There is a writing voice and a speaking voice. In elections, the results are often called “the voice of the people” and self-empowerment is sometimes referred to as finding one’s voice. Some Long Beach seniors are finding fun, fitness and their voice in Harriet Bennish’s Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine “Senior Singing Class.”
The adults in Bennish’s adult class (most are 18-49) say they are taking the class just for fun, although she does have a coterie of teachers who take the class to improve their voice stamina.
But the seniors she says “take it very seriously. They practice, notice the change in their voices, are inspired by positive transformation and are delighted to know that in their later years they have the power and ability to improve.”
A Masters in Social Work from CSULB, has given Bennish “the tools necessary to better meet the needs of our senior population. Most importantly, I don’t see age as an obstacle. Research shows that age does not have to interfere with improving the sound of the human voice. When seniors are singing well, I close my eyes and I hear a chorus of college students!”
From the (dare I say breathless?) gushing of her students, the rejuvenation is palpable for the participants. Nancy Wheeler, age 84, who still teaches piano and taught singing for a good many years, had to drop out of her church choir because she lacked endurance and the morning rehearsals were hard on her arthritis. She also noticed that she often ran out of breath, and sometimes even became hoarse, while speaking. After taking Ms. Bennish’s class last spring, her vocal problems improved tremendously. But she needs to keep taking the class for the “external discipline and weekly motivation.” Of Bennish, she says: “She’s an excellent teacher. She doesn’t miss a trick.”
“This class is one of the brightest parts of my life,” says another senior student, Joan Inselberg, age 71. Jackie Dibs, 68, was told by her doctor that she had asthma. “I even began using an inhaler. After studying with Harriet, I began to breathe better, and it has changed my life.”
One senior student, according to Bennish, was hospitalized after a mini-stroke. But upon checking his breathing, his doctor exclaimed “Why you have the
breathing capacity of a 40-year-old! What have you been doing?” The student responded, “I sing and study voice.” The doctor replied that he had “seen this before.”
The health improvements are no surprise to Bennish who says that “the speaking and singing voice are tied to several bodily systems, with one very important system being the respiratory system. Taking in a sufficient amount of oxygen is important to the muscles of our body. The oxygen is absorbed in the circulatory system that delivers oxygenated blood to our muscles. Considering that the heart is a muscle, it’s no wonder seniors feel more energized after leaving my voice class.”
Don MacIntyre, 73, came to Ms. Bennish’s class because he couldn’t hold notes. While he was physically fit, his breathing was shallow. He says, “A singer is like an athlete, but the muscles are inside. With Harriet, I learned to breathe properly. And I keep taking the classes so I can do it [breathe properly] without thinking about it.” He got together with another senior singing student, Margaret Lucas, and formed a group (with another Don) called “Two Dons and a Darling.” They performed in Los Angeles and Orange Counties at senior centers and retirement homes, using a karaoke machine for musical backup. Lucas says Bennish has “taught me breath support and how to sustain long notes. I’ve gained an octave since working with her and have improved my chest voice. Harriet is really hands on.” MacIntyre adds that “Harriet is so good at spotting things. She can imitate someone who’s doing something wrong and then show them how to do it properly. Even if you’re not the person she’s instructing, it applies to all of us, especially posture and breathing.” Both have noticed their overall heath and energy have improved since taking the class, but are especially enthusiastic about how much better their singing is.
Bennish attended the Peabody Conservatory of Music and received her Bachelor of Music Degree in Voice and Performance from West Virginia University. For ten years she was a soprano soloist with the Long Beach Chorale and is currently a soloist with Long Beach’s Klezmer group “The Shtetl Menschen.” She was recently featured in the musical “Working” at the Bellflower Theater, but the highlight of her week is the senior class. She doesn’t believe in the “but I can’t sing” mentality and says that “if you can speak, you can sing.”
For more information about Bennish’s singing instruction, log onto her website at http://www/harrietbennish.com