Workplace Stories
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It’s been five days since our performance, yet the feelings still linger. I feel elevated, connected, happy and incredibly proud! Being in our workplace choir has literally changed the way I feel about work. I feel a powerful boost in my confidence and super united with my colleagues – my choir friends, because we lived this amazing experience together. I also feel connected to rest of the company – our audience, who listened respectfully and cheered loudly. They enjoyed our performance and made us feel really special… like we made a difference. A photo of Brandwatch employees on stage at their first public performance. Everyone is smiling and smartly dressed. One lady with short hair has her hands clutched to her chest and is smiling with glee. Brandwatch Choir – Christmas performance In fact, this has been the most tangible way of understanding and seeing the effects of teamwork. Individually, it was nice to see my progress and to feel confident enough to open our show with a solo. I now really believe I can do anything I set my mind to, but also learnt that dedication, practice and discipline make a big difference in improving results. The benefits of singing in a choir were not only emotional. I really saw and felt some physical benefits too. Improved posture, better and sharper focus, deeper breathing and an overall sense of joy. This is the kind of activity that will leave you showing ALL your teeth to the world and getting what I like to call “face cramps”, from smiling so much. Conclusion… choir will leave you feeling FREAKING great!
I would have never joined a choir group off my own back. I would have never sung in front of anyone, let alone a gigantic barn FULL of colleagues. The performance was awesome it was so fulfilling for me and so incredibly nerve racking, holy s**t we did it! Following a recent bereavement, choir was so healing and powerful and let me escape to a better place, and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to be part of it. Amanda – you are honestly an incredible teacher! Thank you so, so much for putting your time into doing things like the work place choir.
I’ve always loved singing, but I wouldn’t consider myself in any way good at it. As I was fairly new to Brighton, when I started work, I was determined to get involved in all the social activities to make friends, and then Amanda came in to run a free taster session so I thought “why not try it?” I’d previously read about all the benefits of singing in a group and was keen to find out more. It was wonderful! Amanda makes each session so fun; I’m always smiling. So I became hooked and have been going to Amanda’s sessions for two terms now. I would never do a solo – I’m pretty sure I don’t sound great on my own – but I know that together we all sound amazing, and that’s such a great feeling: to be part of something bigger. I saw some immediate benefits: I know more people around the office and I am more confident speaking up in work meetings. I got asked to do a couple of big presentations at conferences recently, I felt confident enough to say yes and I’m sure channeling my inner performer from my choir experience helped me to feel more ready. Putting yourself in such a vulnerable position with your colleagues at a work choir is of course hard, but it can be so rewarding, not only for your personal well-being but your career too. I’d recommend it to anyone.
The choir has been a really amazing thing to be a part of, it’s given me (and I think others) the confidence to express themselves differently, and sing as one – learning something new together along the way. As a relative newbie to work, joining the choir was the absolute perfect way to bond with colleagues. We now have a shared experience, we’ve supported each other, reassured each other and definitely grown in ways – both as a group and separately as individuals. Amanda You have been an amazing leader – assertive when you needed to be, and warm and jokey along the way which worked to foster a really special environment.