Campaign summary 2024

Campaign summary 2024

In October 2024, the international campaign "MUSIC - Support for People with Depression" took place on the occasion of World Mental Health Day. As part of it, choirs from 29 cities in 6 countries organized various events, such as concerts, open rehearsals, workshops and singing during liturgies. The aim was to use music to increase awareness of depression and promote music therapy. There were also two webinars and a pilot project with the participation of oncology patients, and choirs worked with therapists to enrich the programs of their events with elements of psychological support.

Scientific studies confirm the beneficial effects of collective singing on health, including mental health (a list of such studies can be found, for example, on the website of the European Choral Association, the largest European organization dealing with choral singing. They are collected and presented on the website https://europeanchoralassociation.org/benefitsofsinging/ under the slogan #BenefitsOfSinging

Also, the Culture for Health report on the impact of culture and cultural activities on health and well-being, published in 2022 by the CultureForHealth consortium as part of the Creative Europe program, confirms that participation in artistic activities contributes to the improvement of mental and physical health.

The campaign included events in the following 29 cities

Vienna (Austria), Genoa (Italy), Le Pradet (France), Helsingør (Denmark), Wuppertal (Germany), Gostyń, Lublin, Dobre Miasto, Tychy, Olsztyn, Gliwice, Katowice, Zabrze, Siemianowice Śląskie, Cedry, Poznań, Kobiór, Wysowa Zdrój, Gorlice, Murowana Goślina, Warsaw, Kębłowo, Rzeszów, Brwinów, Gryfino, Banie, Widuchowa, Łódź

List of participating choirs:

  • Kodaly Institute Wien
  • SOL-MI-DO choir of the 1st degree PSM in Gostyń. Partner: Psychological and Pedagogical Counselling Centre in Gostyń.
  • Lorien - Choir of the 1st High School in Lublin. Partner: Poradnia Latarnia.
  • Choir of the 1st degree Local Government Music School in Dywity
  • LaurentiusChor Wuppertal
  • Laudate Dominum Tychy
  • Children's choir at the Warmia-Masuria Philharmonic. Partner: Centrum Psychiatry Anima
  • Academic Music Ensemble of the Silesian University of Technology. Partner: Wojciech Karpowicz
  • Mixed Choir “Ogniwo”, Katowice
  • Mixed Choir Klaster from Zabrze. Partner: Speech Therapy and Pedagogical Workshop IN MELIUS
  • Mixed Choir Gwiazda, Chorzów
  • Choir Chór Mam na Żuławach
  • Choir Armia św. Jerzego from Poznań. Partner: Centrum Psychoterapii Integralnej Sp. z o. o., Poznań, president Joanna Zapała
  • Ex animo Kobiór
  • Galician Choir, Wysowa-Zdrój, Partner: Psychological and Speech Therapy Office Elżbieta Wansacz - Wysowa Zdrój
  • Cantores Carvatiani, Gorlice. Partner: Mental Health Clinic at the Hospital in Gorlice
  • Canzona Girls' Choir and the Instrumental Ensemble of the Artistic Center, Muroiwana Goślina. Partner: Psychological and Pedagogical Clinic in Swarzędz - branch in Murowana Goślina
  • Cappella Filippina Genova
  • Mums' Choir in Bemowo, Warsaw. Partner: Bemowo Social Welfare Center
  • John Paul II Elementary School Choir in Kębłowo
  • Museum Social Choir, Katowice. Partner: Medica Medical Center
  • Schola 21:30, Katowice
  • Academic Choir of the University of Rzeszów. Partner: Psychological Clinic & Psychotherapy Center Tabor
  • The Choir of Mamas in Tarchomin
  • The Choir of the Kur Torn from Homes, Brwinów. Partners: Anna Sochacka, psychotherapist; Monika Cwajda, psychotherapist; Magdalena Gąssowska-Schmidt, psychotherapist
  • De levende Sthene, Helsingor
  • International Choir in Action, Warsaw
  • Female Vocal Ensemble “Eufonia”
  • Res Musica from Gryfino. Partner: Małgorzata Krawczak
  • La clé des chants, Le Pradet, France

 

Participants' reports

 

- The new founded Kodály Institute Wien, which started its work in May 2024, organized the flashmob “Sing Along” at Karmeliter Market in the heart of Vienna at 10.10.2024. The small choir ensemble of the KIW prepared well-known canons, popular melodies and circle songs to make music together with passers-by as well as people who followed the invitation for the flashmob spread via social media, website or by word of mouth. At the day we had to deal with a bad-weather change, it started to rain heavily in the early afternoon, some singers cancelled their participation and we had to decide between carrying out or calling off the event. In the end, some hard boiled met and like a little wonder coming true, the rain stopped 10 min for starting and paused for 45 min, so we did it with a little group of courageous singers. There were less people than usually at the market because of the weather but each one stopped for a while to listen, but they didn’t dare to join in. As it started to rain again, we had to finish and we went to take some tea in a bar of the market, where we reflected the situation, being happy and proud having sung together that well. Along the whole time of preparation, adverting and proceeding the flashmob we got lots of consent reactions regarding to the precious worth of the campaign and its diƯerent kind of actions. Singing together is entirely seen as a great sign to point out the topic of depression as well as as its antidote at the same time. We will definitely join in 2025 again. Petra Pirolt, Kodály Institute Wien 


