Singing for Good Health: Parkinson's 2021

Are you looking to join a Singing for Parkinson’s Group?

Trinity Laban are offering free singing sessions for those living with Parkinson’s from March-November 2022. If you would like to find out more and register for these sessions, please click here.

Who was the 2021 Singing For Parkinson’s group aimed at?

This singing group was aimed at people living with Parkinson’s who were looking for ways to manage their condition and meet those who have also been affected by Parkinson’s. Participants may have lived with Parkinson’s for some time or have recently been diagnosed. They did not need any musical ability to join the group and all levels of experience were welcome.

What happened in a typical singing for lung health session?

Led by trained Singing for Parkinson’s practitioner Nicola Wydenbach, this group was designed to improve the voice and help manage Parkinson’s whilst taking part in a free and fun social activity. A typical session began with a vocal and physical warm up to practice breathing techniques before learning and singing some well-known songs.

These sessions took place online via Zoom and were occasionally held at The Plumstead Centre, Greenwich.

How can singing benefit people living with Parkinson’s?

As the condition progresses, the larynx becomes weaker which impacts the volume and strength of the voice. Singing has been found to alleviate some of these symptoms and improve the voice.

Nicola Wydenbach

Nicola Wydenbach is a graduate of the RCM where she was supported by a scholarship from Diva Opera. She has sung for English National Opera, Scottish Opera, the Monteverdi Choir, Philharmonia Voices and London Voices.

She is a highly experienced vocal coach having worked for ROH, ENO, the BBC, Surrey Arts, Sing Up, Snape Maltings, Streetwise Opera and Garsington. She has recently been Musical Director for Snappy Operas, Mahogany Opera in Tower Hamlets and Cumbria. She is currently MD for the D’Vine Singers in Sevenoaks and Aviva in central London.

Nicola is a specialist in working with people with Parkinson’s and is Director of training for Sing to Beat Parkinson’s Training | Sing to Beat Parkinson’s as well as running two London singing groups. She has been running courses to train the next generation of artists to work with people living with Parkinson’s at Snape, Morley College and Trinity Laban for the last five years and has recently published her first book on the subject.

Nicola is also a specialist working with people with mental health conditions. She is currently MD of the Mind and Soul Community Choir Home – Mind & Soul Choir. She specialises in being able to run one off or short term interventions for maximum impact, taking into account the often transient nature of the groups involved, the fluctuating levels of mental and physical wellness and the varying musical skills of participants.