Why We Sing
As a singing therapist, teacher and performer, Julia Hollander is in a unique position to consider singing’s importance to our wellbeing, charting its extraordinary influence on all aspects of our spiritual, emotional and physical lives.
Why do parents feel compelled to sing to their newborns, and how does it help their development? What is it about song that brings communities together in harmony but also in protest? How come an activity that helps to embed languages and maths formulae can also be used to rehabilitate Long Covid sufferers? And what magic is at work when people who have lost the power to speak are still able to sing?
By delving into her own life experiences, and calling on those of her fellow singers, the author seeks to answer these questions, underpinning her findings with the latest scientific research.
In so many walks of life, people of all ages and backgrounds are waking up to the joys of singing, its power to give hope and connection in a fragmented world. Song-making is available in an increasingly broad range of social and therapeutic contexts, prescribed by doctors and community services. This book offers explanations for why this should be, and inspiration to anyone who loves to sing.
Why do parents feel compelled to sing to their newborns, and how does it help their development? What is it about song that brings communities together in harmony but also in protest? How come an activity that helps to embed languages and maths formulae can also be used to rehabilitate Long Covid sufferers? And what magic is at work when people who have lost the power to speak are still able to sing?
By delving into her own life experiences, and calling on those of her fellow singers, the author seeks to answer these questions, underpinning her findings with the latest scientific research.
In so many walks of life, people of all ages and backgrounds are waking up to the joys of singing, its power to give hope and connection in a fragmented world. Song-making is available in an increasingly broad range of social and therapeutic contexts, prescribed by doctors and community services. This book offers explanations for why this should be, and inspiration to anyone who loves to sing.
Reviews
'A must-read for anyone moved by the power of song'
This enlightening exploration of the power of singing is written from the heart… This is a moving and insightful celebration of what it means to make music with nothing but our own bodies.
WHY WE SING is a rich combination of deep dive into the science – from neurology to behavioural psychology – and anecdote, stories from the author’s own life and those of her students and collaborators… beautifully written and utterly engrossing.