The aerobic exercise of singing has been proven to reduce stress, depression, and anxiety, as the release of endorphins, the brain’s ‘feel-good’ chemicals, induces positive reactions and stimulates multiple areas of the brain simultaneously.
The wide field of musical phenomena in South Asia ranges from classical and Qawwali to Carnatic and Punjabi folk music, as well as various other styles of singing adopted by musical ensembles, from the large cities in the Subcontinent, hill tribes in central India and regions in Pakistan.
The heterogeneity of South Asian music, reflects the diverse population of the different provinces of Pakistan and the states of India, in their ethnic heritage, religion, language, and social status.
Representing this diversity in their singing choral group, a community of South Asian women, from the ages of 25 to 55, with no previous experience in singing, are professionally rehearsing for their first live performance.
The bespoke choir ‘SONG-GEET’, from Bradford, has become the first South Asian choir in Yorkshire, with the second in the country being the British Carnatic Choir, which was established in 2015.
Singing in Urdu, Punjabi, Gujarati, Pashto and Bengali, the choir is practising for their first live performance at St Georges Hall, as part of Bradford Lit Fest on 26 June.
In a musical production called ‘Kahani’, a journey through time, told through Punjabi folk music, created by a vocal coach and music teacher from Halifax, Shabnam Khan.
As part of the performance, SONG-GEET will feature in a 20-minute segment, where they will join Shabnam and the band on stage.
The choir’s aim is to bring together South Asian women, who have had hard life experiences, such as one participant who survived cancer and others who are single mums.
Headed by The Cultural Ecology Project, the first-ever session was led by Satnam Galsian, a British-Asian vocalist based in Leeds, who performs music in the Hindustani tradition.
Shabnam Khan, who is on the board of the working women’s council, is now the vocal coach leading the choir in this workshop, as they meet once a week to rehearse for four hours.
Madiha Ansari, the Programme Leader for the Cultural Ecology Project and organiser of the SONG-GEET workshops told Asian Sunday:
“This project is about encouraging community cohesion and engaging Bradford-based women, from South Asian backgrounds, to explore that shared cultural heritage and provide them with opportunities through musical activity”.
Ansari says it all started in March “We got a small International Women’s Day grant from the council, we did a one-day workshop with Satnam Galsian, held in the theatre in the mill at the University of Bradford.
“We did a bit of chanting, a breathing circle and we sang together, thinking about our generational relationship with our South Asian music and how it is such a big part of our lifestyle”.
Sobia Bashir, food author and content creator, who is a part of the choir says, she has always been into singing, “I literally sing all day, all night, anywhere and everywhere.
“It is something that I have always wanted to do professionally, but back when I was younger, it was not the done thing and so I never got to pursue it”.
By day a food blogger, making small batches of spice blends, originating from the Pakistani cuisine and by night a singer with hopes of becoming a professional, Bashir says “Singing in the choir gets me out of my comfort zone, as the older you get the more inhibited you become”.
She also says, “I have not had much opportunity to pursue the arts, so it was difficult to branch into that because we were brought up in a certain way, have certain beliefs and some of the arts don’t fit into that culture.
“The image we have of singers nowadays is that they are very proactive, but what we’re doing is not controversial, it is wholesome”.
Another member of the all-female group talks about re-connecting the diaspora of people, that had moved to Britain in the 60s, back to their cultural heritage and the stories of their parents and grandparents.
Artist and primary school teacher, Elena Hassan, says through the choral group she has “Learned about classical music because usually, I listen to western music, so this has given me an opportunity to connect with my roots a little bit more”.
A huge contrast from the beautiful melodious tunes she now sings in SONG-GEET, Hassan used to sing in a rock band in Canada.
“The younger generation tends to face cultural diaspora, but connecting to our culture through music, gives us a sense of belonging.
“Music is a powerful tool and I always turn to music when I’m sad, as it’s a nice way to celebrate and it can really uplift the spirit, and singing is so therapeutic as well”.
Aiming to inspire other South Asians to pursue artistic feats, she says “If we can invoke that inspiration and passion in others that will be really nice to see”.
