Welcome to the Singing for Health Network podcast - an inspiring window on different aspects of Singing for Health, hosted by Ruth Routledge of Mind and Voice.
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Designed to appeal to researchers, practitioners, health professionals and the wider public, Singing for Health Podcasts feature inspiring people and stories from across the Singing for Health movement.
PODCAST
1.1 Introduction to the Singing for Health Network
with Emily Foulkes and Baz Chapman
Capturing the growth of the Singing for Health movement in the UK and beyond, founder and director Emily Foulkes and Network Manager Baz Chapman describe how the Singing for Health Network came into being in early 2021, what the network aims to achieve and what's on offer.
1.2 Singing and Lung Health
with Adam Lewis
Our guest in this episode is Dr Adam Lewis, a physiotherapist researcher and Senior Lecturer at Brunel University London, who has been at the heart of research trials into singing and lung health conditions. He talks about the role of research, the biophysical medical model and the clinically demonstrated benefits of singing groups for certain lung health conditions. A passionate advocate of singing, Adam also discusses bias and the role of the researcher as "truth seeker", in order to establish what does and doesn't work effectively.
SERIES 1​
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Introduction to the Singing for Health Network with Emily Foulkes and Baz Chapman
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Singing for Parkinson's with Nicola Wydenbach and Rachel Hynes
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SERIES 2
Useful links available to Singing for Health Network Members:
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SHN Singing for Lung Health Webinar (13/12/21) and Research Webinar (27/09/22) recordings available to stream from the SHN Member's Area
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Research Summaries and Practice Articles - head to our Resources page and filter by Health Condition/Lung Health
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Membership of the Singing for Health Network costs just £25 per year. Click here to find out more.
1.3 Singing for Parkinson's
with Nicola Wydenbach and Rachel Hynes
In this episode Ruth talks with two guests - Nicola Wydenbach, based in London, who is the Director of Training and Specialist Singing & Health Facilitator for Sing to Beat Parkinson's; and Rachel Hynes, opera singer and practitioner with Singing for Parkinson's and other Singing for Health groups in Scotland.
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Conversations surround their journeys from being classical performers into the world of singing for health, their practice and pedagogy with Singing for Parkinson's, the role of research in their work, as well as their go-to exercises for Singing for Parkinson's groups.
Useful links available to Singing for Health Network Members:
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SHN Singing for Parkinson's Webinar (24/11/21, featuring Nicola) and Singing for Lung Health (13/12/21 featuring Rachel) available to stream from the SHN Members' Area
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Research Summaries and Practice Articles - head to our Resources page and filter by Health Condition/Parkinson's
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Details about Singing to Beat training here
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Article on Rachel's experiences of working with the health system here
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Article on Singing and Mental Health by Nicola Wydenbach here
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Article and films on Singing and Parkinson's by Elizabeth Drwal Stuttard here
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Membership of the Singing for Health Network costs just £25 per year. Click here to find out more.
1.4 Leading Inclusive Singing
with Stephen Deazley
For Episode 4, Ruth Routledge talks to Stephen Deazley, founder and Director of Love Music, about his work as a leader of inclusive singing, balancing the needs of participants, promoting agency amongst singers, 'eye-level' leadership and the importance of challenge. From his 300-strong community choir to his work with Luminate, Scotland's dementia-inclusive network, Stephen's podcast gives a broad and inspiring insight into singing leadership.
Useful links available to Singing for Health Network Members:
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Stephen was a panellist on 2 SHN webinars about Singing and Dementia - available to stream via our Members' Area.
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Travel These Ways - the free online pack commissioned by Luminate Scotland: click here
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Membership of the Singing for Health Network costs just £25 per year. Click here to find out more.
Want to hear some more Singing for Health podcasts? Check out the podcast series by Scotland's Singing for Health Network - click here.
2.1 'Feel Good' Singing and Occupational Therapy
with Lisa Strong
Lisa Strong is a singer, singing leader, researcher and occupational therapist. In this episode she talks to Ruth about joy and belonging in community choirs, including her own Walton Feel Good Choir; how to measure experience and impact for participants; and the need for a much better connection between health professionals - particularly occupational therapists and social prescribers - and singing groups.
You can view the Singing for Health Network model that Lisa refers to here.
2.2 The Natural Voice singing movement
with Frankie Armstrong
We are delighted to welcome singer, voice workshop leader and founder/president of the Natural Voice Network, Frankie Armstrong. In this episode we hear about her journey from professional social worker and amateur singer into performing professionally and combining her musical skills with her interpersonal skills leading voice workshops in a career spanning nearly 50 years. Frankie's deep knowledge, compassion and passion for every voice to be heard and supported to express themselves, shines through, as well as hearing exactly how she introduces singing by stealth to people who do not believe they can sing.
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Frankie mentions singing in parallel seconds on the Dalmation island of Krk - you can here this extraordinary music here - particularly the section from 20'50".
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The Natural Voice Network is a partner of the Singing for Health Network. You can find out more about them at www.naturalvoice.net
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Photo: Dewi Tannatt LLoyd
2.3 Practitioner Research
with Debbie Winter
Debbie Winter is our guest for this podcast about the growing network of practitioners who undertake academic research to develop their practice. Debbie is director of the Voice Study Centre (full disclaimer: our host Ruth Routledge is currently on the Voice Study Centre's Masters course and Emily Foulkes, co-founder of the Singing for Health Network, is a previous Masters student and current tutor on the Masters course), which provides voice pedagogy-based continuing professional development and teacher training for singing teachers, music directors and choral conductors. In this wide-reaching conversation they focus on ethical considerations in research, for singing for health practitioners and participants. They also consider the role of the singing for health practitioners in a wider context. A must-listen for anyone currently engaged or considering working in singing for health practice.
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2.4 Teaching Singing with Dyslexics
with Deborah Aloba
Deborah Aloba specialises in teaching singing and music to students with dyslexia and other neurodiverse issues. She tells us how she started doing this work, building up her practice through conversation, research and experimentation. Deborah explains different issues which can arise and her detailed practical strategies for how to deal with them, to support and make singing and music accessible. She is passionate, lively and a fountain of information on the subject.
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Useful links available to Singing for Health Network Members:
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Deborah's book Teaching Dyslexics how to Read and Write Music is available from Amazon.
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Our webinar on Singing and Neurodiversity is available to stream via our Members' Area.
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Membership of the Singing for Health Network costs just £25 per year. Click here to find out more.
SERIES 1
SERIES 2
