Disclosure: This blog post was sponsored by Ronald McDonald House Charities.
You know attending a music festival sparks a light inside anyone attending. The electric energy pulsating through the crowd is an addicting rush that unites every single concertgoer in perfect harmony. Toronto-based Choir!Choir!Choir! consists of meeting people you never normally would, singing to the sweet melodies of music you’ve never heard before and making golden memories you can keep with you for the rest of your life. It doesn’t matter how great – or out of key – your voice is. Believe me, I fit in the latter category.
Now happening twice weekly in Toronto and touring internationally, C!C!C! boasts a dedicated and passionate membership of inspired singers from in-and-around Toronto, Canada. They have performed in holes, on hills, and on big stages at the Polaris Music Prize Gala, Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Massey Hall, The Juno Awards, Art Gallery of Ontario, Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Luminato Festival and at TEDx Toronto. And they’ve included guest singers such as Rufus Wainwright, Tegan and Sara, Patti Smith, Bruce Cockburn, Kathleen Edwards, Colin Hay (Men At Work), Joel Plaskett, Sarah Harmer, and Chris Murphy (Sloan).
In 2016, the Choir!Choir!Choir! Foundation was launched (in association with the Toronto Foundation) to formalize their deep commitment to fundraising activities. Their 2015 “C!C!C! Sings for Syria” campaign raised $70,000 and sponsored two families to Toronto. Their 2016 “25 days of Charity! Charity! Charity!” campaign raised $50,000 for 25 local, national and international organizations.
Last month, Choir! Choir! Choir!’s Daveed and Nobu (AKA DaBu) got together with Ronald McDonald House Charities to perform a special tune – Beatles’ With A Little Help From My Friends. You know the song. So perfect, right? In watching the participants that night during the filming of the video, each person became, simply, us. Singing and being a music fan has been shown to be more generous, more ethical, and more helpful towards others. When we join with others to create an experience of great importance like being part of a community – especially a choir – the happiness spread throughout the venue.
Examined Existence reports on a number of studies that show music has an effect on the mind and overall health of listeners. Research from the University of Groningen shows that study participants who listened to more upbeat music experienced happier perceptions of life.
As much fun as it was to be a part of Choir! Choir! Choir! performing The Beatles’ With A Little Help From My Friends in support of Ronald McDonald House Charities, it’s a extraordinary feeling to stream the video and know you’re doing something good for the community, too.
The RMHC network of programs in Canada helps to keep more than 25,000 families close to their sick child and the care they need each year. The 15 Ronald McDonald Houses provide families with a place to stay at while their child is being treated at a nearby hospital, while the 16 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms provide a comfortable place for families to rest and recharge right inside hospitals.
For some parents who wait patiently at their child’s bedside far from home and hope for good outcomes on surgeries, tests and treatments. Their dream of being home for the holidays won’t come true this year. Ronald McDonald House provides families with a warm bed to sleep in at night, a home-cooked meal at the end of the day, and therapeutic activities to help cope with their daily stresses.
Now that you’re ready to feel good, watch the amazing video below.
