THE SINGING ROOM

Anna Williams set up The Singing Room in 2007.

Back then it was the only place to sing in Walthamstow other than a choral choir!

This was before Gareth Malone had energised a nation to return to singing. It was also before the government initiative 'Sing Up' had been introduced as a way to get singing back into primary schools. Singing was just not current.

We had lost our voices....

Things have certainly changed in the 10 years since The Singing Room  began. Workshops and choirs of all kinds everywhere. Great news for singing. Great news for everyone.

Hopefully if you're reading this you are considering joining a group to sing. If so you are joining an activity that is growing every day across our country.  Come along to one of our rehearsals and see what it's all about.

The Singing Room provides weekly workshops and and performance opportunities. It's main emphasis is on developing confidence in singing and/or developing vocal skill.

Community singing groups whether choirs or workshops usually follow a number of agreed principles and many of their leaders are part of an organisation called The Natural Voice Practitioners Network. The principles will tend to include the following;

No audition process

No experience necessary

A non competitive environment

A friendly welcoming atmosphere

Learning by ear rather than reading music

The Singing Room follows these principles and Anna is a member of the NVPN.

What if you are an experienced singer?

Well this is still a place for you. A singing group thrives on a mix of backgrounds and experience. There will still be challenges and solo opportunities for confident and experienced singers. Confident singers then inspire the less confident meaning  everyone gets the opportunity to grow and develop.

Being part of a group like The Singing Room can have many advantages.  Members who often arrive tired and stressed from a days work will leave with a spring in their step, singing to themselves, laughing and chatting with other members. Rehearsals can be challenging with learning notes, blending with others, listening, working on tricky rhythms or different languages. It is also stimulating and sociable and we also manage to have a lot of fun together.

Singing also bring people together across barriers that might be there in other activities. It bring together people of different ages and backgrounds. Singing is a way of communicating and being together and understanding each other without the need for talking or having things in common.

Look on our members comments page to hear what they have to say.

The Singing Room began as a workshop choir with the emphasis on workshop! By including the experience of performing as well this can develop confidence and enjoyment in singing even more. Today the group performs locally as well as around and out of London on a regular basis. We even talk about a european tour at some point. (Maybe....)