Big Big Sing First Annual Report by helen wyllie

E H T

T R O P E R

Foreword This report tells the beginning of the Big Big Sing story, which I hope will have many more fascinating chapters to come. The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Culture 2014 and Festival 2014 created an opportunity to act on a long-held ambition to put into action a programme of singing activity inspired by research into the health and wellbeing benefits of singing. Support from Spirit of 2012 further enabled us to extend Big Big Sing far beyond Glasgow to the whole of the UK and, in some ways, across the entire Commonwealth!

It has been an extraordinary journey and this review of the first year sets the stage for ambitious plans for future development. I hope it inspires you and makes you want to sing! Svend Brown, Big Big Sing Director

"Ever wondered what happens after a Big Big Sing event? Days spent humming, smiling and occasionally bursting into song!" Big Big Singer

Foreword

“The experience of singing with so many other people was energising” Big Big Singer

Big Big Big Sing: Sing: the thereport report

Contents Executive summary and overview Introduction 7 The aims 8 The plan 10 Delivery 12

In more detail Phase one: build up to the Games Getting underway 17 Online resources 18 Building the Big Big Sing community 21 Big Big Sing Days 23 Partnerships 25 Unique projects 27

Phase two: the Games! Engaging with the Games Culture 2014 and Festival 2014 projects

35 41

Phase three: building on success Onwards 43

Research

References 49

Thank you

Contents

“I came away feeling lighter of heart and with a smile on my face… I think it is the first time I have really laughed for what seems like forever.” Big Big Singer

Big Big Big Sing: Sing: the thereport report

Executive summary Introduction Two years in the planning, and launched in January 2014, Big Big Sing (BBS) is a UK-wide initiative inspired by the simple proposal that singing is the most universal, inclusive and accessible way to make music. As well as by the fact that anyone who does it also enjoys better health, self esteem, confidence and a better social life â&#x20AC;&#x201C; qualities that contribute to greater happiness. Glasgow UNESCO City of Music initially planned a city-wide version of BBS in 2011-2012. The opportunity of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and Festival 2014 expanded the vision to a Scotland-wide one. Then, in November 2013, funding from Spirit of 2012 enhanced it further and BBS became a UK-wide programme.

This report offers an insight into the delivery, impact and value of the project in its first year; a year in which BBS reached hundreds of thousands of people through live events and online resources. Academic research worldwide shows singing to be of benefit in treating debilitating and chronic conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), dementia, aphasia and Parkinsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease. It may even prove to enhance the medical treatment of strokes and cancer (for a summary of current research please see page 45).

BBS takes a preventative approach, promoting singing as a means to improve the health, wellbeing and overall quality of life of any individual in the UK, no matter what their age or location. As the many testimonial quotes highlighted in this report show, the impact of BBS has been both powerful and lifeaffirming. As research and assessment of the benefits of singing has been a key element of the BBS project, this report also summarises important lessons for the future development and support of singing, as well as making recommendations.

62 840 people sang at our events

Executive summary

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Big Big Sing: the report

Taking the Commonwealth Games in July 2014 as a centre of gravity, BBS structured its year into three phases…

10 Big Big Sing: the report

• Create the team, identity and infrastructure • Build key resources, including the most extensive choir database in the UK, a wide range of singing materials, learning and teaching resources and information on the health and wellbeing benefits of singing • Build a UK-wide community using social media, direct contact and promotion • Present BBS days and events across the UK to inspire people to learn new songs, to join a choir or even to start their own choir • Build partnerships across the UK to maximise the impact of BBS through events and projects • Undertake phase one research into the community singing sector • Prioritise learning about the challenges and barriers to participation and consider remedial responses.

AUG 2014

GAMES

JUN 2014

14 20

NOV 2013

Plan

Phase ONE: The Build up to The Games

“Fab, uplifting afternoon in Poole yesterday — please come and see us again!”

DEC 2015

Big Big Singer

Phase TWO: The Games

Phase THREE: Onwards

• Welcome the Commonwealth: encourage people to explore singing traditions world-wide through Songbook arrangements and the Commonwealth Playlist • Invite South Africa’s top youth choir, Mzansi Youth Choir, to perform and take part in workshops alongside young singers in London and Glasgow • Put singing at the heart of key Festival 2014 events such as the celebration of Nelson Mandela Day • Create opportunities for community choirs to sing in Glasgow during the Games, on pop-up stages • Stage the UK’s biggest massed singing event at Glasgow Green • Partner with other Festival 2014 projects to promote community singing as part of their work.

• Assess feedback and evaluation to determine phase three resources • Stage more UK-wide BBS Days • Launch the Choir Doctor training progamme • Release new songs in the Big Big Songbook • Promote BBS nationally and internationally through conference presentations and partnerships • Develop plans for phase four.

Executive summary 11

Delivery

how many people took part in BBS events? For details of the Big Song Relay events please see pages 40 - 41.

