The Sum of the Parts - Mark Jackson (Community Musician)

Hunter Workplace Choirs - Info from elsewhere!

I spent many years laughing at Harry Secombe's singing until somebody told me that it wasn't a joke.”
Spike Milligan

"I'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain; What a wonderful feeling, I'm happy again."
Freed & Brown

Music and Choirs in the Workplace

I am not reinventing the wheel here.

I first came across the Workplace Choirs idea about seven years ago when the Victorian Government's Health Promotion unit (Vichealth) started to promote the mental health benefits of people doing things together.  Back then they were funding singing leadership skills training, particularly through Fay White. Vichealth also had their own workplace choir directed by Melanie Shanahan from the well known singing group Akasa.

Whilst

The Health Benefits of Singing

  • This 2003 Melbourne Age article summarises the health benefits of being in a choir. Victoria has been very active in promoting community singing. The above article by Fay White similarly refers to academic papers which detail the health and social benefits.

  • For those who are fascinated by the science, Community Music Victoria has a very detailed page on Music Research.

    • Who already has Workplace Choirs?

  • Deloitte's - That's who! This press release from Deloitte's in London details their involvement in workplace choirs in the UK.

  • This BBC news story (from February 2009) is a good summary (just under 4 minutes) of how the company Music in Offices is working with London office workers to put a real lift in their day and week.

  • And in Australia Tania de Jong from Creativity Australia started promoting workplace choirs back in 2008. This 11 minute interview with Tania is from a Life Matters episode back in December 2008.

    • Sing !!!