Want to improve your health? Join the choir!
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
written by Dr. Ilona Kubiaczyk-Adler
Singing in a choir is a joyful pastime, as well as a great way to volunteer your time to the church and share your talent with the community. But singing is also a scientifically proven way to enhance physical and mental well-being. Research reveals surprising health benefits that extend far beyond musical enjoyment.
A 2016 study published in the Journal of Voice found that respiratory health improves significantly with regular choral singing. Choir members demonstrated improved lung function and breathing control. “The regulated breathing patterns required for singing strengthen respiratory muscles and increase lung capacity,” explains researcher Dr. Graham Welch from University College London.
A landmark study in Frontiers in Psychology (2018) revealed impressive psychological benefits. Choir singing reduces stress hormones like cortisol while increasing positive neurochemicals such as oxytocin and endorphins. Researchers observed that just one hour of choral singing produced significant reductions in stress markers and improved mood among participants.
According to a study in Psychology of Music, choral singing creates a unique sense of social cohesion and belonging. “The synchronization of breathing and voices creates a powerful shared experience that bonds participants in ways few other activities can match,” notes music psychologist Dr. Jacques Launay of Oxford University.
Research published in The Gerontologist found that seniors who participated in choir singing showed better verbal flexibility, processing speed, and memory compared to non-singers. The combination of musical learning, attention, and coordination appears to provide excellent exercise for the brain.
Perhaps most fascinating is the phenomenon known as “heart synchronization.” A 2013 study from the University of Gothenburg discovered that choristers’ heartbeats actually synchronize during performance, creating a calming effect similar to controlled breathing exercises in yoga.
So! Do you wish to improve your health? Join the choir! There are two choral opportunities for adult singers at Pinnacle: Sing For Life Chorus and the Chancel Choir.
Sing For Life Chorus is a choir designed for folks with early to mid stages of memory loss and their caregivers. In addition, we welcome any volunteers who want to support the group with their ability to sing. This is a low-commitment choir - we meet every Thursday @ 10-11:30 am from September through May in the Fellowship Hall, we warm up physically and vocally, and we sing popular tunes.
The perfect time to try out our Chancel Choir is in the summer months. This year we will have our Pick-Up Summer Choir on Sundays, June 8, July 6, and August 17. The only thing you need to do is to come as you are on one of these Sundays at 9:15 am to the Rehearsal Hall, run through a simple anthem and a few hymns, and you will be a part of the Chancel Choir for the 10 am worship. If you find the activity rewarding and exciting, the Chancel Choir starts its season with the first rehearsal on Wednesday, August 20 (7 - 8:30 pm). The first 10 am worship with the choir in the 2025/2026 season is on Sunday, September 7.
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact our Director of Music, Dr. Ilona Kubiaczyk-Adler at ikadler@pinnaclepres.org.
