‘Breathe’ is an arts project that will engage with individuals in Liverpool who experience asthma and, working collaboratively with Liverpool PCT and Asthma UK, connect them into a city wide support network.

Sense of Sound and Merseyside Dance Initiative will use singing; dance and movement to help people better understand the signs and symptoms of asthma and will work with people to find new ways of managing their condition through breathing and relaxation exercises and gentle movement. At the same time the project will signpost them towards treatment and help them to manage their asthma more effectively. In addition to this the project aims to introduce people to singing and dance and to nurture and develop this interest beyond the project where possible.

How?

• Singing – learning to sing will give a better understanding of breath control and posture.
• Movement and dance – will enhance existing physiotherapeutic support for respiratory conditions

Practitioners will work with relaxation techniques, posture, energy flow and muscle groups aiming to provide additional practical tools for helping to people control their breath and breathing.

Both organisations believe that this participatory ‘song and dance’ project will create a sense of wellbeing and transform the quality of life for the individuals involved.

BREATHE will take place in community centres, public places, community health settings and hospitals.  It will connect with the Decade of Health and Well Being and promote the Five Ways to Well Being.

First Take will document elements of the project and create ‘micro-films’ based on the project this footage will be used to raise awareness of the project and the existing support network in Liverpool

Why?

The Breathe project provides an opportunity for both all partners to work together collaboratively and to fully evaluate how arts interventions can have a positive impact on improving both physical health and mental wellbeing.

The impact of the project will be measured by monitoring both the physical and mental wellbeing of a sample of participants and gathering both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ evidence and by the number of people signing up to Asthma UK’s Liverpool Wide Support Network during and after the project.

The project will also gather information from individuals across Liverpool who’s lives are affected by asthma. This information will build a resource for Asthma UK which will be used to improve both the information available to asthma sufferers and the management of individual pathways from diagnosis to treatment and management of their condition.

There will be opportunities for members of the public to become involved so please watch this space. Also email the office if you wish to state your interest in becoming involved by emailing info@senseofsound.net

• Saturday 28th April: If Only festival @ The Bluecoat. The choir will open the Saturday night concert in the performance space at 7.30pm. Tickets can be obtained from the Bluecoat box office on 0151 702 5324 £5/3 ENTRY
• Thursday 3rd May: The Art Show @ Camp and Furnace.  Four groundbreaking fine artists, shortlisted for their experimental artwork of the local cityscape, will exhibit this body of work as well as new pieces depicting personal notions of contemporary culture in Liverpool. Sense of Sound Singers will be the guest performance artists. Show starts at 7pm@ Camp and Furnace, 67, Greenland Street, Liverpool, L1 OBG. Admissions is FREE
• Friday 18th May: LIGHT NIGHT:Imagine the opportunity to sing with hundreds of other people in the splendour of Liverpool’s monolithic Anglican Cathedral. We would like to invite you to join us in celebrating THE BIG VOICE, an exciting contemporary singing experience where you will be part of creating an amazing, uplifting harmonious sound. This event is FREE so just turn up and join in.

Artistic Director, Juliet Russell, has coached Grammy award winners and X-Factor finalists, and she is currently part of a select team of leading vocal coaches who prepare the singers for the televised rounds of The Voice UK. She talks about why she loves working on the show and what we can expect in episode 1.

“What attracted me to The Voice from day one, is that there is a genuine desire to discover, nurture and reveal talent. I also love the fact that the celebrity coaches have their backs to the singers. They hit their buttons and turn their chair around if they like what they hear. Then they get to see the person behind the voice. You’re being judged on how you sound and not how you look.”

While she’s keeping tight-lipped about some of the drama that’s yet to come, Juliet promises us that we have a real treat in store for us.

“I don’t think there’s been a UK show like this before. The singers have to raise their game at every stage. It’s not about novelty or package. It’s about true vocal talent and being able to deliver when the pressure’s on”

For the inside story, you can keep up to date with the show by following Sense of Sound and Juliet Russell on Twitter and Facebook.

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A National Conference in Singing and Health
We are delighted to present our National Conference examining Singing and Health, which will take place at the Bluecoat, Liverpool on Friday 16 March.

What is it about?
Through a number of presentations from top vocal experts, the groundbreaking one day event will provide an opportunity to share best practice and discover the latest breakthroughs in the field of singing and health. The day will also comprise of discussion sessions and a short vocal performance from the Sense of Sound Singers.

Who are the speakers?
Phoene Cave – Head of Music Services for Inner London for Nordoff Robbins and Victoria Hume – Arts Manager at Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust
‘Singing for Breathing’
Cave and Hume will explain how they work with patients to improve breathing, vocal exercises, postural work and group singing. Hume will also present on her work with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Dane Chalfin – Director of the British Voice Association
‘Inside the Singing Larynx‘
Participants will be guided through self-palpation, anatomical models and endoscopic video footage through the anatomy and physiology of the larynx and pharynx in a variety of singing styles to further understanding of the dynamic interplay between vocal structures that help us make sounds.

Trish Vella Burrows – Assistant Director of the Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Music, Arts & Health 
‘Singing and Dementia’
Vella Burrows will present on The therapeutic benefits and barriers to care staff singing to people living with dementia to mutually support their collective well-being.

