WHAT’S the first thing you do when you’re walking in the park and the heavens open? Take cover under a tree? Go splash in the nearest puddle? Run back to the car? Or fire up your camera and go live on Facebook with an impromptu rendition of Singing In The Rain?
That’s exactly what East Kilbride music teacher and choir leader Kate Cameron did during one of her regular lockdown walks, much to the surprise and delight of some sodden passers-by.
Kate’s park performance was one of more than 50 free Sing & Smile sessions she hosted on Facebook during 2020 to help people keep calm and carry on singing.
“Before the pandemic hit, I’d been running music classes for babies and children. I’d also just fulfilled my dream of starting a community choir for adults,” says Kate.
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“Overnight, I went from working six days a week to nothing. Everything I’d worked hard to build was shut down. It was not an easy time, for anybody. Losing all of my work and income, with no idea of what would happen in the future, was really scary.”
But despite facing difficult circumstances, Kate decided to use her voice to bring happiness to others.
“I was spending lots of time at the piano, learning new songs to take my mind off my worries. At the same time, I was missing sharing my music with others.
“One day, I realised that there was probably a bunch of people out there who were missing music too. I decided I would bring the music to them and start singing online. Before I could talk myself out of it, I posted on Facebook that I was going to start the following day.”
Music teacher Kate Cameron brought joy to many with her sing and smile sessions
Kate’s first Sing & Smile session went live in March 2020 – and the response blew her away.
“I wasn’t expecting many people to tune in to that first session but about 100 people watched it. Afterwards, I received so many heartening messages saying it had really lifted their spirits, or it had helped someone who was isolating feel a bit brighter. So, I decided to host three regular sessions a week.”
While Kate thought she’d be singing for her students and friends, she soon gained a larger following, with some sessions gaining more than 3000 views.
“I always chose something joyful and fun, a song that everyone would know and be able to sing along to. I’d think about what might be going on for people and choose a song that might help them feel better. Afterwards, people would send me a message saying it was exactly what they needed to hear that day.
“Doing the sessions kept me going too. They gave me a reason to get up, to get dressed, to learn new songs and to keep doing what I loved when I couldn’t do it in real life.”
With all her classes on hold, Kate also found other ways to use her voice. She was invited to lead a national virtual choir on behalf of the ExcludedUK group and brought together more than 100 singers to raise awareness of the three million self-employed people who received no financial support throughout the pandemic.
Finally, late last year, Kate was able to welcome people back to her passion project – the KC Community Choir.
“I love being able to share the joy of music in a choir setting. When people sing together, they forget their troubles. Maybe there’s something tricky going on in their personal life or workplace. But when they’re focused on the song, nothing else matters. We sing, we laugh – a lot – and we connect with each other.”
Music has always been a big part of Kate’s life and it’s a joy she loves passing on to the younger generation.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of what I do is the baby music classes. Singing is a natural way for babies to begin to identity sounds and words. They respond to rhythms and patterns. It’s amazing when you see them clap their hands for the first time or make a sound in response to a song.
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“It also gives parents and carers some time with their little ones away from the day-to-day duties of parenting, which can be exhausting. Everyone leaves a little happier!”
So, what’s next for our joy creator?
“I’m excited to be starting my own kids choir. Children come alive when they sing – their faces light up. As adults, we learn to control our emotions. Children don’t do that. This means they’ll also tell you if your song is boring! But when they’re happy, you know about it.”
So next time you’re out for a stroll in the Scottish rain, why not burst into song? You might get a few funny looks – but you might just make someone smile.
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