12 Big Big Sing: the report

QUEEN’S BATON RELAY RECEPTION GLASGOW 10.10.13 18.10.13 30.11.13 16.02.14

FESTIVE FLASHMOB GLASGOW 23.11.13 BBS DAY DUNDEE 01.02.14

BBS DAY ABERDEEN 08.03.14

LONDON 20.04.14

BBS DAY EDINBURGH

CHOIR OF THE YEAR CROYDON 08.03.14 CHOIR OF THE YEAR LEEDS 06.04.14

CHOIR OF THE YEAR BASINGSTOKE 27.04.14

GLASGOW 08.05.14

BBS DAY

FLASHMOB PROPOSAL

MOUNT PRIMARY SCHOOL CHOIR WORKSHOP MERSEYSIDE 09.05.14

CHOIR OF THE YEAR WARWICK 10.05.14 BBS DAY CROMARTY 11.05.14

SIGNING WORKSHOP DUNDEE 11.05.14

CHOIR OF THE YEAR LONDON 11.05.14

CHOIR WORKSHOP MUSSELBURGH 11.05.14 SOUTHAMPTON 12.05.14 HIGHLAND 14.05.14

RETFORD COMMUNITY SINGERS

NORTH WEST COMMUNITIES ADULT CHOIR WORKSHOP

BBS DAY BALLYMENA 15.05.14

WORKSHOP PAISLEY 15.05.14 DARTINGTON 16.05.14

CLARK COMMUNITY

WILDERN COMMUNITY CHOIR WORKSHOP

BBS DAY PERTH 14.05.14

WORKSHOP DONCASTER 14.05.14

LERWICK 17.05.14

SCOTTISH SING-ALONG GLASGOW

BBS DAY GLASGOW 09.02.14

CHOIR OF THE YEAR BRISTOL 30.03.14

18.05.14

GLASGOW CENTRAL STATION FLASHMOB

ROCK US COMMUNITY CHOIR

SINGSTATION WORKSHOP ABERGELE 15.05.14

GIRLS’ BRIGADE WORKSHOP EDINBURGH 16.05.14

GOING FOR GOLD GLASGOW 17.05.14

CHOIR OF THE YEAR NORWICH 17.05.14

BBS DAY BBS DAY

GOING FOR GOLD DUNDEE

GALLERY OF MODERN ART FLASHMOB

GLASGOW 17.05.14

TIN FOREST WORKSHOP GLASGOW 27.05.14

GLASGOW 18.05.14

SPIRIT OF 2012 FLASHMOB GLASGOW 21.05.14

BBS DAY DUMFRIES

SCOTTISH REFUGEE WEEK WORKSHOP GLASGOW 15.06.14

CHOIR OF THE YEAR

08.06.14

GLASGOW 22.06.14

BBS AT ROYAL BLIND SCHOOL EDINBURGH 25.06.14

CHOIR PERFOMANCE LONDON 14.07.14 15.07.14

MZANSI YOUTH CHOIR WORKSHOP

MZANSI YOUTH CHOIR PERFORMANCES GLASGOW 18.07.14

CHOIR WORKSHOP GLASGOW 19.07.14 23.06.14

MZANSI YOUTH

MZANSI YOUTH CHOIR WORKSHOP LONDON

TIN FOREST WORKSHOP GLASGOW 17.07.14

GLASGOW 17.07.14

SIGNING WORKSHOP

LOCH PRIMARY SCHOOL WORKSHOP GLASGOW

BBC AT THE QUAY SONG STAGE GLASGOW 25.07.14

HALL SONG STAGE 21.07.14

GLASGOW ROYAL CONCERT

BIG BIG BIG SING DAY GLASGOW 27.07.14

BANDSTAND GLASGOW 30.07.14 BBS DAY SOUTHAMPTON 19.10.14

BBS AT KELVINGROVE

BBS AT EMPIRE CAFÉ GLASGOW 01.08.14

CHAIRMAN’S RECEPTION GLASGOW 01.08.14

BBS AT

BIG SONG RELAY SCOTLAND 14.06.14 - 23.07.14

BBS DAY BELFAST 25.10.14

SCOTTISH SING-ALONG EDINBURGH 30.11.14

FIELD

BBS DAY POOLE 01.11.14

FESTIVE FUN BBS DAY GLASGOW 07.12.14 Executive summary 13

14 14 Big Big Big Sing: Sing: the thereport report

30 442

downloads from the Big Big Songbook

videos

46 209 video views on &

BaTON RElaY RECEPTION · GlaSGOW CENTRal STaTION FlaSHmOB · GlaSGOW lOvES CHRISTmaS FlaSHmOB · SaINT aNDREWS DaY SONGS · DuNDEE BBS DaY · GlaSGOW BBS DaY · EDINBuRGH BBS DaY · CROYDON CHOIR OF THE YEaR · aBERDEEN BBS DaY · BRISTOl CHOIR OF THE YEaR · SINGSTaTION WORKSHOP · lEEDS CHOIR OF THE YEaR · DaRTINGTON BBS DaY · ROCK uS COmmuNITY CHOIR ENTRE BBS WORKSHOP · COSla DaY · CHOIR OF THE WORKSHOP · maREEl, YEaR BaSINGSTOKE · SHETlaND BBS DaY · GlaSGOW ROYal GlaSGOW CONCERT Hall PROPOSal FlaSHmOB GOING FOR · COTY WaRWICK · mERSEYSIDE GOlD · DuNDEE WORKSHOP · WaRWICK BBS CaIRD Hall GOING WORKSHOP · SIGNING WORKSHOP FOR GOlD · DuNDEE DEaF HuB · CROmaRTY NORWICH CHOIR BBS DaY · CHOIR OF THE OF THE YEaR· YEaR lONDON · SOuTH GOma FlaSHmOB · BaNK · ClaRK GlaSGOW SIGNING COmmuNITY CHOIR WORKSHOP · SPIRIT OF WORKSHOP · WIlDERN 2012 FlaSHmOB · TIN COmmuNITY CHOIR FOREST WORKSHOP · DumFRIES WORKSHOP · PERTH BBS DaY BBS DaY · SCOTTISH REFuGEE WEEK · RETFORD COmmuNITY WORKSHOP · SCOTTISH REFuGEE WEEK SINGERS WORKSHOP · NORTH PERFORmaNCE · CHOIR OF THE YEaR WEST COmmuNITIES aDulT CHOIR GlaSGOW · CHOIR OF THE YEaR WORKSHOP · BallYmENa BBS WORKSHOP · ROYal BlIND SCHOOl DaY · BBS WORKSHOP · mZaNSI WORKSHOPS · TIN FOREST WORKSHOP · mZaNSI PERFORmaNCES · FIElD CHOIR REHEaRSal · lOCH PRImaRY WORKSHOP · BalFRON HIGH WORKSHOP · TIN FOREST OPENING EvENT WORKSHOP · GlaSGOW ROYal CONCERT Hall STEPS SONG STaGE · BBC aT THE QuaY · BIG BIG BIG SING DaY · KElvINGROvE BaNDSTaND · EmPIRE CaFÉ · CHaIRmaNS RECEPTION · BIG SONG RElaY · SOuTHamPTON BBS DaY · BElFaST BIG BIG SING DaY · POOlE BIG BIG SING DaY · SaINT aNDREWS SQuaRE SCOTTISH SING alONG · GlaSGOW BIG B IG SING DaY

173

62 840

events

people sang at our events

111 697 people visited

www.bigbigsing.org

574 560 People estimated to have used a Big Big Songbook resource Executive summary 15

“I thought the whole event was inspiring… I have applied to join my local choir.” Big Big Singer

16 16 Big Big Big Sing: Sing: the thereport report

In more detail Phase one: build up to the Games, Nov 2013â&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 2015 Getting underway Launching in January 2014, BBS had just seven months to establish itself, to deliver resources and to achieve all goals linked to the Commonwealth Games. We were able to achieve a great deal in such a short time thanks to supportive funders and an outstanding team on and off stage.

