Richard Gill leading Wesley College teachers during his workshop.
Camera IconRichard Gill leading Wesley College teachers during his workshop. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Richard Gill leads Wesley College staff and students in massive choral event

Kaylee MartinSouthern Gazette

ONE of Australia’s most significant and inspirational voices in music education visited Wesley College this month.

Richard Gill visited the South Perth-based school to lead WA’s largest spontaneous singing event with about 500 staff members and students.

The celebrated conductor and educator conducted three days of workshops and presented a seminar that discussed the important of creativity for brain development, health and wellbeing.

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New research from the Royal College of Music in London has shown how singing in a choir for just one hour can boost the immune system, reduce stress and improve moods.

Tenovus Cancer Care director of research and policy Ian Lewis co-authored the research and said the new links between singing and health were very exciting.

“We have been building a body of evidence over the past six years to show that singing in a choir can have a range of social, emotional and psychological benefits, and now we can see it has biological effects too,” Dr Lewis said.

“We’ve long heard anecdotal evidence that the immune system can be affected by singing, it’s really exciting and could enhance the way we support people with cancer in the future.”

The study also found that those with the lowest levels of mental wellbeing and highest levels of depressions experiences the greatest mood improvement, associated with lower levels of inflammation in the body.