Choral Singing is Good for Your Health

Choir supporter Richard Johnson is an enthusiastic fan of choral music for everyone. For a long time, he sang in an Episcopal church choir in Connecticut, but after he married soprano Sunny Hayward, he joined her in New York’s Canterbury Choral Society where he sings baritone.

After hearing the New Amsterdam Boys and Girls Choir at the Church of the Heavenly Rest, Mr. Johnson explored ways that members might take part in Canterbury performances. That led in 2017 to the choir’s Carnegie Hall debut when members joined in a thousand voice production of Gustav Mahler’s Eighth Symphony. 

In addition to making beautiful music, he sees many advantages of choral singing for Harlem’s young people. It provides an opportunity to form new friendships and build community while even improving mental health. 

While the pandemic curtailed Mr. Johnson’s participation with the Canterbury Choral Society for a while, he looks forward to their next huge performance with the hope that the NABGC can join in.