Our team: Svend Brown, Director Siobhan Clark, Producer Ann Monfries, Marketing Consultant Mike Griffiths, Partnerships Consultant Elaine Craig, Event Manager Katharine Barrington, Event Co-ordinator Trish Elms, Social Media Manager Amy Potter, Marketing Assistant Kirsty Walker, Project Assistant Marianne Gallagher, Administrative Assistant Claire Blackwood, Material PR Claire Snedden, Material PR.

Fraser Fifield Anna Flannagan Matthew Forbes Ranjana Ghatak Chris Greive Lucy Griffiths Adey Grummet The Love Music team: Mohamed Gueye Stephen Deazley, Director Paul Harrison Ruth Davie, Manager-Producer. Corrina Hewat Over the course of the year a team of Dougie Hudson animateurs and musicians developed Fraser Jackson to deliver BBS events UK-wide. Duncan Lyall Laura MacDonald Event delivery team: Natalie MacDonald Marcina Arnold Ronnie MacNiven Colin Baines Erick Mauricia Phil Bancroft Cameron Maxwell Bellatrix Dave Milligan Colin Black Ross Milligan Steven Blake Conrad Molleson Ali Burns Magnus Pickering Mairi Campbell Robert Pettigrew Davy Cattanach Jason Singh Claire Clark Eugene Skeef Lea Cornthwaite Soul Nation Choir Alyn Cosker Graham Stephen Suzi Davies Euan Stevenson Stephen Deazley Tom Walsh Sidiki Dembele Jonathan Williams Joy Dunlop Ali Wood.

From the outset, a key partnership with Love Music Productions Ltd. (creators of the largest community choir in Scotland) strengthened the project by offering community choir expertise and artistic direction.

In more detail: phase one 17

Online resources Early in the development of BBS, we understood that the best way to achieve the greatest impact in the short time available to us would be to optimise our use of the web and social media. We consulted with choral activists to hear their priorities, concerns and ambitions, and scoped our work to respond to these. Three main themes emerged: • More information • Better information • Better connectivity and availability.

Choir directory

Top reasons to sing

We created the most extensive and accurate directory of UK choirs of its kind, which is easy to access and use.

There are so many reasons to sing! We’ve created a digest of the latest research demonstrating the mental, social and physical benefits that singing can bring.

Looking for a choir to join? Just type in your postcode, refine your search by rehearsal day and genre and we will show you all the choirs listed within a 20-mile radius. Already in a choir? Add your choir to the directory and recruit new members.

over

3 300 choirs in the directory and still growing!

18 Big Big Sing: the report

Big Big Songbook

Training and support

Inspiration

The single most successful element of BBS has been the Big Big Songbook.

The Songbook was just one aspect of our response to provide the type of training and support choir leaders told us they wanted. Each song was accompanied by videos covering: • Warm-ups • Tips on how to teach the song • Information about the song • Pronunciation guides.

We discovered that people in the community choir sector are eager to hear what others are doing, to inspire their own work. We created case studies about inspirational people who have started, led or manage fantastic choirs around the UK and shared them online.

To celebrate the Commonwealth Games, we featured 10 traditional and newly commissioned songs from different countries around the Commonwealth and made them available for free. The Big Big Songbook has been used by singers of all ages from school children to pensioners.

‘How to’ guides We created short, informative guides on how to set up a choir in your community, workplace or school.

Learning through fun We created videos featuring Eugene Skeef demonstrating various warmups and exercises. They were challenging but also just a little silly!

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choir resources www.bigbigsing.org

In more detail: phase one 19

“Anthems set to unite UK in song for 2014 Games” The Scotsman

“Raise those voices loud and proud for a Big Big Sing” Belfast Telegraph

20 Big Big Sing: the report

“Gena’s singing the praises of choir group” Sunday Post

“Singing for the soul” The Press and Journal

Building the Big Big Sing community Social As a UK-wide initiative it was imperative that BBS reached singers and potential singers across the nation. Social media proved a powerful tool, as the choral sector are active users. We have built up a lively community on social media with over 5,000 page likes on Facebook and more than 1,800 Twitter followers. Our followers and fans are incredibly engaged, using the BBS social media channels to share news, announce upcoming concerts, recruit new choir members or simply to comment on our regular updates and posts. Our online content aims to be fun but also thought-provoking and inspiring. We draw on quotes, images, videos, academic research, news and personal stories to engage and build a bond with our online community. We invested extensively in video content both to capture magic moments from our events, and also to offer training and development with a light touch. This approach has proved extremely successful, with one video generating more than 9,200 views!

Promotion BBS took a ‘big picture’ view of media promotion from the outset. Our aim was to attract participants to events, but also to highlight the allimportant wellbeing messages.

In the media BBS featured strongly in both the national and local press, appearing in more than 40 printed publications, including: The Scotsman, Belfast Telegraph, The Evening Times, Daily Record, Woman’s Weekly, The List, The Herald, Daily Echo and The Dundee Evening Telegraph. That’s a total circulation of over 1,900,000 copies! Coverage ranged from individuals sharing personal stories about the health and wellbeing benefits of singing, through to publicising and reporting on BBS events. Audio clips from the Big Big Songbook and interviews with BBS team members have been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio Scotland, Radio Tay, Radio Shetland, BBC Radio Coventry + Warwickshire, Clyde 1 FM and STV Glasgow.

Getting the word out about Big Big Sing We hit the ground running with event advertisements in national and local papers; we distributed flyers and posters UK-wide and made direct contact with hundreds of community groups and choirs. In April 2014, a BBS ad in The Guardian and The i included the score of L’au Lupe, a traditional Samoan Song from the Big Big Songbook. It promoted the upcoming event at Southbank Centre and drove readers to our website and social media. With a mailing list of over 3,000 and growing almost daily, we keep subscribers updated with news, events and opportunities.