- As the Mixed Choir Gwiazda, on 9.10.2024 we organized an open rehearsal. The Starochorzowski Cultural Center supported us in promoting the campaign. The choristers themselves responded very positively to the undertaking, talked about their experiences with depression and how singing in a choir has a beneficial effect on them. Comment from one of the choristers: “Music therapy in this form really works not only as an antidepressant but also in memory training, e.g. after strokes... I saw it for myself”. During the rehearsal we sang the canon “How Great the Power of Singing”. It is a pity that we did not record our performance, because it was exceptional - we were guided by an unusual message. We regretted that we did not have guests, but I think that such a rehearsal was very important for us. Danuta Domańska-Garczarczyk, conductor of the Gwiazda Mixed Choir from Chorzów, Poland
 

- The organization of this event, in itself, added such a breath of fresh air to this weekly preparation of rehearsals. It was something different, and at the same time the entry threshold was low. You could "come" with what you have. Paradoxically, this encouraged me to do something more, i.e. ask one of the participants - a psychologist - to say a few words about depression. In addition, there was the idea for our conductor to conduct a music workshop and teach us a new song - about establishing choirs, which we practice to this day. The preparation of the meeting itself had an anti-depressive character :)  Thanks to this action - which in our case was an open rehearsal - a lot of additional people came. We could stop among the children running around to discuss the topic of depression and learn something new. The project - Music - support for people with depression - fits in perfectly with the activities of our choir, i.e. prevention of perinatal depression. Żaklina Czekała - leader of the Żuławy Choir of Mamas, Poland


- Thank you very much for your kind words and for the diploma sent! Participation in this year's edition of the Action was an extremely inspiring experience for us. The entire event took place in a great atmosphere, and the participants showed great commitment. We are grateful for the opportunity to cooperate and we are already looking forward to the next editions. With respect and greetings, Academic Choir of the University of Rzeszów, Poland

 

- The whole idea about the depression is to try to solve the first steps or symptoms of it which looks like a stresses: in our approach I decided to start the choir rehearsal and finish it without telling the choir members about the project goal. First of all I wanted to see the différence of their behavior before and after the 2 hours rehearsal. Program was mix of Christmas songs (choice of positive mood). And then impact was really incredible We did sing whole 2 hourse standing with a smile on faces but 15 minutes of very active coffee break! So I could conclude that in our campaign of depression we are far away from it and we are trying to pass that mood to others who are attending to our concerts (and publikum actually marks that choir singers look  happy and it passes to them). In our case it was a small research. Anahit Mughnetsyan, De levende Sthene Choir, Helsingør, Denmark.

 

Summary of the substantive supervisor of the Campaign

The Campaign "Music - support for people with depression" refers to an extremely important topic, which is a disease that affects an increasing part of society. However, what constitutes the greatest value of the event is the fact that it focuses not on the symptoms and threats of depression, but on ways of coping and overcoming it. When planning the Campaign, we wanted to take into account in particular the positive influence of music and collective singing, being aware that these are aspects whose positive impact is supported by numerous scientific studies. On this basis, for the fourth time we have managed to spread the idea of ​​the benefits of singing in an international environment, not limited only to choristers or conductors, but to people who have been directly affected by depression. We have received information from people suffering from depression from many sides that participation in the Campaign has shown them a new perspective, that it has given them the feeling that the therapy process can be supported by a completely free method that is available "at your fingertips" - i.e. through singing! In turn, those who suffer from depression and are already members of choirs emphasize how being in a group supports their recovery process. 

We are glad that our Campaign - of course, among other, equally important ones! - is a valuable contribution to raising public awareness of what depression is and what it is not, what effective methods of treatment are and which ones do not support the process at all.

Let's all sing! We will not only be happier, but also healthier!

Dr. Krzysztof Dudzik, Substantive Supervisor of the Campaign

 

Pilot project “singING for health” in partnership with the Upper Silesian Oncology Foundation in Gliwice

One of the events organized by the Chórtownia Foundation in cooperation with the Upper Silesian Oncology Foundation operating for the Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Institute of Oncology in Gliwice was the subproject “Singing for health” - pilot choir rehearsals for oncology patients and their families. The rehearsals at the Oncology Institute were conducted by Justyna Dziuma and Gabriela Majerowska. A detailed description of this activity can be found at https://depresja.chortownia.org/news/onkopilot2024_en

 

WHAT'S NEXT

The international campaign “MUSIC - Support for People in Depression” will continue. The dates of the next edition are already known - next year the events will take place from October 4-12, 2025. We will announce choir registration for this project in April 2025, but you can already plan activities for this date. The formula of the campaign will remain unchanged, although new elements may be added. People who would like to talk about the campaign are welcome to contact us by e-mail at chortownia@gmail.com.