What do you get out of your hobby?
Hans Baaijens: “Singing is magical!”
On Monday evenings, anyone who loves to sing can join the Sing-along Choir in the Blixems community centre. Accessible and purely for fun. Hans Baaijens, editor of Blixemflitsen!, joined in two years ago. The evening of singing along became more.
Hans now takes singing lessons at Cultuur & Kunst Eindhoven (CKE) and also sings in a choir of twenty members. Hans: “It is a revelation that singing in a group is so much fun. I started
taking singing lessons to find out if I was using my voice properly. Your voice develops through practice and specific instructions about your technique and your range. The singing teacher helps me with music that suits my voice. Or she transposes pieces to my pitch.”
Research has shown that making music is good for your brain and your state of mind. Hans experiences this personally: “I feel good when I sing. In a subtle way, singing helps me to express emotions. And vice versa: when I sing a happy song, I feel happy.”
Since September, Hans has also been singing in a CKE choir, of which his singing teacher is the conductor.
Hans: “A completely new experience. You are among people aged 60 to 90, who have been singing for quite a long time. We practice all kinds of genres: from classical pieces to evergreens such as Moon River by Henri Mancini. Polyphonic and when those sounds come together, something magical is created!”
A choir is not just about rehearsals. The conductor sends music for each part, so that the members can study a new piece. Hans: “I am not good at sheet music, so I sing along with the audio files.” Laughing: “I discovered a talent when I was sixty: I am auditory and can remember melodies well.” More information about singing lessons or choir singing: www.cke.nl. Or join the Meezingkoor on Monday evening (8:00-10:00 PM).
Cora van Soerland
(Would you also like to say something about a hobby that means a lot to you? Mail redactie@blixemflitsen.nl.)
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