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From shower to stage: Halifax sing-along unites strangers through music

Click to play video: 'Halifax strangers form friendships in massive public sing-along'
Halifax strangers form friendships in massive public sing-along
A bi-weekly drop in singing event unites people in Halifax through the power of music. – Apr 3, 2017

It doesn’t take long for dozens of strangers to quickly warm-up to new friendships during a drop-in singing event in Halifax’s north end.

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“The Big Sing is a bi-weekly drop-in singing event at the Company House,” said Seth Levinson, the founder of Big Sing Halifax.

Levinson was inspired to bring a drop-in singing event to Halifax after a trip to Toronto last year.

“The Big Sing is modeled on an event in Toronto called ‘Choir! Choir! Choir!’ I went to it last year year and was totally crazy about the experience,” Levinson said.

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The open house concept brings two musicians to the stage, lead vocalist Jack Bennet and guitarist George Woodhouse, where together they slowly coach the crowd through singing the song selection of the evening.

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The event doesn’t discriminate and is open to all vocal abilities from shower singers to those searching for creative stress relief.

“I’m a recreation therapist, so I spend a lot of time educating others about the value of creative expression, but it wasn’t something that I had done in a long time,” said Claire Lederman, a participant who’s been to multiple Big Sing sessions.

Lederman said she was a little hesitant to come out to her first sing-along but once she joined in with the crowd, her nerves quickly settled and the positive energy from the atmosphere took over.

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“Just come out and give it a try. Being here in the crowd and the arrangements that Jack puts together, it always sounds so beautiful,” she said.

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