of Liverpool, The Wellerman, Shoshone Love Song by Roger Emerson…with more to be announced!
Please see below for further details, including dates and cost to take part.
Book your Sing for Happiness place now – LIMITED AVAILABILITY
When and Where?
The project will take place across 5 sessions at St George’s Bristol, and a final performance at Bristol Beacon.
The sessions are in-person, however there will be online sessions and resources too, for anyone who wants to catch up or sing at home instead.
It is fine to take part in the sessions, but not the final performance, if you’d prefer!
All sessions run 10am – 1pm.
- Session 1 – Saturday 9 March, 10am – 1pm
- Session 2 – Saturday 23 March, 10am – 1pm
- Session 3 – Saturday 27 April, 10am – 1pm
- Session 4 – Saturday 11 May, 10am – 1pm
- Session 5 – Saturday 1 June, 10am – 1pm
- Final performance – Saturday 22 June, 10am-3pm (includes rehearsals; final performance time projected as 1-2pm).
The important details
Where can I sign up?
Via the booking button on this page! When booking, your ‘ticket’ is valid across the whole project (but will show the date of the final rehearsal). You don’t need to ‘apply’ – simply book if you’d like to take part!
What does it cost?
There is a £60 per person participation cost which covers the professional choir leaders’ time, hire of rehearsal spaces and performance venue and all related copyright fees.
However, if you’d like to take part but cost would be a barrier for you, please call or visit our Box Office during opening hours, and ask to book under our £10 concessionary rate. (0117 929 4929)
Our normal booking fees apply for bookings made online and over the phone.
How do friends and family get tickets to the final performance?
Tickets to the final performance will be available later in Spring 2024.
Please see our FAQs and videos below for more information. We will be in touch with all participants prior to Rehearsal 1, with more details.
Who will lead the sessions?
Session 1, Sat 9 March – Beth Morgan from The Great Day Choir and Eliza Fyfe from Bristol Choir Brigade
Session 2, Sat 23 March – Daniel Pate and Veronica Haro from Riff Raff Choir
Session 3, Sat 27 April – Wendy Sergeant from Vibe Pop/Rock Choir and Natalie Cooper from Melody Makers Choir
Session 4, Sat 11 May – Doug Watts and Fran Jones from Bristol Show Choir
Session 5, Sat 1 June – Ben England from HomeChoir
Final performance, Sat 22 June – all together!
What about the online sessions?
Each in-person session will be followed by an online session which you can access and return to as part of the project. We hope these will be useful if you can’t make it to an in-person session, or if you’d like to keep singing at home too! Details of how to access the online sessions will be sent to project participants. The online sessions will be led by Ben England, who runs HomeChoir, and will be released at:
Weds 13 March, 7pm covering music from Sat 9 March
Weds 27 March, 7pm covering music from Sat 23 March
Weds 1 May, 7pm covering music from Sat 27 April
Weds 22 May, 7pm covering music from Sat 11 May
Weds 12 June, 7pm covering music from Sat 1 June
FAQs
Which songs will I learn to sing?
Songs will include…
Couldn’t Keep it to Myself | Walking on Sunshine | Leave Her, Johnny | Chasing Cars | Rise up (Karine Polwart & Luminate Scotland) | I wish I knew how it would to feel to be free | Will ye go, lassie, go | Vela Sikubone | Shenandoah | Leaving of Liverpool | South Australia | The Wellerman | Shoshone Love Song by Roger Emerson
…with more to be announced!
I'd love to take part, but I think I'm a terrible singer. Does this matter?
No, not at all! The project is open to people of all singing abilities, including total beginners. You just have to be keen to take part!
Please note, the project is open only to people aged 18+
We cannot accommodate people below the age of 18 in our sessions or as part of the choir. This is due to licensing, recording, and consent required for the research project.
I haven't sung anything since school. Will I be out of my depth?
No – our friendly session leaders are experienced at teaching and coaching singers of all levels. They’ll make sure you get the most out of the sessions, and will take into account the singing abilities of the participants. There will also be online resources available for anyone who wants to catch up on a rehearsal, or do some more singing at home.
Do I need to know how to read music?
No – there’s no prior experience needed and you won’t have to learn to read music either.
What will I need to bring?
Yourself! You may also want to bring a bottle of water, clothes you’re comfortable moving around in, a pencil (in case you want to make any notes on lyrics sheets), and a smartphone if you’re taking part in the project research (there’s an option to complete the research surveys online via a QR code).
What if I can't make one of the sessions?
Don’t worry! All songs covered in the sessions will also be included in the free online rescources if you want to catch up on what you missed. The final in-person session, on Saturday 1 June, will also contain a recap of all the songs you’ve learned across the whole project.
How can I take part in the research?
When you join the project, you’ll be asked whether you want to take part in the research. During the project, you’ll complete surveys about your mood before and after every session and the final performance. There will also be the opportunity to participate in a focus group, and a post-project evaluation.
Everyone taking part in the research will need to read the Participant Information Sheet.
Please note, the project is open only to people aged 18+
We cannot accommodate people below the age of 18 in our sessions or as part of the choir. This is due to licensing, recording, and consent required for the research project.
Where is it all happening?
The in-person sessions will take place at St George’s Bristol.
The final performance will take place at Bristol Beacon.
There will also be online sessions too, for those who want to join remotely instead.
My question isn't answered here, help!
Please feel free to ask and we’ll be happy to help.