Sara Harris – Fellow of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
‘Speech Therapy and Singers: Why Speech therapy and what does it have to offer?’ 
This talks looks at what Speech therapy has to offer singers, how it differs from singing teaching, how the speaking voice can impact on the singing voice and what sort of treatment a singer in trouble could expect if referred for voice therapy

Who is it for?
Those working as health educators and researchers, speech therapists, vocal coaches, singers and anyone with an interest in singing and health.

Sense of Sound and the Black-E present

VOICES: A cappella festival

Sense of Sound is delighted to announce VOICES:  a three day celebration of a cappella singing, set to take place at Liverpool’s Bluecoat and Black-E arts centres from Friday 16 – Sunday 18 March.

From hip hop to barbershop and contemporary jazz to choral, Voices a cappella festival will showcase the full range of a cappella singing styles, giving plenty of opportunity for everyone to interact, get involved and get singing!

On Friday 16 March, Sense of Sound will open the festival with a national conference for Singing and Health.

Through a number of presentations from top vocal experts, the one day event will provide an opportunity to share best practice and discover the latest breakthroughs.  Perfect for health educators and researchers, speech therapists, vocal coaches, singers and anyone with an interest in singing or health, the conference will feature presentations from Nordoff Robbins Speech Therapist, Phoene Cave, Victoria Hume - Arts Manager at Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS  Foundation Trust, Dane Chalfin - A Director of the British Voice Association and one of the UK’s leading professional vocal coaches and voice rehabilitation experts and Trish Vella – Burrows, Assistant Director  of the Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Music, Arts & Health.

Saphena Aziz, Director at Sense of Sound said: ‘’I’m delighted to present this ground breaking conference as part of Liverpool’s decade of health and wellbeing.  A great number of discoveries have occurred in the past few years, showing that singing has a fantastic, positive effect on health. This conference will allow practitioners to come together to share ideas, allowing us all to learn and keep this exciting field of health and wellbeing moving forward. ’ 

The renowned Sense of Sound Singers and special guest star Connie Lush will pay homage to Joni Mitchell with an a cappella concert at the Black-E on the evening of Friday 16 March, with support from acclaimed group Barbieshop.  Described as one of the most influential recording artists of the 20th Century, Joni Mitchell’s music has touched millions of people the world over. This poignant concert performance will offer an opportunity to see why, as Mitchell’s unforgettable songs including ‘Big Yellow Taxi,’ ‘Both Sides Now’ and ‘A Case of You’ are performed in  unique a cappella arrangements.

On Saturday 17 March, Choirs from around the region will have the chance to perform in the Bluecoat Hub. This free day of music offers an opportunity to enjoy the musical diversity of a cappella singing.  Members of the public are able to come along, enjoy the music and take part. More details on how choirs can get involved in this will be announced shortly.

Shlomo, the most heard beatboxer in history and Southbank Centre Artist in Residence, is set to play The Black-E on the evening of the 17 March.  Shlomo pushes the boundaries of beatboxing as an art form, using his incredible vocal skills to make music with people from all kinds of musical backgrounds, including Björk, Martha Wainwright, Damon Albarn and Jarvis Cocker. He comes to Liverpool to show off his huge range of original songs and well loved classics.

A FREE day of family fun will take place at the Bluecoat on Sunday 18 March. With interactive activities for all ages taking place throughout the day, this is any budding singer’s opportunity to take part in workshops covering many musical genres, with an a cappella twist.

The festival will end with a massive ‘Big Sing’, which will take place in the Bluecoat Hub on the afternoon of Sunday 18th. Everyone is invited to come along and join in the fun!

The Voices Festival is produced by Sense of Sound and the Black-E, more information can be found at www.senseofsound.net.

FESTIVAL INFORMATION

Voices Festival

Friday 16 – Sunday 18 March

The Bluecoat & The Black-E

www.senseofsound.net

Singing and Health – A National Conference

The Bluecoat

Friday 16 March

10am – 5pm

Tickets:  Individuals: £40 Organisations: £55

EARLY BIRD OFFER Book before 20th February to receive a discount on delegate price

 Individuals: £30 Organisations: £45

How to Book: You can book in person at the Bluecoat Tickets and Information, School Lane, Liverpool. Alternatively, book by calling 0151 702 5324 or click www.senseofsound.net

The Sense of Sound Singers & Connie Lush perform a collection of songs by Joni Mitchell

The Black-E

Friday 16 March, 8pm

Tickets: £12.50/ £10.00 concessions

How to Book: You can book in person at the Bluecoat Tickets and Information, School Lane, Liverpool. Alternatively, book by calling 0151 702 5324 or click www.senseofsound.net

Choirs at the Bluecoat

The Bluecoat

Saturday 17 March

10am-4pm

FREE

For more information click www.senseofsound.net

Shlomo in Concert

The Black-E

Saturday 17 March, 8pm

Tickets: TBC

How to Book: You can book in person at the Bluecoat Tickets and Information, School Lane, Liverpool. Alternatively, book by calling 0151 702 5324 or click www.senseofsound.net

Family Fun Day with the Sense of Sound Singers

FREE

The Bluecoat

Sunday 18 March

For more information or to book a place click www.senseofsound.net.

Voices Festival Big Sing

The Bluecoat

Sunday 18 March

4-5pm

FREE