{"id":9447,"date":"2025-06-25T18:46:24","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T18:46:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nau.edu\/college-health-human-services\/?p=9447"},"modified":"2025-06-25T18:45:43","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T18:45:43","slug":"this-northern-arizona-choir-helps-people-with-parkinsons-strengthen-their-voices-kjzz-phoenix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/college-health-human-services\/news\/this-northern-arizona-choir-helps-people-with-parkinsons-strengthen-their-voices-kjzz-phoenix\/","title":{"rendered":"This northern Arizona choir helps people with Parkinson\u2019s strengthen their voices | KJZZ Phoenix"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Mountain<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A choir in Northern Arizona aims to help people suffering from Parkinson\u2019s Disease and other neurological impairments \u2014 both physically and mentally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mountain Tremors Choir started nearly a decade ago, and other than taking a small break during COVID, has been singing ever since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

F\u00e9 Murray, an associate clinical professor at NAU in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department, was handed the assignment of putting the choir together when she started at the university, after some community members said they knew of similar choirs elsewhere, and asked if there could be one in Flagstaff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Murray joined The Show to discuss what it was like in the early years, trying to recruit members to come sing and be a part of this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full conversation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

F\u00c9 MURRAY:<\/strong> Yeah, so we had three original members that were really staunch supporters of the choir. And they\u2019re the ones that began, and they would call their friends, and we would go knock on doors. We went to doctors\u2019 offices and such.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And initially we were quite small. We had maybe a couple of students who volunteered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We had maybe a director and then the three main members, and that was it. And, slowly we began to grow. After a while, I determined that maybe we should open it up to other neurological impairments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so we did. We opened it for anyone who felt that they wanted to strengthen their voice for whatever reason. We didn\u2019t really want to just limit it to Parkinson\u2019s disease. And we also invited their caregivers, family and anyone who they wanted to bring with, so that way they didn\u2019t feel quite as alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MARK BRODIE: Did you find that people were excited to join? Did you kind of have to draw them out? I just wonder, like if you\u2019re going through some of these diseases, yes, maybe you want to strengthen your voice, but you maybe are not so excited about doing it in maybe such a public setting.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MURRAY:<\/strong> People sometimes initially they\u2019ll say, \u201cWell, I, I\u2019m not a good singer\u201d or \u201cI can\u2019t sing in tune\u201d or \u2018Don\u2019t expect much from me,\u201d that sort of thing. So they come in already apologetic about their singing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that doesn\u2019t last very long because usually, you know, we try to make it comfortable. So this is not a professional choir. You\u2019re just expected to just join. Just pretend like you\u2019re in the shower at home \u2014 keep your clothes on, but pretend you\u2019re in the shower at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so once they see that, it\u2019s fun and we\u2019re just singing, there\u2019s no expectation, they seem to be relaxed, and they might invite a friend. We just try to make it as informal as possible and as enjoyable as possible. And people like the idea of getting out of the house and doing something fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BRODIE: There\u2019s been a lot of talk, obviously, about how being in a choir, the benefits of music, the benefits of singing for people with these kinds of ailments. What is the benefit or what are the benefits to people with Parkinson\u2019s or other neurological impairments of being in a group like this and physically singing?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MURRAY:<\/strong> Many times these neurological impairments do affect the voice in many ways. And also your wellbeing. And so usually people with, with Parkinson\u2019s, for example, have reduced volume. They speak more softly or quietly. They tend to have a more of a monotone voice, and often their speech becomes slurred. Even changes in the rate of speech \u2014 they might speak more slowly. Or sometimes you have like this rush of speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s just very difficult. They have difficulty with coordination, and also breath support issues. And all of these things can really be addressed through music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so when we\u2019re singing, we\u2019re really focused on that, improving that voice volume. The singing encourages people to project their voice, which counteracts that soft, the hypophonia or the soft speech that we often hear in Parkinson\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also work a lot on breath support. You know, singing helps strengthen those respiratory muscles, and it really improves that support and that discoordination that people sometimes have with neurological impairments. This exercise of learning how to control your breath actually enhances their overall speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also we\u2019re talking about the muscle discoordination that happens with many of these neurological impairments. The act of singing actually engages various muscle groups, which can carry over to speech and other movements. So, we work a lot on over-enunciating and practicing making your voice, your speech very clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the other things that are unintended consequences are the emotional benefits of singing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BRODIE: I wanted to ask you about that because I\u2019m curious about sort of the psychological, the social potential benefits of being in a group like this, in addition to the physical ones, as you mentioned. It sounds like in some cases it\u2019s a very safe space for the choir members to come because \u2026 everybody\u2019s got some ailment they\u2019re dealing with.