Govanhill Baths Community Choir
Watch this space – we hope to be able to offer this group again later in the year!
Whether you’ve been singing your whole life or you’re entirely new to the experience, The Govanhill Baths choir is for everyone.
As our facilitator Lorna explains: “This choir is a place to relax into group singing, whether you can read music or not, whether you’re a singer, a music enthusiast or simply just curious! Our sessions are fluid and welcoming. We don’t have the pressure of being restricted to one musical piece or learning fixed vocal parts, it’s more of a flexible and relaxed atmosphere that allows us to have fun exploring our collective singing voice.
We will decide together what we want to develop and get out of the group. We will choose from a wide range of musical activities; rounds, call and response, harmony as well as singing and rhythm exercises. A lot of the warm up songs I teach are Ghanaian, they are very participatory based, with a focus on learning rhythms to play while you sing too. They are great fun to learn and get everyone laughing and stomping together.
Our physical and mental wellbeing also benefit from coming together to sing. That’s why we discuss the songs we’re singing, their origins and how they make us feel, whilst breathing and physical warm ups develop and strengthen our voices and bring us to a place of calm.
Choirs embody one of the key aspects that binds our community – unity. When we sing together we become one voice: it’s a powerful and inspiring thing to be a part of and you are invited to take part!”
About Lorna
I’m a musician based in the southside of Glasgow, I work with lots of different groups leading singing and music workshops for all ages and abilities. I believe passionately in the power of music: how it can be a tool that brings people together, even at a time when we are a part. It can help give expression to a thought, a feeling or an emotion. It can help put us at ease during a difficult time. Most of all, it can help form connections with ourselves and our sense of self, as well as connections with other people and our community.
You can find some of Lorna’s singalong video tutorials via our Facebook and Youtube channels. In the meantime, here’s an example below, covering what was done in our Winter 2021 sessions!