singforfun Exeter

FOREVER YOUNG SANG for FUN in Exeter for 13 years

Sing for Fun has come to an end - we have been fortunate to have experienced such fun

community singing did not get much better than this

FIRST SESSION WAS FREE FOR NEW SINGERS
2 hours of fun

September 2019


Why were Forever Young Sing for Fun unique? ...

we were not a choir, there were no microphones, no rehearsals, no concerts and no public performances ...

adults just sang to backing music and felt good

no need to read music ... no auditions

very informal ... pay on the door for 2 hours of fun 7-9pm... singers came when they could

was always held at St Sidwell's School, York Road, Exeter EX4 6PG

singers said ...

... "Thank you for a lovely evening."
"I've come across Forever Young on Visit Exeter and it sounds fab!"
"I have thoroughly enjoyed the sessions and only wish I could have come to more but we will be moving."
"I used to come many years ago and would like to rejoin."
"I like the sound of your singing sessions having visited Pinpont Devon. I'm looking for an easy going introduction to singing for fun."
"Thank you again for running and organising "Singing for Fun", I really think its an excellent idea."
"We don't live in Exeter but would love to start something like Forever Young, please help?"
"Your singing group has been recommended by a couple of friends and we were wondering if we could join you?"
"I used to come but moved away and there was nothing like "Sing for Fun" in the area ... but now we've moved back and can't wait to start again" ...

... what was the news ...

singforfun Exeter

 Community singforfun in Exeter didn't get much better than this

listen to some of the backing music tracks we used to sing to...



Sing for Fun was always Mondays 7-9pm in Exeter at ... St Sidwell's School, York Road, Exeter EX4 6PG ... 

 



FIRST SESSION WAS FREE FOR NEW SINGERS
2 HOURS OF FUN
Mondays (7-9pm) except Half-Terms, Bank Holidays and August


Roy Orbison ... In dreams

Why singing in Exeter was bad for you and how Forever Young could help

People didn’t often talk about the downside of singing. A few years ago Chris Rowbury wrote something about it in his blog.

We know about the health and social benefits but, apart from Chris, few mention the problems.

Singing can become addictive — once you start it’s very hard to stop. It’s such an enjoyable activity that you will start noticing it everywhere and begin to take every opportunity you can to sing and even whistle (space limitations prevent a detailed description of the negative aspects of whistling).

Singing takes up valuable time — you start by joining a group, you then meet other like-minded individuals who invite to share other activities and before you know it you’re having to buy a better TV system to record all your favourite programmes that you’re missing because your never in.

You will abandon your friends and family — as you’ll be listening to more music via new technology that you don’t have a clue how to access let alone download so you have to go to an evening class to learn how to use iTunes and torrents and an App that you could use on that laptop you were given last Christmas but haven’t used because it didn’t have a mouse and you quite like mice.

You will become unbearable to live with — singing makes you so happy that you will wear a constant smile and be humming along all day long in a state of bliss, much to the annoyance of everyone you live with.

Your health will be affected — Sore throats, (from singing and talking too much); bad back, (from standing too long); aching ribs, (from laughing too much), aching face (from smiling too much) and breathlessness (from singing, talking and laughing too much all at the same time) will only occur if singing to excess.

Singing stops you sleeping — after a session you will be so buoyed up with enthusiasm and joy that you will find it hard to come down off Cloud 9. Not only that, but you’ll have all those wonderful tunes bouncing around inside your head that you’ll want to find more and different songs on YouTube (assuming you’ve already been to the IT evening class).

You will spend more money — (did I mention the new TV system, IT classes, social events with your new singing chums?).

Was there any help available in Exeter?

“Cheaper than therapy and more fun” — was a comment from one satisfied community singer following a Forever Young Sing for Fun session. There still are many opportunities to sing in Exeter with different groups. It was worth finding out about the Monday sessions, from 7-9pm at St Sidwell’s School, where it was said that community singing for fun didn’t get much better than this. Could a community singing group survive if it did not depend on a leader, was not a choir and did not rehearse, nor gave public performances or had auditions or had any expectations that you could read music and let you choose the songs? If, it’s proof you required and needed more evidence then you could have gone along and listened to - nay, joined in – with the other like-minded adults who had regularly gathered, since 2007, on a Monday in a darkened room with the words projected large on the wall and sang to some of the best backing tracks.

If any of the above issues caused you concern then maybe singing for fun was not for you.

