A word for anyone who loves singing from Toby
I want to say something specific to choir singers, because this comes up so often in our consultations. Don’t stop singing! Hearing loss shouldn’t stop you doing the things you love.
The problem I hear most often is this: people are taking their hearing aids out during rehearsals. When everyone around them starts singing, the volume overwhelms their devices and causes distortion. It is deeply frustrating. And then when the conductor stops to give notes, the moment when you most need to hear, but the aids are out and you miss it entirely. Some people end up not going at all. That makes me sad, because choir is genuinely one of the best things you can do for yourself.
Why this happens — and why it doesn’t have to
Cheaper or older hearing aids simply cannot handle sound levels above around 100 decibels. Think of it like this: the acoustic energy coming into the microphone is like electricity coming into a circuit. If too much energy arrives at once, the circuit is overwhelmed and what comes out is distorted noise rather than clear sound. A full choir in full voice generates exactly that kind of energy.
The hearing aids we fit at Meadows & Wood are engineered for exactly this kind of environment. They process high-energy sound cleanly, so you can stand in the middle of a choir, hear every voice around you and every word from the conductor, and your aids stay exactly where they belong in your ears, doing their job.
Get back out there
Getting back to choir, back to concerts, back to evenings that leave you feeling properly alive, that is what good hearing care is really about for me. It is not just about being able to hear. It is about being fully present in the things that matter to you. Music, community, connection. The kind of joy that is genuinely good for your health, from the inside out.
Local choirs worth exploring
If you’ve been thinking about giving choir a go, or getting back to one you’ve been missing, here are some brilliant local groups to check out. All of them welcome new members warmly and most need no experience whatsoever.
Worle Community Choir – Mixed voices, four-part harmony, every Thursday evening at St Marks Church, Worle. No auditions, no experience needed. https://worlecommunitychoir.co.uk/
Rock Choir Weston-super-Mare – Pop and rock hits in brilliant harmony, all ages welcome, led by Mike Aris. Free taster session available. https://www.rockchoir.com/uk-singing-group/Weston-Super-Mare-Late
Weston Choral Society – A four-part choral society with an ambitious repertoire, based in Weston-super-Mare. https://www.westonchoralsociety.org.uk/
North Somerset Good Afternoon Choir – Every Wednesday afternoon at Nailsea Methodist Church. Welcoming, fun and open to everyone. https://www.goodafternoonchoir.org/north-somerset-gac.html
South Somerset Good Afternoon Choir – Meets on Monday afternoons in Wincanton. Part of the wonderful Good Afternoon Choirs network. https://www.goodafternoonchoir.org/
OTM Bristol Community Choir – Tuesday evenings at Alma Church, Clifton. Eclectic repertoire, no auditions, one of Bristol’s most active community choirs. https://www.outtheremusicbristol.co.uk/community-choirs/
These groups, and many others like them, do something genuinely important. Singing together is good for your mental health, your physical health, your social life and your overall wellbeing. The research on this has been strong for years.
If any of this resonates, please do come and have a chat with us. There is no pressure and no obligation, just a conversation about your hearing and your life, with someone who genuinely cares about both. Our clinics are in Worle, Weston-super-Mare, Portishead, Clevedon and Shirehampton.
To book a consultation at any of our five clinics in Worle, Weston-super-Mare, Portishead, Clevedon or Shirehampton, call 01934 248426. This spring’s concerts are waiting for you. This season’s concerts and choir rehearsals are waiting for you.