“We had a super blast! Sung our little hearts out all day. Found a whole new meaning to the power of singing. #BigBigSing” @NOW_Volunteers

In more detail: phase one 21

22 Big Big Sing: the report

Big Big Sing Days The Big Big Sing Days were among the highlights of the first year. They were also critical to our success and enabled us to:

Stage extraordinarily enjoyable, high quality learning and singing sessions Typically five hours long, participant responses were invariably euphoric.

Meet the community At each BBS Day we invited local choir leaders to meet with us to talk about singing. Due to the diversity of locations, including inner city, rural, island and coastal, we were able to make incredibly useful contacts and gather a great deal of knowledge.

Grow the BBS community Over the course of seven months we built impressive loyalty and passion for the project, with individuals travelling considerable distances to attend different events. We gave out free t-shirts and by 27 July at the BIG Big Big Sing Day on Glasgow Green, a mass of BBS t-shirts could be seen across the Green.

Build profile Without a doubt each BBS Day triggered significant word of mouth, press coverage and social media interaction, which helped build the 40,000-strong audience for the BIG Big Big Sing.

Build our expertise We knew that within seven months we would produce the UK’s biggest sing-along event at Glasgow Green. Every BBS Day helped shape our ideas and increased our expertise and confidence.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big Big Sing is a fantastic project which offers anyone looking for a fun way to improve their health and wellbeing a great opportunity to get involved and start singing.â&#x20AC;? Sir Harry Burns

24 Big Big Big Sing: Sing: the thereport report

Partnerships Partnerships need to mature over long periods to deliver truly excellent value, and BBS benefited from existing mature partnerships developed by Glasgow UNESCO City of Music, as well as capitalising on opportunities arising from Spirit of 2012 and participation in Festival 2014.

Meet our partners Love Music Productions Ltd Love Music inspires people to be curious, creative and adventurous with music regardless of their skillbase or background. We have partnered with Love Music to deliver the Big Big Songbook, as well as events. www.lovemusic.org.uk

Voluntary Arts Week Voluntary Arts Week is a celebration of cultural creativity across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. We teamed up with the organisers, Voluntary Arts, to encourage people to get involved in the festivities by organising a flashmob choir. A flashmob guide was created for distribution to arts groups and choirs through a range of networks. During the week we also hosted 20 BBS events, mainly in rural areas.

Children’s Classic Concerts Children’s Classic Concerts stage family events to introduce children to live orchestral music. We worked with Children’s Classic Concerts, the National Youth Choir of Scotland and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra to help create a special singing participation event, ‘Going For Gold’. www.childrensclassicconcerts.co.uk

www.voluntaryartsweek.org

Hands Up For Trad Hands Up For Trad was formed in 2002 to increase the profile and visibility of Scottish traditional music, through information, education and advocacy. They produced ‘The Big Song Relay’ as part of BBS, with support from us to create video material and to distribute the project’s song Here’s To All Our Common Wealth online through the Big Big Songbook.

Choir of the Year Choir of the Year is the UK’s national competition for amateur choirs. At each of its national rounds, songs from the Big Big Songbook were taught to all participants, spreading the word and building awareness of BBS. www.choiroftheyear.co.uk

www.handsupfortrad.scot

In more detail: phase one 25

26 Big Big Big Sing: Sing: the thereport report

Unique projects While BBS is not targeted at any specific part of the community, we made it our priority to explore four specific areas of interest through unique projects: • Schools and young people • New communities • Signing choirs • Engaging with Gaelic and Welsh speakers. Each of these projects was successful in its own terms, but also enabled us to deepen our knowledge of different sectors of the community, who may experience particular barriers to participation in community singing.

Refugee Week

Gaelic and Welsh

Refugee Week ran from 16–22 June 2014, celebrating the contribution that refugees have made to Scotland. We put together a choir to perform at the opening event in Glasgow, comprising members from the local refugee and asylum seeker community.

Key pages of the BBS website have been translated into Gaelic and Welsh, including resources on how to set up a choir.

Two workshops were delivered alongside the performance and participants were encouraged to bring along instruments and songs from their own cultures, giving everyone the opportunity to work with music from different countries and different languages. Through engagement with local refugee centres and asylum seeker networks, we were able to contribute a unique performance to the celebrations.

Gaelic We worked with Gaelic speakers and singers to develop repertoire for the website and for use at key events: • Here’s To All Our Common Wealth was translated into Gaelic and made available to download from the Big Big Songbook • At the BIG Big Big Sing we provided a free drop-in workshop for Gaelic Mouth Music and encouraged 15,000 participants to join in with singers on the main stage. Gaelic choirs were invited to participate in events and to join our choir directory. There are currently 27 Gaelic choirs listed online. The Commonwealth Playlist is a valuable means of sharing Gaelic song, with singers, songwriters and choirs uploading their own videos and recordings to share with the world.

“Enjoyed the Gaelic singing. Amazing what can be taught in such a short time.” Big Big Singer In more detail: phase one 27

“Singing together makes you feel like you’re in a band and makes me feel happy and excited.” Edinburgh Royal Blind School pupil

28 Big Big Sing: the report

Schools and young people Teachers, youth choir leaders and young people engaged with BBS throughout its first year, discovering the project for themselves and joining in. We also increased engagement in this area through the following focused initiatives:

Schools’ Songwriting Competition In the lead up to Glasgow 2014, we challenged school pupils in Scotland to write a song inspired by the Commonwealth Games. We were wowed by all of the entries. Primary School winners: Loch Primary School, Jump, Swim, Run. Secondary School winners: Shanon, Evelyn and Lucy from Balfron High, Life’s A Game. Both groups were the recipients of a BBS workshop and performed their winning songs in front of thousands of people at the BIG Big Big Sing in Glasgow. They also featured on BBC Radio Scotland’s The Culture Studio.

Online Resources for Schools The Big Big Songbook includes a set of resources created specially for schools. Focusing on Fruits Of Our Gifts, a simplified score was produced, accompanied by two videos to aid teachers. The videos were filmed in Edinburgh, with pupils from Stockbridge Primary playing a starring role.

