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Our articles

Innovative scientific study shows that “Singing is no more risky than talking”

24/8/2020

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A new scientific study (1) has released its findings that shows that singing carries about the same risk as talking:
New collaborative research has shown that singing does not produce very substantially more respiratory particles than when speaking at a similar volume
This innovative study look at the amounts of aerosols and droplets (up to 20 µm diameter) generated by a large group of 25 professional performers when breathing, speaking, coughing, and singing. The tests were carried out in an orthopaedic operating theatre, which enabled the measurements to be taken in an area of “zero aerosol background”. This allowed the team to “unambiguously identify the aerosols produced from specific vocalisations”. (1)

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Funeral singing and face masks: can you spot the difference in sound?

4/8/2020

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From Saturday 8 August, it will become mandatory to wear a mask in a place of worship, along with cinemas, galleries and museums. (2)

At Singers for Funerals, we decided to do our own tests to determine if wearing a cloth face covering / face mask would in any way affect:
  • our ability to sing 
  • the clarity and volume of our voices
(We use the term ‘face mask’ to cover all kinds of face coverings that are neither a tied scarf nor medical grade PPE.) 

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Choirs, coughs and coronavirus: singing really isn’t the problem

10/6/2020

 
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Lockdown changed the way funerals were held in the UK literally overnight. From major gathering of sometimes hundreds of people in a church, they became a distanced groups of just close family and friends, if at all. Even as the Church of England announces that churches have the choice to host funerals after Monday (15 June), they will still need to be safe and observe health guidance and social distancing. 

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A song for a lockdown funeral: the Midday Ave by Singers for Funerals

20/5/2020

 
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Funerals have changed beyond recognition since lockdown began. From large gatherings to celebrate a life with music and words, they have shrunk to just 10 or so close family members, sitting apart and unable to console each other. Some families can’t even attend in person, instead watching via a web video link as they sit in isolation at home.

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Funerals in the time of COVID-19: the latest advice

20/3/2020

 
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​We’ve been singing at funerals for over a decade, and we’ve never seen anything like the current situation around COVID-19. We know the comfort and emotional release live singing brings to any funeral service, and we want to continue helping families by singing on throughout this current situation and beyond.

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All together now: leading the hymns at a funeral service

13/3/2020

 
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Around 90% of funerals we sing at include hymns, whether the funeral is held in a church or a crematorium. Hymns are a source of great comfort for many attending, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they wish to sing themselves. Often, we can see a church full of mourners and there are about ten people actually singing the hymns.

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We've a funeral during Lent what music can we have?

26/2/2020

 
Catholic Lent cross - music for funerals in Lent
Organising a Catholic funeral can be daunting for some, but when the funeral is during Lent there may be a few surprises regarding the music.

The choice can seem somewhat limited or at some churches non-existent. The ‘rules’ regarding music do vary from church to church, as each Parish Priest has the last say on what happens in ‘his’ church. 

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Synchronicity in a memorably musical day

16/10/2019

 
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We are constantly inspired by the people we hear about in eulogies at funerals, but one day this week, we discovered hidden histories amongst our musical colleagues too!

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Funeral poem for a Roman Catholic funeral service

10/7/2019

 
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At a recent funeral I came across this wonderful, evocative poem especially appropriate for a Catholic funeral Mass. This was the first time I'd heard this and it struck me as a wonderful celebration of how ordinary things brings us closer together.

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Our Top 10 Funeral Hymns

19/6/2019

 
funeral hymn books our top funeral hymns for 2018
Funeral hymns play a large part in many religious funeral services. They have become part of our culture and many seem almost second nature to us. You may wonder how you know the hymn even if you're not a church goer! 

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Funeral songs by graveside

29/5/2019

 
graveside burial singer
There's something particularly moving about singing at the graveside.

I can sing outside thanks to our discreet portable backing track system, so I have professional accompaniment wherever I go. I don't need much else: just a space for me to stand on (preferably), somewhere to rest the speaker, so the mourners can hear and see me. I even sing from under an umbrella if necessary.

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Songs for Civil or Humanist Funerals

17/5/2019

 
red envelope - top humanist songs for funeral
Choosing music for a Humanist or Civil Funeral can be a daunting task. You can have almost any type of music you wish, and there are no legal restrictions.

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Services at small funerals: what are the rules?

29/3/2019

 
small green flowers. Small number of people for a funeral
When it comes to deciding what to include in the service for a small funeral, there really are no hard and fast rules. The last few funerals I've sung at have shown exactly that point.

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Which is best - funeral soloist or choir?

12/2/2019

 
Choir of Funeral Singer for a funeral
Many families ask for a choir to sing at a funeral because that’s what everyone has, isn’t it?

Not necessarily. A solo funeral singer (or duo) can be a better option. 

Why have singing at a funeral service?

​Singing is a natural ‘fit’ for a funeral service. The sound of the human voice can be soothing and healing. It can bring comfort, joy and solace, and is especially effective as a fitting tribute to a departed loved one. 

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A real sleeper of a funeral song

8/2/2019

 
Woman weeping Lascia chio pianga funeral song
This song has surprised us by being a popular request for funerals. Not usual for opera.

Lascia ch'io pianga (Let me weep)

I never thought that a Handel aria would prove such a hit with people. I think it goes to prove if you have a great tune, then it doesn't matter when it was written it appeals to people.

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Funeral Music Chart for 2018

18/1/2019

 
Chart for funeral songs
We’ve totted up the numbers for 2018 and there were a few new entries into out chart list.

The composers or our chart toppers this year are separated by over 240 years. Goes to show if you get the tune right it will quickly become and remain a favourite for many and these men have that magic that makes a good tune!

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Catholic funeral masses: why we don’t sing the responses

16/11/2018

 
Order of the cross and Catholic Mass responses
At Singers for Funerals, we often sing for Catholic funerals, including both simple and full mass services. Indeed, soprano Toni is the soloist of choice for several Catholic churches in Hampshire, and in particular the Southampton/Portsmouth areas.

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Big space or small space - we adapt

23/10/2018

 
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One of the skills you learn at music college as a student of singing is to suit your voice to the music, and that includes volume. Singing a song with piano is obviously different to singing an aria with orchestra, for example. However, it;'s only experience that teaches you the art of self-regulating and adjusting your voice to different spaces as well. And it's not always about the size of the space either.

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What music do you choose for a funeral

4/10/2018

 
woman and music notes - choosing funeral music
Music at a funeral service is often one of the first things to be discussed, as music has a great effect on people’s emotions.

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Can’t sing? Don’t sing? Why singing at a funeral is never easy

18/9/2018

 
man crying
​Singing isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It may be you just don’t like to sing, or prefer to do so in the privacy of your own bathroom. That’s fine, until an occasion comes along where you feel you really should sing, like a wedding or a funeral.

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    All our articles are written either by Toni or Kirsty. If you'd like to write a guest blog, just let us know!

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