Something to sing about

The hills are alive with the sound of singing – well, not just the hills of course but the whole of Somerset

- BERNARD BALE

At the last count there were about 550,000 people living in Somerset and quite a few of them love to sing and for a variety of reasons, one of them being that singing is good for you. Yes really!

Somerset Chamber Choir is one of the best known in the county and beyond. Based in the Taunton area, the choir has quite a repertoire, ranging from modern music all the way back to hits of the Medieval period. They perform two major concerts a year at Wells Cathedral and King's College Chapel, Taunton, but when they are not performing they do not put their feet up but practise, practise, practise.

It was back in 1984 when Adrian Male and Anothony Leigh decided to form a choir and it is still going strong to this day with both of them still singing. The idea at the time was to perpetuate the friendships and love of performing in the Somerset Youth Choir. It turned out to be a brilliant idea and today the fraternity that has grown among the singers blossoms into a stunning performance every time they appear.

The Somerset Chamber Choir's ethos is that singing is their passion and at the heart of that passion is the belief that life-long singing can transform lives.

That, of course, is a way of saying that singing is good for your health but is it really?

Gareth Malone, well known for his brilliant choir creations, including the Military Wives and many others from all ages and walks of life, reveals: “Yes, singing is definitely good for your health, especially if you have any lung problems. It helps with your breathing and it helps to exercise your inner organs, if you'll pardon the expression. It is also great for the facial muscles and for general well-being so if you are feeling a bit low start singing and, better still, join a choir!”