Singing helps people with brain disorders

A striking example of this approach is the CeleBRation Choir, established nearly twenty years ago by the University of Auckland’s Brain Research Centre. Its goal is to help people who have experienced a stroke and adults with other brain injuries: through vocal exercises and singing familiar songs, participants gradually regain their voice and confidence. Practice shows that such sessions help to cope with difficulties in speech, language, voice production, and memory.

From a physiological perspective, singing and speech involve similar mechanisms: in both cases, the lungs, vocal cords, and overlapping areas of the brain are active. In Parkinson’s disease, for example, a person may find it difficult to speak loudly and clearly enough, and to breathe properly so that the voice sounds confident. Singing helps to train these skills: people begin to pronounce words more clearly and speak louder. After a stroke, aphasia often develops — a disorder in which it is difficult to find the right words and to understand other people’s speech. In such a situation, singing becomes a gentle form of speech practice: by performing favourite songs, a person can freely pronounce as many words as they can, without feeling the strain of having to “choose the right ones”. Often, people who have survived a stroke sing their favorite melodies much more freely than they speak.

The emotional component also plays an important role. Songs familiar from youth awaken autobiographical and emotional memory; even if a person rarely engages in conversation, a favorite melody can evoke a vivid response and prompt a conversation. In addition, collective singing affects the brain’s neurochemistry. The level of oxytocin — a hormone that strengthens the sense of connection with other people — and endorphins, which are responsible for a good mood, increases. At the same time, the concentration of cortisol decreases, which helps to relieve stress and relax. Thus, the choir becomes not just a musical activity, but a source of support, motivation, and joy.

Familiar and beloved songs are especially important for the therapeutic effect: they reduce anxiety and make participation accessible. Vocal techniques that do not require precise word reproduction are also beneficial: humming, using simple syllables like “fa‑la‑la” or “du‑bi‑du” help to improve speech clarity and voice quality, and allow everyone to feel like part of the collective sound. At the same time, selecting a repertoire for a group with participants of different ages is a separate task, as everyone has different tastes, so you have to find a balance between complex verses and repetitive, easily memorable choruses.

In different countries, therapeutic choirs are often focused on people with a single specific condition. For example, there are separate choirs for patients with Parkinson’s disease. In New Zealand, many neurological choirs are more inclusive; they are open to people with a wide variety of brain disorders. At the same time, no prior vocal experience is required. For some, participation is an opportunity to continue doing what they love; for others, it is a bold step that allows them to overcome years of uncertainty and even fear of singing. In an atmosphere of mutual support and friendly attitude, this tension quickly dissipates.

The experience of creating such choirs has already been formalized into a practical guide: as part of a doctoral study, the handbook The VOCCAL Handbook was developed. It is intended for those who want to organize their own neurological choir. Its emergence reflects an important need: given that approximately one in three residents of New Zealand experiences neurological conditions during their lifetime, there should be more such spaces, as well as more trained facilitators capable of conducting such sessions effectively.

Choral singing turns out to be not just a form of leisure, but a full‑fledged supportive practice: it helps restore lost abilities, reduces social isolation, strengthens self‑confidence, and provides positive emotions. Combined with proper organization and an appropriate repertoire, a choir becomes a place where people with brain injuries can not only sing but also feel heard.