Edinburgh Royal Blind School In May 2014, we visited Edinburgh Royal Blind School to run a workshop with 90 pupils, working with repertoire from the Big Big Songbook.

Young Scot Rewards We teamed up with Young Scot to encourage 11-26 year-olds in Scotland to get singing through the Young Scots rewards platform. Collectively the BBS activity pages received over 3,000 unique page views.

Game On Scotland Game On Scotland, the official education programme of the Commonwealth Games, featured BBS on its website, as well as details of how to take part.

Going for Gold Produced by Children’s Classic Concerts, Going for Gold was a musical celebration of inspiration, ambition and talent. We helped fund the two concerts at Dundee Caird Hall and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, which were attended by a family audience of well over 1,000.

“Thanks @BigBigSing! We are using Fruits Of Our Gifts for a joint Year 5/6 Harvest performance – amazing resources!” @MirandaGMusic

In more detail: phase one 29

30 Big Big Big Sing: Sing: the thereport report

Signed song

Signing Workshops

Signed Songs R Us

We created specially choreographed signed song resources for three songs from the Big Big Songbook:

We held two signing workshops teaching both deaf and hearing singers our signed songs:

• Here’s To All Our Common Wealth

• Dundee Deaf Hub: 18 participants

Signed Songs R Us, a Dundeebased Deaf choir, performed on stage at our BIG Big Big Sing in Glasgow, leading 15,000 people in signed song.

• Amazing Grace

• Glasgow Royal Concert Hall: nine participants.

• Fruits Of Our Gifts. The signing incorporates a mixture of British Sign Language and Sign Supported English, which means that deaf, hard-of-hearing and hearing singers can join in with the same song. The resources comprise a performance video and an instructional video.

Signed song was also incorporated in to BBS events in London, Belfast and Glasgow.

In more detail: phase one 31

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was the best day of my life!â&#x20AC;? Hearts in Harmony member

32 Big Big Sing: the report

Hearts in Harmony Hearts in Harmony is a Glasgowbased choir, formed in 2013 by Capability Scotland, with support from Nordoff Robbins. The choir is comprised of adults with a diverse range of additional needs, many of whom are isolated as a result of illness or disability. We secured funding from the Creative Scotland Access Fund to give Hearts in Harmony the opportunity to participate in the BIG Big Big Sing at Glasgow Green during the Commonwealth Games.

Hearts in Harmony performed at the event, choosing the songs and shaping the performance themselves. The members were immensely proud of their work and overjoyed with the opportunity to let people hear and celebrate their music. The choir’s music therapist, Jo Edgar, explains: “Being involved in Big Big Sing offered our choir members an opportunity to be part of the unique celebration surrounding the Commonwealth Games. They played an active part in Big Big Sing, which has resulted in feelings of validation and pride in their own achievements and abilities.”

The funding also allowed Hearts in Harmony to work with material from the Big Big Songbook. Learning these songs offered the choir the chance to experience music from around the Commonwealth.

“The BIG Big Big Sing event did not just impact on the lives of our choir members, but also their wider communities: family members, care staff and those who work to support them through Capability Scotland. The feelings of pride shown by choir members on the day were also shared by those who were there to support them.” Jo Edgar, Hearts in Harmony Music Therapist In more detail: phase one 33

“Never sung a harmony before and I don’t read music – yet I felt included and learned so much!” Big Big Singer

34 Big Big Big Sing: Sing: the thereport report

In more detail Phase two: the Games, Jun–Aug 2014 Engaging with the Games The Commonwealth Games created an unmissable opportunity for BBS to present itself as part of Festival 2014 and to put community singing at the heart of a global event.

Commonwealth Playlist The Playlist offers an interactive jukebox of music from every country in the Commonwealth: first you choose the country, then you choose a song. There are over 350 songs on the Playlist and singers, bands and choirs all over the world are invited to upload tracks and share their performances.

Song stages We worked with the organisers of the Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme to animate areas all over the city with singing during the Commonwealth Games. More than 400 participants performed on three Song Stages across Glasgow: • Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Steps • BBC at the Quay • Cubby Hole at Glasgow Green.

“We have had people coming up to us and asking if they can join our choir!’’ Big Big Singer

In more detail: phase two 35

36 Big Big Sing: the report

Mzansi Youth Choir Glasgow has always had a very special relationship with Nelson Mandela, being the first city in the world to honour him with the Freedom of the City in 1981. To celebrate Nelson Mandela Day, we brought Mzansi Youth Choir, a choir of some of South Africa’s best young singers, from Johannesburgh to work and perform with school children in London and Glasgow.

City of London Festival Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Mzansi brought a VIP audience of

700 to its feet to dance and sing, inspiring The Times reviewer to write: “To say I was bowled over… would be an understatement.”

Southbank Centre 93 pupils from schools in Lambeth and Southwark boroughs worked with Mzansi and BBS animateur Eugene Skeef to learn a traditional African song.

Mzsansi and 80 members of Glasgow Youth Choir took part in a workshop, sharing songs, before performing as a flashmob on the steps of the Concert Hall.

Nelson Mandela Gala Celebration Mzansi Youth Choir joined South African legend Hugh Masekela for a musical celebration of Mandela at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

In more detail: phase two 37

38 Big Big Sing: the report

BIG Big Big Sing The climax of phase two of BBS was the 13-hour BIG Big Big Sing at Glasgow Green.

40 000 ATTENDED

gaelic mouth music

roving

singing marathon tea dance

DJ set

performers

signed

song beat

boxing

workshop

indian song

singin' in the rain screening

pop- up performances In more detail: phase two 39

40 Big Big Sing: the report

Culture 2014 and Festival 2014 projects BBS partnered with organisations to offer unique opportunities for participants to get singing and maximise the reach of BBS.

The Big Song Relay

The Tin Forest

The Big Song Relay, produced by Hands Up For Trad as part of BBS, united more than 4,000 singers as the Queen’s Baton travelled across Scotland ahead of the Games.

A National Theatre of Scotland project, The Tin Forest was a celebration of Glasgow’s industrial past and creative future, presented through a series of events across the city.

The specially commissioned song, Here’s To All Our Common Wealth, co-written by Phil Cunningham, Findlay Napier and Alison Burns, was passed from choir to choir along the route, resulting in 72 unique performances and an audience of over 29,000.

We provided a rehearsal space and recruited over 40 singers to take part in two workshops led by National Theatre of Scotland. A recording of participants singing Mother Glasgow featured in one production and participants went on to perform at The Tin Forest opening concert.

To prepare for the performances, an intensive Choir Leader’s Training Day was held in Dunblane. 56 choir leaders attended, working on the song before presenting it to their own community choirs. Further regional workshops were delivered by Alison Burns, working with choirs from Shetland to Stranraer.

The Empire Café The Empire Café was a week-long event in Glasgow, exploring the context of Scotland and the North Atlantic slave trade. We contributed to the programme by inviting locally based Garnethill Choir to perform.

Here’s To All Our Common Wealth, part of our Big Big Songbook was downloaded over 6,000 times.

In more detail: phase two 41

â&#x20AC;&#x153;To sing in such a prestigious venue as Glasgow Concert Hall, surrounded by 850 enthusiastic choristers was one of the best experiences of my life.â&#x20AC;? Big Big Singer

42 Big Big Big Sing: Sing: the thereport report

In more detail Phase three: building on success, Aug 2014–Dec 2015 Onwards

What’s coming up?

Training

After the excitement of the Commonwealth Games we quickly moved on to delivering more BBS Days around the UK:

Events

BBS’s Choir Doctors are ready to help! They are going on the road to:

• Turner Sims Concert Hall, Southampton

• 5 April: London Southbank Centre

• Belfast International Festival

• 16 May: Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

• Lighthouse, Poole. We also produced two seasonal BBS events: • St Andrew’s Day Scottish Sing-along, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh • Festive fun, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

We have five BBS Days planned for Spring 2015:

• 17 May: Edinburgh Usher Hall • 30 May: Aberdeen Music Hall • 31 May: Dundee Caird Hall. More events will take place in the Autumn. Stay up to date by signing up to our mailing list at www.bigbigsing.org.

Songs We will be adding five new songs to the Songbook, each with full supporting resources and downloads. This year’s collection of songs will celebrate female singers and songwriters.

Give your choir a health check: how are you doing? Diagnose any problems: what could you change? Suggest some remedies: towards a healthier, happier singing future! Each session, delivered by experts to community choirs across the UK, will be made available online, accompanied by a host of resources.

Promotion Having already presented BBS to a gathering of the UNESCO Music Cities in Glasgow and at the Association of British Orchestras Conference in Gateshead in January 2015, this March we will present BBS at the Singing Cities Colloquium in Berlin.

Research Working closely with The University of Edinburgh, we are developing plans for an innovative research project to explore the benefits of community singing (see page 45 - 49 for more details). In more detail: phase three 43

44 Big Big Big Sing: Sing: the thereport report

Research BBS believes that singing in a community setting should be promoted because it can benefit individuals, households and communities in a variety of ways: • Better mental health: as a natural stress buster, singing reduces anxiety and depression. • Improved physical health: singing can improve breathing, posture and obesity. • Social wellbeing: singing offers an easy and natural way to connect with other people. It offers routes out of loneliness and isolation, improves mutual understanding and sows the seed of greater social cohesion within communities. Singing also has benefits at a more clinical and therapeutic level according to Dr. Stephen Clift, the Director of Britain’s foremost centre for research in this field, Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health at Canterbury Christ Church University.

He writes: “An increasing body of evidence supports the view that group singing can offer participants considerable benefits in terms of their mental, emotional and social wellbeing.1

A more challenging issue, however, is whether singing can have measurable benefits for physical health, over and above the value it may have for mental and social wellbeing.

A cross-national study of over 1,000 singers in choirs and choral societies in Australia, England and Germany found clear evidence of reported wellbeing benefits as a result of singing.2

One exciting area of research has explored the value of singing for breathing and lung function, particularly for people with COPD. A community-based feasibility study in the UK6 and small, randomised controlled trials in hospital settings in Brazil and the UK,7 have shown that group singing is an acceptable and enjoyable activity for people with COPD and leads to measurable benefits for self-assessed physical health and increased performance in lung function tests."

Regular singing has also been found to improve the mental wellbeing of older people living independently with little or no previous experience of group singing as adults.3 Singing can also be beneficial for older people in need of care and affected by long-term conditions including dementia.4 For people with a history of severe and enduring mental health issues, regular group singing can also result in clinical improvements in mental health.5

Clift, et al., 2010; Gick, 2011; Clark and Harding, 2012

Clift and Hancox, 2010, Livesey et al., 2012

Coulson et al., 2015

Skingley and Bungay, 2010

Clift and Morrison, 2011

Morrison et al., 2013

Bonilha et al.,2008; Lord et al., 2010, 2012

Research 45

In its next stage, BBS seeks to add to the body of research described by Dr. Steven Clift in a unique project developed in partnership with Professor Raymond MacDonald and Zack Moir of The University of Edinburgh. In brief, our aim is to test the viability of implementing a city-wide community singing strategy alongside an extensive research project to map and assess its benefits and impacts. Here is our idea, which we will be developing in the coming months with a view to presenting the fully developed proposal in July 2015:

Background There has been an exponential growth in academic and public interest in the relationship between musical participation and wider health benefits1. Due to the fact that musical performance engages a wide range of complex physical, psychological and social processes, playing music can benefit health even if that is not the main reason for playing. In addition, learning music can aid the development of pro-social skills and self-esteem2. The huge growth in uptake of community singing is a case in point. Group singing is now popularly viewed as more accessible than in previous times, irrespective of the individual level of musical training, and many community singing groups explicitly state that health benefits are a primary motivation for taking part. Research suggests that the inclusive and 46 Big Big Sing: the report

performance-focused nature of choir participation offers a unique framework for the improvement of wellbeing. The drive to improve Scotland’s social, physical and mental wellbeing has brought growing recognition that those participating in cultural activities report better health and satisfaction with life.3 Additionally, there has been a considerable advance in music and health research (qualitative and quantitative) from laboratory, clinical, educational and community settings. However, there is still much to be learned about the relationship between the complex intervention that community singing represents and related health and wellbeing outcomes.4

insights and guidelines for organising and delivering community choir interventions to optimise both musical and socio/psychological benefits.