Should a glimmer of interest be uncovered then you could have discovered more on a Monday evening...


Forever Young Sing for Fun in Exeter photographs 2007 - 2019


If you had a question did we have an answer?


Q Exeter singing - How much did the evening cost?
A A survey in 2021 found that singers would pay £5 for 2 hours...(7-9pm)...pay on the door

Q How did it work?
A Each week, singers choose around 30 songs from a list of hundreds of backing tracks. The lyrics were projected, the music started and so began another two hours of fun.

Q Were trained music teachers involved?
A If they were they hadn't told us!

Q Was I expected to sing in four part harmony?
A No - but most sang to their own satisfaction

Q Did I need to read music?
A No - a backing track and words were available for all the songs sung by Forever Young

Q What was the age range?
A Ages ranged from mid 20s to 60+ with most people in the 40s-70s age range
 

Q Did I need to come every week?
A Most came along when they could and just paid each time they visited

Q Did you welcome singers from other groups?
A Of course. We knew that some people sang with different groups, some people left us and others joined us from different groups. Exeter is lucky to have so many different singing groups.

Q Did I need to know all the songs shown on the 'Backing Music' page?
A We think you would have heard many of them and knew some very well

Q Did Forever Young have public concerts?
A No - we just sang for fun for ourselves

Q What else did Forever Young do?
A We had many summer and christmas 'Dos' around the Exeter area (all with singing and food)

Q What did singers think of Forever Young?
A Read the Express and Echo articles below


and I would walk 500 miles ...

Express & Echo Feature - 01 October 2007

Enjoyment of singing is better than any therapy

You do not have to be a great vocalist to enjoy Forever Young, an informal singing group held in Exeter every Monday evening. Regulars of all abilities attend sessions, which give them a chance to socialise and to relax after a hard day's work, as well as trying their voices at a range of songs.  For a novel way to chase away those Monday blues, regulars at Exeter singing group Forever Young say sessions are cheaper than therapy and more fun.  People of all abilities are welcomed at the sessions, which are held at St Sidwell's School in York Road every Monday evening.  In each session, every member chooses backing tracks from a growing song bank, and try to get through as many of their choices as possible.

The group, named after the Bob Dylan song Forever Young, was set up in January 2007, "We used to sing with our families at home and thought we would see whether it would work doing it with other people."  "I think the main thing to say is that it is fun. It is a good start to the week and gives people the chance to let their hair down."  Singers from a wide age range attend the group and this is reflected in the eclectic mix of songs chosen.

Exmouth supply teacher Bernard Walsh, who first attended the group in its second week, said that is what makes the sessions interesting.  "It is very open-ended," he said. "Every week is different. You could have a song from Oklahoma, then a song by Katie Tunstall. You don't know what's coming up next, which is part of the fun."  A member of several singing groups, including the Northcott Gospel Choir, Bernard attends Forever Young just for enjoyment. He also likes the group because it is for people of all abilities, with no pressure to join in.
"We all have a good sing-song and are not put on the spot," he said. "If you want to join in, you can or if you just want to sit and watch, you can. You haven't got to keep in tune. That is why it is so attractive to people."

Julian Pegley, from Broadclyst, heard about the group from his sister. He wanted to sing without making a commitment, so Forever Young is ideal. "The thing about Forever Young is that you choose what songs you sing," he said. "The other part is that you try songs that you wouldn't normally have tried, but you end up learning them and appreciating them."  "You don't have to be great. You can sing in a large group of people and are not on your own. It is your own choice and is very lighthearted and easy."  "At the end of the two hours, which goes too quickly, you feel uplifted. When we try a song and it sounds absolutely rubbish, we have a laugh about it.
"It is a bit of fun, where you meet new people. It is an enjoyable two hours and, if it suits you, it is addictive."

Another regular is 24-year-old administrator Alan Simpkin, from Exmouth, who first went along in February, after hearing about it from a friend at work. He said: "There is a relaxed and informal atmosphere and no expectation that you have to know everything that's going on. I would definitely recommend it. It is an opportunity to meet new people, who are very friendly and welcome you into the group."

Masters student Anna Mooney, from the city centre, is friends with the group founder and has attended sessions from the start. She said: "I like singing and it's a fun group. It's an informal group for anyone who enjoys singing." "There are lots of singing groups out there, but this group is more of a democracy and there is not a leader."

