THE SONGS OF AWEN
SINGING GROUP
Carolyn Hillyer (pictured below), is famously known for her book, 'The Bone Bundle', which delves into the ancient roots of proto-Celtic language, exploring forgotten words and phrases that connect with early European cultures. Gathering these words into her dictionary of long forgotten words, she imbued them with new life by weaving them into songs that resonate with the primal, spiritual essence of the land and people from long ago. Through this lyrical exploration into a 4000 year old Proto-Celtic 'mother tongue', Carolyn began an important revival, reconnecting modern audiences with a nearly lost cultural heritage and offering insights into the linguistic foundations of early European civilisation.
We invite you to join us in bringing the ancestral work of Carolyn Hillyer to life with the Celtic Awen (the Celtic name for poetic inspiration). Together as a group, we'll be weaving these ancient words into original creative songs and by the warm atmospheric glow of candlelight, we'll be sharing our creations with you. The Songs of Awen present a revival of the ancient ways and a harmonious exploration of the proto celtic language passed down from our ancient ancestors. Similar to Kirtan, these are created to sing along with so feel free to join in and enjoy sound-weaving these ancient words as the ancestors of indo-european cultures might have done. No previous musical experience is necessary. Whether you're a singer, songwriter, or simply curious about this ancient tradition, this group will be an opportunity to reconnect with the lyrical roots of the past.
HEALTH BENEFITS
GROUP SINGING
MUSIC AS THERAPY
A study published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine reporting a 37% reduction in anxiety levels and a 25% decrease in feelings of depression after regular participation in group singing (Kreutz et al., 2014). Another study in Psychology of Music found that singing in a group led to a 60% increase in feelings of social connection and belonging, along with a 30% improvement in overall mood and emotional wellbeing (Clift & Hancox, 2010). These findings highlight the power of communal singing as a therapeutic tool for reducing stress and improving mental health.
Creating music offers significant mental health benefits by fostering self-expression in a judgment-free environment. A study published in the Journal of Music Therapy found that engaging in music creation led to a 50% reduction in anxiety symptoms and a 45% improvement in mood (Silverman, 2016). This process allows individuals to express complex feelings as sounds, which may otherwise may be hard to articulate in words. Additionally, musical creation helps build confidence as participants explore their creativity without fear of criticism. Research from Frontiers in Psychology also found a 40% decrease in depression symptoms and a 35% increase in emotional resilience among those involved in music therapy (Bradt et al., 2013).
HOW DO I SIGN UP ?
When & Where :
This group is held every first Wednesday of the month at 8pm in Glastonbury, the address will be given on the Whatsapp group once you have signed up. Please feel free to bring any instruments along.
Cost:
This group is donation based as our main fund raising event for Grove Wellbeing, and all money goes directly back into making our mental health service as accessible as it can be to the community of Glastonbury. All donations are gratefully received!
Join now:
Please fill out our form to join us for this event: