12 episodes
This Is Why We Sing James Sills
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- Health & Fitness
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5.0 • 33 Ratings
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James Sills is a musician, singing leader and author who believes that singing has the ability to transform lives. This podcast will help explain why.
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#10 Priya Parker on singing as a democratic act, collective ritual and the art of gathering
The final episode of Series One is with Priya Parker. Through her writing, group facilitation as work as a conflict mediator, she helps people create collective meaning in modern life. Priya is an important voice in the conversation around human connection and, according to Deepak Chopra, ‘has created both an art and a science to gathering in ways that can bring joy and fulfilment to any meeting.” She is the author of ‘The Art Of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters’ and is the host of New York Times podcast ‘Together Apart.’
We talk about:
-Priya’s personal experience of group singing
-the need for individual expression within collective practise
-how to create transformative experiences through gathering
-how Priya’s book has influenced James’s work as singing leader
-the need to create new types of gathering in an increasingly globalised world
-why being specific and purposeful in our gatherings is important
-the TikTok shanty sensation of 2021 as a creative response to lockdown
-the demise of communal singing and the rise of solo performative singing
Sign up to Priya’s monthly newsletter:
https://www.priyaparker.com/newsletter
Priya’s website:
https://www.priyaparker.com/
Join the Sofa Singers:
www.thesofasingers.com
Podcast playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1TWeFKowQ9tCSOEPQ8xmvQ?si=FoCok6QRRfSIyfMMoFtcNQ
Follow James on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook. -
#9 Dr Victoria Willamson on earworms, amusia and the psychology of music
This episode is with Dr Victoria Williamson - an independent authority, scholar and consultant on the psychology of music. Victoria is particularly interested in the relationship between music and wellbeing and is a regular contributor to radio and television, in addition to her own academic research. She is also the author of ‘You Are The Music: How Music Reveals What It Means To Be Human’ published in 2014.
We talk about:
-the scope and reach of music psychology
-the global phenomenon of ‘earworms’
-her research into amusia (‘tone deafness’) and it’s implications for singing.
-the difference between congenital amusia and acquired amusia
-the relationship between music and wellbeing
-why the human voice is so powerful
-therapeutic uses of singing in different healthcare settings
-why ‘Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay’ is her favourite all-time song
Victoria website/blog
https://musicpsychology.co.uk/
Victoria’s TED talk on Music and Memory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbGL1uzl6k
Podcast playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1TWeFKowQ9tCSOEPQ8xmvQ?si=FoCok6QRRfSIyfMMoFtcNQ
Follow James on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook. -
#8 Eric Whitacre on creating musical and social harmony through singing
This episode is with Grammy award-winning composer Eric Whitacre. His music is beloved by people around the world and his ground-breaking Virtual Choir projects have united singers from over 145 different countries. Eric is evangelical about the power of singing, both in-person and virtually, and it’s potential to create both musical and social harmony.
We talk about:
-why he’s currently listening to the musical Hamilton on repeat
-how singing Mozart’s Requiem changed his life
-what inspired Eric to create the first virtual choir video in 2010
-why singing with others brings out the best of humanity
-the composition process for ‘Sing Gently’ for Virtual Choir 6
-his use of ‘emotional architecture’ when composing
-his love for Stevie Wonder
‘Sing Gently’ Virtual Choir 6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InULYfJHKI0
Eric’s TED Talk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NENlXsW4pM
Podcast playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1TWeFKowQ9tCSOEPQ8xmvQ?si=FoCok6QRRfSIyfMMoFtcNQ
Follow James on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook. -
#7 Jennifer John on empowerment and equality through singing
This episode is with Liverpool-based vocal coach, composer and mentor Jennifer John. She is an artist who advocates diversity and inclusion in all of her work and is a firm believer in equality of opportunity for all people and in particular, women. In our conversation, we talk about how this ethos manifests itself across her different projects such as Sense of Sound Singers, Liverpool Complaints Choir and her recent virtual choir composition 'Love Sings.'
We talk about:
- the influence of Jennifer’s parents
- tackling inequalities within community music-making and the music industry
- Jennifer’s vision for Sense of Sound as an organisation
- Liverpool Complaints Choir and singing as catharsis
- her composition and virtual choir project ‘Love Sings’
- cultural and musical diversity in Liverpool
- her work in vocal coaching and artistic development
-what inspires Jennifer, both within music and outside of music
‘Love Sings From Liverpool’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBKyyyC_ACw
‘We Are She’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv98ndnyHW0&t=12s
Jennifer’s website
https://www.jenniferjohnmusic.com/
Podcast playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1TWeFKowQ9tCSOEPQ8xmvQ?si=FoCok6QRRfSIyfMMoFtcNQ
James's website:
www.james-sills.com -
#6 Chris Wood on songwriting, authenticity and identity
This episode’s conversation is with award-winning singer, songwriter and guitarist Chris Wood. His songs are full of warmth, poetry and observation, infused with a tangible sense of time and place. In this conversation, we discuss his formative experiences as a chorister, authenticity as a singer and his own brand of ‘British Soul,’ plus much more.
We talk about:
-his creative process as a songwriter
-his experience English choral tradition
-the concept of soul and authenticity in music
-what we can learn from moths and butterflies
-the human compulsion to create and produce
-finding meaning in the small moments of life
-his love for Tom Waits’s music
‘So Much To Defend’ – studio version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEy8VCdzwlM
‘This Love Won’t Let You Fail’ – live on Radio 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUyg1K20KjE
Chris’s music on Bandcamp:
https://chriswoodfolkmusician.bandcamp.com/
Podcast playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1TWeFKowQ9tCSOEPQ8xmvQ?si=FoCok6QRRfSIyfMMoFtcNQ
James's website:
www.james-sills.com
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Bonus: mid-series announcement
Thank you to everyone who has listened, subscribed, shared and rated the podcast so far. We've scheduled an additional four episodes for Series One (making ten in total) and in this short announcement James announces the guests for the remaining episodes.
Follow James on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/jsillsmusic
Follow James on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/jsillsmusic
Follow James on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/jsillsmusic
Customer Reviews
This is why we sing (gently)
Great interview with Eric Whitacre - his inspiration and musical journey leading to the Virtual Choir and in particular the circumstances leading to responding to the pandemic with Virtual Choir 6. A fascinating discussion between two musicians who have taken their art and enthusiasm to their wide locked down audiences.
Chris Wood interview!
An interview with English (soul) musician, Chris Wood, directed me to this podcast. Satisfied with the discussion about English music (and digressions to Tom Waits) I enjoyed chat about the joys of making your own stuff, such as apple pies rather than outsourcing it to the supermarket brands. I’m excited now to enjoy past and future episodes on singing and why we sing 🎶
So interesting
I have just finished listening to Richard and James talking about so many interesting things- especially interested in the idea of reaching another level with‘deep thinking’ . It was fascinating to listen to Richard’s relationship with singing and how it suddenly changed!!!