Administrator Sue Stocks, from Countess Wear, has been going to the group with her daughter for 10 weeks.
She said: "I have always sung in a structured music group and was looking for something more relaxed. Forever Young filled the gap admirably. It is friendly and the music is from my era."

The group meets at St Sidwell's School every Monday, between 7pm and 9pm, and welcomes new singers.


Express & Echo feature - 06 October 2010

Take note if you're looking to have fun


Pass St Sidwell's School on a Monday evening and you may hear the joyous sound of a group of 50-somethings belting out "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen. This is no organised choir, however, but the voices of Forever Young, a community singing group who meet once a week to sing for the sheer fun of it.

Set up in 2007, the group operates on an extremely informal basis and anyone is welcome to go along, whether every week or just occasionally. "It is just singing for the love of it really; that's why I call it singing for fun. We don't rehearse and we never do any performances – every time we sing we are performing just for ourselves."

The group started with about 17 members, a children's party karaoke machine and a huge old television set, which showed the words to the songs, that was carried into the school every Monday. As the group has grown, the words are now projected on to the wall of the school hall and the weekly fee goes towards the hire of the hall and purchasing more backing tracks. There is also a social element to the evening, as the group organises nights out two or three times a year.

Forever Young, which takes its name from the Bob Dylan song that was the only song at the start no one knew, meets at 7pm every Monday and sings for two hours, with a break in the middle. "We now have a big list of songs and backing tracks and people choose the songs we are to sing that night. Usually we get through 28 or 29 songs and most people know the tunes." "I've got songs from the 1940s right up to the present day – there is just a massive range of music with many different styles," he says.

The group attracts all sorts of people and they benefit from their location in the centre of the city, with plenty of public transport access plus parking in and around the school. "We have people who already go to proper singing groups and also those who enjoy singing on their own in the car or the shower but would never want to do it in public. It is just fun to sing a lot of songs, rather than perhaps in a more formal setting where you can rehearse the same part over and over again one night. "When you project the words on the wall, you have 40 people singing, rather than just one. No one feels obliged to be really good and yet depending on who's there you sometimes get this amazing sound. Of course I am biased, but sometimes I listen and think how fantastic it is. And if people want to join in all they have to do is turn up or they can contact me by email."

It is clear that for people who just want to have a good old sing-song, Forever Young is a great way of doing just that without any pressure. And although the average age is in the fifties, people in their thirties are just as welcome as those in their eighties. "It is really the informality that people love, I think. Right from the word go I have always stressed the things that you don't need to be able to do in order to come and sing with us. Sometimes they don't even need to be able to sing. That might sound a bit strange, but if people come along and then don't want to sing on the night or even sing along very quietly, then they can. We're not going to tell them off."

Forever Young met at St Sidwell's School, York Road, EX4 6PG every Monday night from 7-9pm.


The Exeter Daily - 7 January 2019

Exeter-based Sing for Fun: A natural high

In September 2018, Dr Michael Mosely presented the BBC Two programme Trust Me I'm a doctor called 'Can singing give you a natural high?'. They tested whether singing, dancing and cycling could boost levels of endocannabinoids - chemicals thought to be responsible for the 'runner's high'. The result showed that levels were increased by 20% when dancing or cycling. When singing, the levels of endocannabinoids were increased by 40% and big improvements were found in 'mood' together with reduced anxiety and feeling less stressed.

Can Exeter-based Sing for Fun give you a natural high? Since early 2007 we have never offered blood tests or questionnaires to test the levels of endocannabinoids - so we don't know. Let's be honest, do other Exeter-based singing groups offer this? We don't know but we, like them, continue to attract like-minded adults to spend quality-time [two hours most Mondays] and judging by the comments eg. 'Cheaper than therapy and more fun' we suspect we must be doing something right.

To discover your post-Sing for Fun mood come along to St Sidwell's School. Exeter. We are not a choir and meet at 7pm most Mondays and sing for two hours. We now have over 700 great backing tracks with singers choosing the songs we are to sing that night.

Usually we get through 28 or 29 songs (another reason regular choir singers also come to us) and most people know the tunes. There are great songs from the 1940s right up to the present day – there is just a massive range of music with many different styles. The group attracts all sorts of people and they benefit from the location in the centre of Exeter (St Sidwell's School, York Road), with plenty of public transport access plus parking in and around the school. When the words are projected on the wall, everyone sings. No one should feel obliged to be really good and yet depending on who's there you may get this amazing sound. Of course we are biased, but sometimes, when you just listen, it sounds just fantastic.