GULFWEEKLY: Manama Singers, one of Bahrain’s oldest multicultural community choirs, has been staging online sessions to uplift members’ spirits amidst the ongoing tension, nodding to the benefits of music on mental health.
Every week, members from different backgrounds ‘virtually’ come together as one to ‘sing their stresses away’.
The group usually meets every Tuesday at the Dilmun Club in Saar for an evening of tuneful socialising. However, since the Iranian airstrikes in the kingdom began, public gatherings have been prohibited to ensure safety. Determined to continue their rhythmic rehearsals, the nightingales decided to go digital.
Currently, they are practicing for an upcoming concert, dates for which will be announced later.
“Our weekly online rehearsals have been very meaningful,” Manama Singers committee member Tamara Bischoff told GulfWeekly.
“Singing with my choir friends, even though online, offers a sense of connection and community. It reminds me that I am not alone, and that shared music can be incredibly uplifting, even in stressful moments,” added the Swiss national from Barbar, who has been living in Bahrain for the last 18 years.
Elaborating on how music has helped her navigate this uncertain period, the soprano singer noted that she often listens to old classics that bring back happy memories.
“Those songs transport me to moments when life felt safe and comforting, and that sense of security is incredibly grounding during uncertain times. Focusing on the melody, the harmonies, and the emotions provides a deep sense of calm,” she explained.
Several online studies confirm the transformative power of music in mental well-being. It is known to help people relax and de-stress, even deal with negative feelings like sadness and anxiety. A classic example of sound healing is Tibetan singing bowls. They produce a distinct sound and vibration said to relax the vagus nerve – the same one, research indicates, is stimulated while chanting and humming, and connected to the vocal chords and muscles in the back of the throat.
Pop culture is also teaming with books and documentaries on the healing power of music.
“Even 15 to 20 minutes a day can bring a significant sense of calm and help restore balance,” Tamara remarked, recounting her personal experience.
The choir’s marketing in-charge designed an Instagram post listing five ways that singers can use breath and music to regain calm:
• Take a slow singer’s breath: Inhale gently through the nose, expand the chest and exhale slowly. Repeat several times to help calm your body.
• Hum softly: Gentle humming can relax the nervous system and produce vibrations in the body that have a calming effect. Keep the sound soft and comfortable.
• Focus on a musical line: Quietly sing or imagine a simple melody you know well. Concentrating on the musical line can help redirect anxious thoughts.
• Release physical tension: Roll your shoulders, stretch your neck and relax your jaw as you would before rehearsal. Let the body soften.
• Sing together: If possible, sing a familiar piece softly with others. Shared singing can restore a sense of connection and safety.
Reflecting the core idea of the social media post, Bahrain-based Australian expatriate and psychotherapist Beth Noble said: “Music has a direct impact on the nervous system and helps to process emotions, which is why is a great tool in a time like this.”
Meanwhile, Insights Therapy clinical psychotherapist Eman Nooruddin highlighted her observations from her practice where clients were able to open up and get in touch with their deepest emotions with the help of music.
“I have had clients who could not find words for what they were feeling, not because they didn’t want to talk, but because the part of the brain that holds language shuts down under extreme stress. But they could put on a song. And that song would open something that sitting across from me could not open alone. Music bypasses the thinking mind and goes straight to where the feeling lives,” she added.
For more information, follow@manamasingers on Instagram.
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