Singing for Health Research Project

Singing on Thornythwaite Fell 2 fs_edite

The Fellowship of Hill

and Wind and Sunshine

A series of webinars studying the effect that singing has on health and wellbeing, informed by the latest research

Supported by

A partnership between

Singing
for Health Research Project
2023-25

Welcome to the Singing for Health Research Project

This collaborative enterprise between the Singing for Health Network, the International Centre for Community Music, and the Royal College of Music, has sought to bring together musicians, researchers and health professionals from across the globe.

While our understanding of the link between singing and health has grown substantially over the past 20 years, we have much more to do to evidence the potential contribution of singing to our health. Our events offer the opportunity for researchers and practitioners to share knowledge and look toward future collaborations:

Webinar series running from November 2024 to March 2025
Symposium at the Royal College of Music on 25 April 2025 - N.B. now changed to 23 & 24 April 2025. Further details to follow

The project is addressing the following questions:

What is the current state of knowledge on the relationships between singing and health and wellbeing?
What theoretical perspectives help to understand how singing impacts health?
What are the priorities for future research in the field?
What guidance does research evidence provide to musicians and health professionals in the effective and cost-effective delivery of singing for health opportunities in communities and the NHS?

We are grateful to our research contributors who are leading international figures in the field. Together, they are presenting their most recent research, and providing a compass for topic discussions, skill sharing and reflection.

We very much hope you will join us!

Hear from our chair Dr Stephen Clift:

1. MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING

7 November 2024: AHRC research focus webinar featuring Dr Rebecca Bind (Kings College London), Lorna Greenwood (Breathe Arts Health Research), Calum Smith (World Health Organisation) and Dr Katey Warren (University College London)

2. VOICE & COMMUNICATION

16 January 2025: AHRC research focus webinar featuring Dr Arla Good and Prof. Frank Russo (Toronto Metropolitan University), and Anni Pitkanlemi and Dr Teppo Sarkamo (University of Helsinki)

3. COGNITIVE BENEFITS

27 February 2025: AHRC research focus webinar featuring Dr Becky Downson and Dr Linda O'Raw Oraw (University of Nottingham) and Prof. Christian Gold (University of Bergen)

4. BREATH

27 March 2025: AHRC research focus webinar featuring Dr Adam Lewis (University of Southampton) and Dr Keir Philip (Imperial College London)

AHRC Webinars

The webinar series has an overarching design that brings together both research and practice. The webinars specifically linked to the AHRC-funded network are free-of-charge and open to anyone interested in the subject. Complementary events organised by the Singing for Health Network (SHN) are individually and collectively priced below. We would like to encourage potential attendees to consider engaging in the whole series.

See further down for an overview of webinar dates across Autumn 2024 and Spring 2025.

Chair for all webinars - Dr Stephen Clift

AHRC webinars:

4 x Researchers & Academics focus webinars: Free of charge

All webinars will be recorded and will be freely available.

SHN Individual webinar prices:

4 x Practitioner-Researchers focus: £10 per webinar (£6 for SHN members)
4x Practical & Participant focus webinars: £10 per webinar (£6 for SHN members)

SHN Webinar Package prices:

8 webinars package: £70 (£42 for SHN members). NB anyone signing up for the
8-webinar package will automatically be added to the attendee list for the 4 free-of-charge AHRC webinars.

For Singing for Health Network membership please click here.

All webinars will be recorded and made available to those who have booked.

A small additional service charge is applied to each paid booking by the host platform.

Webinar programme overview

AHRC - Arts & Humanities Research Council funded webinar
SHN - Singing for Health promoted follow-up webinar
All webinars take place on Thursdays and run from 17.00 to 18.30 (UK time)

MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING
7 November 2024: AHRC research focus webinar featuring Dr Rebecca Bind (Kings College London), Lorna Greenwood (Breathe Arts Health Research), Calum Smith (World Health Organisation) and Dr Katey Warran (University of Cambridge and University College London)
14 November 2024: SHN practitioner-researcher focus webinar featuring Tessa Armstrong (Voices for Life), Dr Dave Camlin (Royal College of Music), Prof. Lauren Stuart (University of Roehampton) and Claire Turner (practitioner-researcher)
21 November 2024: SHN practical & participant focus webinar featuring Tessa Armstrong (Voices for Life), Kat Branch (University of the West of England, Dr Dave Camlin (Royal College of Music), Claire Turner (practitioner-researcher) and Nicola Wydenbach (Sing to Beat, Mind & Soul Choir)