Research methods

300 participants (approximately 30 in each location) attending 10 new choirs across greater Glasgow area. Participants will be representative of a wide demographic, including individuals from all socio-economic levels and across age groups, with choir activities scheduled to maximise inclusion. Special focus will be given to participants from disadvantaged and marginalised groups and areas of social deprivation. Particular effort will be made to encourage male participation in the choirs, as well as those in the age group 3055. Possible strategies to enhance male participation include men-only choirs, with special consideration given to repertoire.

We propose a comprehensive investigation of the process and outcomes of group singing that may influence health and wellbeing. The focus for this investigation will be 10 new community choirs set up in the greater Glasgow area. The study will investigate how the choirs are set up and organised, including issues surrounding the recruitment and retention of participants. It will also consider the ways in which the choirs are led and sustained, and will investigate the types of musical, psychological and social outcomes that can be expected from choral interventions. Key features of the musical and social environment shall be explored to provide new

Aims • To define and describe the community singing sector • To investigate barriers and facilitators to involvement in such activity • To assess outcome measures of key health/social benefits for groups • To develop and assess a sustainable framework for a national community singing network.

Participants

Methods Mixed methods will be adopted to ensure a comprehensive evaluation. Prior to commencement of the choirs, a baseline assessment of all participants will be made using quantitative methods, such as questionnaires measuring quality of life, anxiety or depression, general health, or musicality. Non-invasive physiological outcome measurements will also be explored (e.g. for lung function or blood pressure) along with the potential to develop practical epidemiological measures of the effects of choir participation upon key health markers such as illness trajectories, prescription drug intake, and disease symptomology. We will liaise with existing choirs to identify a battery of questions of practical proportions. Regular monthly assessment of a stratified sample of the 300 participants will take place over the course of the study to examine change in key outcomes for individuals in different groups. A purposive sample of choirs and their leaders and members will be selected for in-depth case study using qualitative techniques such as focus groups, individual interviews or observation of live or video-recorded choir rehearsals and performances, phased across the study.

We will also recruit a targeted number of individuals who identify as non-singers or only sing in other contexts (e.g. karaoke) for interviews to illuminate their characteristics and reasons for not joining choirs. Thematic analysis of this data and user led resources such as blog contributions will give a nuanced understanding of social and environmental influences on participation, mechanisms for effects on health or social wellbeing, and wider impacts at the level of household and community. The multidisciplinary research team from The University of Edinburgh, Glasgow Caledonian University and Glasgow School of Art combine extensive experience in social, arts and health research. Ethical approval will be sought prior to commencement from the University of Edinburgh Research Ethics Committee. New and innovative approaches to collecting and disseminating data (eg User Journey Maps; project wiki; participant blogs and use of smartphone apps) shall also be developed during the project and the research team are excellently placed to engage with this priority.

Dissemination The research team will prioritise the widespread communication of results to choirs, community groups, healthcare providers and policymakers and the public via national and international media, public engagement, workshops and publications, as well as through networks such as the Scottish Music and Health Network.

Timeline We propose a three-month setup and instrument identification period, followed by a six-month period in which we will recruit study participants and perform baseline measurements. The next twelve months will be used to conduct monthly measurements on participants. Six months later, we will conduct a follow-up study with all project participants, including those who may have stopped attending choir sessions. The next three months will be used to conduct and analyse focus groups, and the final six months will be used for writing up and disseminating findings.

MacDonald et al., 2012

Bailey & Davidson, 2002 & 2005; Dingel et al. 2013; Morrison & Clift, 2012, Creech et al., 2013

Scottish Government, 2013

Clift & Hancox, 2010

Research 47

“The whole Usher Hall was packed with happy people… more of those and the NHS will save a lot of money.” Big Big Singer

48 Big Big Big Sing: Sing: the thereport report

References Bailey, B.A. & Davidson, J.W. (2002) Adaptive characteristics of group singing: perceptions from members of a choir for homeless men, Musicae Scientiae, VI, 2, 221-256. Bailey, B.A. & Davidson, J.W. (2002) Effects of group singing and performance for marginalized and middle-class singers, Psychology of Music, 33, 3 269-303. Bonilha, A.G., Onofre, F., Vieira, M.L., Prado, M.Y.A. & Martinez, J.A.B. (2008) Effects of singing classes on pulmonary function and quality of life in COPD patients, International Journal of COPD, 4(1), 1-8. Clark, I. & Harding, K. (2012) Psychosocial outcomes of active singing as a therapeutic intervention: A systematic review of the literature. Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 21(1), 80-98. Clift, S. & Hancox, G.(2010) The significance of choral singing for sustaining psychological wellbeing: Findings from a survey of choristers in England, Australia and Germany, Music Performance Research, 3, 1, 79-96. Available at: http://mpr-online.net/ Clift, S.M. & Morrison I. (2011) Group Singing fosters mental health and wellbeing findings from the East Kent “singing for health” network project. Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 15(2), 88-97. Clift, S., Nicol, J., Raisbeck, M., Whitmore, C., & Morrison, I. (2010) Group singing, wellbeing and health: A systematic mapping of research evidence. The UNESCO Journal, 2, 1. Available from: http://web.education.unimelb.edu.au/UNESCO/pdfs/ejournals/clift-paper.pdf Coulton, S., Clift, S., Skingley, A. & Rodriguez, J. (2015) Community singing and health in the older population: A randomised controlled trial, British Journal of Psychiatry (forthcoming). Creech, A., Hallam, S., McQueen, H. & Varvarigou, M. (2013) The power of music in the lives of older adults, Research Studies in Music Education, 35(1) 87–102. Dingel, G.A., Brander, C., Ballantyne, J. & Baker, F.A. (2013) ‘To be heard’: The social and mental health benefits of choir singing for disadvantaged adults, Psychology of Music, 41(4) 405–421. Gick, M.L. (2011) Singing, health and well-being: A health psychologist's review. Psychomusicology, 21(1-2), 176- 207. Livesey, L., Morrison, I., Clift, S. & Camic, P. (2012) Benefits of choral singing for social and mental wellbeing: Qualitative findings from a cross-national survey of choir members, Journal of Public Mental Health, 11, 1, 10-27. Lord, V.M., Cave, P., Hume, V., Flude, E.J., Evans, A. et al. (2010) Singing teaching as a therapy for chronic respiratory disease – randomised controlled trial and qualitative evaluation, BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 10, 41. Available at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2466/10/41 Lord, V.M., Hume, V.J., Kelly, J.L., Cave, P., Silver, J. et al. (2012) Singing classes for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomized controlled trial, BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 12, 69. Available at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2466/12/69 MacDonald, R., Kreutz, G. & Mitchell, L. (2013) Music Health and Wellbeing, Oxford University Press, United Kingdom. Morrison, I. & Clift, S. (2012) Singing and mental health, Canterbury Christ Church University, United Kingdom. Skingley, A. & Bungay, H. (2010) The Silver Song Club Project: singing to promote the health of older people, British Journal of Community Nursing, 15, 3, 135-140. Research 49

