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Press page 4 continued from page 3 No wonder 23 million Americans sing weekly in choirs, according to a 2003 study (Canadian figures are harder to come by). Factor in the medical benefits - a jump in disease-battling antibodies and the anti-stress hormone hydrocortisone among regular choral singers, according to research recently published by University of Frankfurt scientists - and you'd be crazy not to take your singing out of the shower and on to the stage. And, add conductors and members alike, if you're seeking a welcoming community, look no further. "When you become a member of a community choir that comes from a broad demographic," says MacDonald, "it breaks down a lot of barriers, especially in the furnace of live performance where you're interacting now not only with the people on stage but with the audience. "Our purpose isn't so much about God," he continues, "but about community-building and the goodness of life and the ability of a community to support itself." Cock an ear to Big Soul Project rehearsing Paul Simon's Loves Me Like a Rock and you just know that for many members this musical community is that loving mama Simon wrote about. "It's been such a good experience because of all the recent crap in my life," says Marjorie Cook, who joined the choir in September after hearing some choral performances at the Ottawa Folk Festival. Already dealing with a marriage breakdown, Cook was just about at the end of her tether this summer, what with her father undergoing major heart surgery and her breaking a wrist in a fall. |
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