Singing workshops in work, community and family settings. Absolutely no previous experience of singing is required to enjoy them. I charge according to the size of your organisation/group and the length of workshop and travelling time. Please contact me to discuss your requirements.
Singing at your workplace
‘Shilpa brought such a lot of energy and I felt truly uplifted afterwards.’
Stress is a huge cause of ill health in the workplace. Whilst the root causes of overwork need to be addressed and individual support provided in the first instance, offering regular group activities such as singing can support good health and mental health.
The very first singing group I led was a lunchtime office choir. My colleagues and I were going through a difficult redundancy process. Our weekly sing had an uplifting impact which lasted all week. It brought people from different departments and different levels of seniority together, as equals.
I do not run traditional formal workplace choirs. My singing workshops are designed specifically to promote health and wellbeing. They can be standalone or part of a series. Each workshop is inclusive to all. I believe singing is a birthright for all of us. No previous singing experience is required.
I start with gentle movement, stretching and breathing exercises. Fun warm up games encourage laughter and relaxation. I usually teach simple songs by ear, with harmonies or interlocking parts that encourage listening and teamwork. I draw on a huge variety of songs, from different eras and parts of the world and with varying levels of energy.
If you would like to discuss singing workshops for your workplace, please contact me
‘Shilpa ran a series of Singing for Wellbeing lunchtime sessions for us at HM Treasury, along with a few other government departments. The sessions were like taking a big deep breath in and feeling a lot better. The stress of work can be hard, and it is easy in that environment to feel isolated from colleagues and also your own wellbeing. Shilpa brought such a lot of energy and I felt truly uplifted afterwards. The rest of the day passed much more pleasantly.’ –E Sadler – civil servant, London
Singing at your work or community event
Conferences can be boring. Lots of talking, presentations and thinking can leave us feeling drained. A short singing workshop is an unorthodox yet exciting addition to an event programme. Singing relaxes the body and expresses emotions, so can have an energising impact.
No previous singing experience is required – I believe ‘if you can talk, you can sing’. Whether participants know each other or are meeting for the first time, I will help them overcome awkwardness and stretch, relax, and play. I will use a song relevant for your event to create connection and a sense of group achievement.
A singing workshop for your event can be as short as 15 minutes, though 45-60 minutes works best. All that is needed is a space for participants to sit, ideally in a circle. It can be a break-out workshop or in plenary. A popular option is to run a break-out workshop, then support the participants to perform in the closing plenary (invariably tempting the whole room to join in!).
If you would like to discuss singing at your work or community event, please contact me.
Singing at your family event
Family events can gather our threads of community together and weave a stronger sense of connection. Singing a relevant song together can add magic – and it need only take 15 minutes. I have led songs at weddings/civil partnership ceremonies, naming ceremonies, memorial services, birthday parties, mehndi nights etc, creating an inclusive, memorable moment for groups from 10 to 400 people.
If you would like to discuss singing at your family event, please contact me.
It was such a special and unique moment. It was exactly what we hoped for – a time for everyone to stop chatting, drinking etc and come together as a community. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts Eve and Nic – Thank you card after Eve and Nic’s wedding in June 2015