Meeting our objectives Wellbeing 96% of participants said they felt ‘happy’ after attending a BBS Day. ‘Energised’, ‘motivated’ and ‘inspired’ also rated highly.*

“I felt like I had a holiday… was truly uplifted by the whole event.” “I came away feeling lighter of heart and with a smile on my face… I think it is the first time I have really laughed for what seems like forever.” “We all had a wonderful time and felt great afterwards. Would love to attend more events like this.” “Great fun, I came away feeling on top of the world.”

Disability

Participation and isolation

18% of BBS participants identified themselves as having a long-standing illness or disability.*

We delivered 173 events across the UK, from Shetland to Dartington, reaching some of the UK's most remote and rural communities.

We produced written materials in braille and large print for participants. Our range of signed song resources that have been viewed over 3,000 times online. We created opportunities for disabled people to showcase their talent. Signed Songs R Us, a Deaf choir from Dundee performed in front of thousands at the BIG Big Big Sing. Hearts in Harmony, a choir made up of adults with a range of disabilities, also performed on the day.

“Being involved in Big Big Sing offered our choir members an opportunity to be part in the unique celebrations surrounding the Commonwealth Games. They played an active part in Big Big Sing, which has resulted in feelings of validation and pride in their own achievements and abilities.” Jo Edgar, Hearts in Harmony Music Therapist

We made finding and starting a choir easier with our choir directory and ‘how-to’ guides. We aimed to increase community engagement in Glasgow through our work with Refugee Week Scotland. We also plan to deliver a programme of activity connecting Glasgow’s communities through an innovative research project (you can find out more on pages 46-47). Singing in a choir brings people together and reduces loneliness. By increasing access to choirs and delivering mass participation events, we have made it as easy as possible for people to reap these benefits.

“What an incredible experience to be in a room with 900 people, singing and enjoying music together.” “A really energising experience and great atmosphere. I felt really proud and happy to have contributed to making a wonderful sound.” “Never sung a harmony before and I don’t read music – yet I felt included and learned so much!" “The experience of singing with so many other people was energising.”

50 Big Big Sing: the report

Engaging volunteers

Connecting generations

Inspiring events

Volunteers across the UK have submitted vital information about their singing groups to our online choir directory, helping us to create a database of over 3,330 choirs.

People from different generations participate in BBS events together, from under 15’s to over 75’s.*

Feedback from BBS participants has been overwhelming positive, with over 90% rating our workshop leaders as 'excellent'.

4,323 volunteers from across Scotland to took part in The Big Song Relay, resulting in 72 performances. During Voluntary Arts Week 3,543 people took part in BBS workshops and with the help of our guides volunteers staged their own Flashmob Choirs in communities across the UK. Singers volunteered to perform on stages all over Glasgow during the Commonwealth Games: • Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Steps: 280 participants • BBC at the Quay: 150 participants • Glasgow Green: Dozens of choirs performed on the Cubby Hole pop-up stage.

We have held special family workshops, encouraging families to sing together.

“Another brilliant Big Big Sing, this time with my granddaughter who had a great time too!” “Loved it, and so did our kids.”

Building partnerships Through partnerships with Choir of the Year, Children’s Classic Concerts, Hands Up For Trad, National Theatre of Scotland, Refugee Week and Voluntary Arts Scotland, we were able to maximise the number of opportunities for people to take part in singing activities. We are currently working in partnership with the University of Edinburgh and the Sidney De Hann Research Centre to further explore the benefits of community singing.

More than 78% of participants said that they intend to do something differently as a result of attending a BBS event, such as ‘join a local choir’, ‘sing more around the house’ or ‘attend more music events’. Nearly all of those who did not intend to do anything differently were already members of a choir or sang frequently.*

“I have just had the most amazing afternoon at the Big Big Sing Belfast. The joy, energy, happiness and harmony was exceptional and inspiring. I joined a choir as soon as I got home, after thinking about it for 40 years!” “Thanks to the Big Big Sing Day, I am now thinking of joining a choir. Such an uplifting experience.” “Our choir has been so inspired that we are entering our local Annual Fancy Dress Parade with the theme ‘Big Big Sing’. We have asked an Edinburgh African choir to join us - and to our delight, they have said 'yes'.”

*Data collected by Culture Republic from participant surveys following Big Big Sing Days in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow in February and March 2014.

Meeting our objectives 51

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was one of the most uplifting, liberating and enjoyable days I have ever had. I would encourage everyone to go.â&#x20AC;? Big Big Singer

52 Big Big Big Sing: Sing: the thereport report

Thank you We would like to give a Big Big thank you to all the partners and funders who have supported Big Big Sing in its first year. An extra special thanks also goes out to the inspiring Love Music Productions Ltd. And to everyone who has sung with us along the way â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thank you and keep on singing!

a UNESCO Creative City

Thanks to Johnny Barrington, Dominic Cocozza, Belinda Lawley, Louise Mather, Rob McDougall and Mick McGurk for capturing so many brilliant Big Big Sing moments. Thank you 53

t ouc h: n i t e G ing.org s g i b g i inf o@b ng.org i s g i b g i www.b

54 Big Big Sing: the report

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