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A Southwestern Ontario vocalist is partnering with a community health agency to promote group singing as a form of therapy for both mental and physical health.
Eva Marton, of Dutton, is assembling a choir for people of all vocal skill levels in West Elgin – a municipality in Elgin County, about 65 kilometres southwest of London – after Stephanie Skelding of the West Elgin Community Health Centre told her singing can improve health.
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“I’m fueled by sort of making a difference,” Marton said. “I believe that man is not an island, that we need each other to survive.”
Skelding is a registered nurse. She also sees the link between social connection and positive health.
Skelding attended a conference about social prescribing – combining social and medical models of health – where she learned group singing was a form of integrating the pair for health benefits. Skelding said it has a slew of positive health effects.
“It boosts the immune system, it releases emotions and relieves stress from increasing our comfort hormone of oxytocin and decreasing our cortisol levels, which are our stress hormones,” Skelding said. “It empowers connectedness and decreases loneliness, it’s good for the heart and for the health and for the lungs.”
Although the nurse said she lacks musical skill, she was instrumental in striking up the project. She leaves the job of leading the group to Marton, she said.
Originally from Toronto, Marton moved to Dutton about 25 years ago and has been singing since she was child, she said.
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With a background in opera, folk, Celtic and movie themes, Marton has sung at venues in several U.S. states, performing under the name Ahva Marton. Several years ago, she resumed singing after a nine-year hiatus to care for her parents, she said.
Marton said recruitment for crooners to join the Erie Shore Singers is underway through word of mouth and posters in Dutton, Rodney and West Lorne. She’s banded together 15 recruits so far, but hopes to have about 40 by Oct. 29 when the first practice session is planned at the health centre.
The first public performance is scheduled on Dec. 5 at an annual dinner for those looking for company or who are in need at St Mary’s Catholic Church in West Lorne.
The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada
HOW TO JOIN
For those interested in joining the choir, contact Stephanie Skelding by phone — (519) 768-1715 ext. 2203 — or by email: sskelding@wechc.on.ca
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