VOICE FUNCTION & COMMUNICATION
16 January 2025: AHRC research focus webinar featuring Dr Arla Good and Prof. Frank Russo (Toronto Metropolitan University) and Anni Pitkanlemi (University of Helsinki)
23 January 2025: SHN practitioner-researcher focus webinar featuring Kerry Devlin and Dr Kyurim Kang (John Hopkins University), Rebecca Moseley-Morgan (British Voice Association) and Patricia Vella-Burrows (Sidney De Haan Research Centre)
30 January 2025: SHN practical & participant focus webinar featuring Rachel Hynes (singer & vocal animateur), Patricia Vella-Burrows (Sidney De Haan Research Centre) and others

COGNITIVE BENEFITS
27 February 2025: AHRC research focus webinar featuring Dr Becky Downson and Dr Linda O'Raw (University of Nottingham) and Prof. Christian Gold (University of Bergen)
6 March 2025: SHN practitioner-researcher focus webinar featuring Taylor Kurta (Wilfrid Laurier University), Liv McLennan (Sounds Better CIC) and Cerys Purser (Warwick, A Singing Town)
13 March 2025: SHN practical & participant focus webinar featuring Sophie Garner (singer & vocal animateur), Vicky Guise (music therapist & neurologic music therapist) and Liv McLennan (Sounds Better CIC)

BREATH

27 March 2025: AHRC research focus webinar featuring Dr Adam Lewis (University of Southampton) and Dr Keir Philip (Imperial College London)

3 April 2025: SHN practitioner-researcher focus webinar featuring Emma Baylin (Shared Harmonies), Ruth Melhuish (Mindsong) and others

10 April 2025: SHN practical & participant focus webinar featuring Emma Baylin (Shared Harmonies), Emily Foulkes (Music for Good & Singing for Health Network) and Merel van der Knoop (Long Covid Choirs)

Programme

Hear from Emily Foulkes, Director of the Singing for Health Network, about why this programme is so important for anyone involved in Singing for Health:

BOOK THE WHOLE PACKAGE

RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE

The Singing for Health Research Project features 4 cycles of webinars, each anchored around a key topic: Mental Health & Wellbeing; Voice & Communication; Cognitive Benefits; Breath.

Each topic will feature three webinars, all chaired by Dr Stephen Clift and presented as follows:

The first (AHRC) webinar in each cycle will be concerned with researchers and academics in the field sharing their latest research. They will reflect on their choice of study design, considerations for pedagogy, limitations and challenges and how their research fits within the wider context of singing for health and the creative health agenda

The second webinars will involve presentations from practitioner-researchers working in the field, with reflections including their evaluation process, the pedagogical content, ethical frameworks, evidence-based practice, challenges in the field, and future implications.

The third sessions will be an open space for reflection and discussion, with participant voices. With a focus on the practical, there will also be an opportunity to develop and explore practitioner skills and facilitation.

Questions that we will reflect on include;

What does quality look like?
How do we know this works?
How do practice and research inform and connect one another?
Where do we go next?

The second and third webinars are presented by the Singing for Health Network,

and all ticket income will support the ongoing work of the Network.

Academic & Researcher focus - funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (see AHRC Webinars tab)
Practitioner-Researcher focus - presented by the Singing for Health Network (details below)
Practical & Participant focus - presented by the Singing for Health Network (details below)

SHN Webinar listings & booking

Singing for Health Research Project - FULL WEBINAR PACKAGE
27 Mar 2025, 17:00 – 10 Apr 2025, 18:30
Zoom (joining details 1 hour before)
Book to attend all 8 SHN Webinars in the series for a 12.5% discount, PLUS the free 4 AHRC Webinars
INFO & BOOKING
BREATH - practitioner-researcher focus
03 Apr 2025, 17:00 – 18:30 BST
Zoom (joining details 1 hour before)
Dr Dave Camlin (Chair) with Emma Baylin, Ruth Melhuish and others
INFO & BOOKING
BREATH - practical & participant focus
10 Apr 2025, 17:00 – 18:30 BST
Zoom (joining details 1 hour before)
Dr Stephen Clift (Chair) with Emma Baylin, Emily Foulkes and Merel van der Knoop
INFO & BOOKING

SHN Webinars

Emily Foulkes explains the vital role of the SHN follow-up webinars:

Please note:

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If you would like to join the Singing for Health Network as a member for £25 per year, please click here.

Singing for Health Research Project 2023-25

Singing
for Health Research Project
2023-25