The Musicking Community

Episode 12: The Healing Power of Choral Singing, Part 1

When is the last time you sang in a group? Have you ever worked with others to bring a piece to life and present it in performance? Have you ever considered joining a community chorus? Let Beth Armstrong convince you that joining a community chorus is the RIGHT thing to do! In part one of my interview with Beth, she shares her own background in music, how she became a choral director, and some of the physiological and psychological benefits of singing in a group. Singing in a group truly has the power to heal!

Topics in this episode include:

• The impact of early musical experiences
• The magic of harmony
• The importance of others’ support and encouragement
• Can you do it?
• Changes in expectations and credentials
• Imposter Syndrome
• Being self-critical and chasing perfection
• Comparing ourselves to the false ideal of “perfect” (edited) recordings
• The physiological and psychological benefits of singing in a group
• Robert Shaw
• Collaborative creating
• How singing makes us all like each other more
• Taking the first step of being vulnerable
• Being in the people business, not the music business
• The amazing experiences that can come from participating in music
• Singing with Carole King

Beth Armstrong has been singing from a very young age and participated in choruses from her teens into adulthood, singing in prestigious groups such as the Concord Chorale and The Providence Singers. While living in New Hampshire, she founded the women’s group Femme-a-me, directed the Suncook Valley Chorale, and taught public school music for twelve years. She currently directs The Chorus of East Providence, is the interim music director at her church, and is finishing up her 20^th, and final year, as director of The Greater Tiverton Community Chorus. She is currently working on a book of memoirs.

Beth directs the following choruses:

The Chorus of East Providence

The Greater Tiverton Community Chorus

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