Women's choir hits the high note
Community choir experiences resurgence, welcoming new members
Since its post-pandemic return to regular recitals, the Kāpiti Women’s Choir has gone from strength to strength. A membership drive this time last year brought new singers to the choir and its director, Ann-Marie Stapp, hopes to encourage more women to join in this year.
“Singing in a big group is a lot of fun. It’s a great way to make new friends, and, if you’re part of this choir, give something back to the community.”
The choir performs in retirement villages and nursing homes all over
Kāpiti. It’s highly sought after and already has a busy schedule of gigs lined up for 2024.
“It’s well known that singing lifts the spirit. It releases those feel-good endorphins in the brain which make you happy. It makes our audiences happy too, and this is what this choir is about. I find it really rewarding to see our audiences enlivened by our performance, especially when they join in our sing-alongs.
Stapp said research had proven singing slows down cognitive decline.
“It also improves your fitness, especially core strength because the moment you open your mouth to sing, you’re putting your abdominal muscles to work.
“A lot of people are shy about singing or say they don’t know how, but it really is something that comes to most of us naturally. Singing can be learned, and there’s no better way to do this than in a choir where you have other singers supporting you. “There’s no audition for the choir.” Anyone interested in joining, or who just wants to come along and try it out, will be warmly welcomed. Just turn up.Rehearsals are held on Mondays, during term time, from 1.30 to 3pm at the Baptist Church, 286 Te Moana Rd, Waikanae.