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it sounds like it almost kind of turns into a bit of a support group, except singing instead of going around talking about what, what you\u2019re dealing with.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MURRAY:<\/strong> We really don\u2019t do a lot of talking about what we\u2019re dealing with. People come, and everybody\u2019s got their own thing going on. And even our students, because we do have a lot of students who come in and participate in the choir as well. And we just find that singing brings everybody together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When, when you\u2019re singing, you\u2019re evoking memories of the past, and it just it has that emotional connection to a time when you were maybe healthy, the peak of your life kind of thing. And so that in itself can also bring you closer to other people who are of similar age. \u201cOh, yeah, I remember dancing to this song at my senior prom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so it makes for community that maybe other activities that are more active wouldn\u2019t really \u2014 it\u2019s a different kind of engagement, I guess, is what I\u2019m trying to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BRODIE: Does this choir ever put on performances?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MURRAY:<\/strong> So it\u2019s funny you should ask that. Every semester, we have usually like the end of the semester performance. I mean, we\u2019ve been practicing new songs. There has to be some kind of a performance. So we do put on like a little mini show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And because of memory issues and sometimes tremors that happen with these impairments, we do it kind of karaoke style so everyone can see the words. And so it\u2019s more like a sing-along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this year we\u2019ve been asked to sing twice outside of that performance. So we\u2019re really excited. We\u2019re going to be going to a rehabilitation facility and singing to some folks there. They can\u2019t really get out and join our choir. And we\u2019re hoping to make it a nice big sing-along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then our own college, the College of Health and Human Services here, has asked us to do some sort of holiday caroling during their annual celebration at the end of the semester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BRODIE: All right, so when you are planning for a show, what are the reliable hits that. Well, that will bring the house down?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MURRAY:<\/strong> The reliable hits. Well, the one song that we have sung over and over again over the years has been \u201cTake It Easy\u201d by the Eagles. And we always replace Winslow, Arizona, with Flagstaff, Arizona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BRODIE: Naturally. It\u2019s an Arizona favorite.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MURRAY:<\/strong> It\u2019s an Arizona favorite. So we sing that. This time we\u2019re doing \u201cNew York, New York\u201d by Frank Sinatra. And \u201cSweet Caroline\u201d is always good because of course, everybody comes around with, you know, \u201cba ba ba,\u201d \u201cSo good! So good!\u201d You have a little participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve done some Beatles. \u201cI Want to Hold Your Hand.\u201d Beatles is always a favorite, but lately it\u2019s been Frank Sinatra. I think we did \u201cFly Me to the Moon\u201d last semester. Sometimes we go back. At the very beginning, we were in the \u201940s, and now we\u2019re looking like we\u2019re doing more \u201970s type things. So it depends on the age of the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Journey always brings \u2014 Journey, \u201cDon\u2019t Stop Believin\u2019.\u201d The other one that\u2019s been a big one for us besides \u201cTake it Easy\u201d is \u201cLean on Me\u201d by Bill Withers. It\u2019s emotional, and it\u2019s a song that\u2019s a favorite of our group. I don\u2019t think we\u2019re doing it this time around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BRODIE: That\u2019s such an eclectic song list.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MURRAY: <\/strong>Yeah. It is very eclectic. And sometimes we have to convince them. Sometimes it\u2019s like, \u201cOK, the director gets a say.\u201d And sometimes we have to have them practice it a few times and get them to like it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

See the original article from KJZZ Phoenix<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A choir in Northern Arizona aims to help people suffering from Parkinson\u2019s Disease and other neurological impairments \u2014 both physically and mentally.  The Mountain Tremors Choir started nearly a decade ago, and other than taking a small break during COVID, has been singing ever since. F\u00e9 Murray, an associate clinical professor at NAU in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":769,"featured_media":9448,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"2normal","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9447","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-college-of-health-and-human-services","category-communication-sciences-disorders"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/college-health-human-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9447","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/college-health-human-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/college-health-human-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/college-health-human-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/769"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/college-health-human-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9447"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/college-health-human-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9447\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9450,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/college-health-human-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9447\/revisions\/9450"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/college-health-human-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9448"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/college-health-human-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/college-health-human-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/college-health-human-services\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}