DENISE Begnell has witnessed first hand how singing can be a boost to a person’s mental health.
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“Singing is something which makes you feel well, it gives you a lift,” she said.
Sometimes Ms Begnell may start a lesson feeling a bit down but by the time she is finished she feels a lot happier.
People who suffer from depression, sadness or who are going through grief can benefit from singing, as Ms Begnell believes it releases endorphins.
Ms Begnell does not see herself slowing down any time soon.
“My mentor is 84-years-old and I can see myself doing it for as long as I live,” she said.
Her whole family has been involved in music, so it was a natural interest for Ms Begnell. At the age of three she began dancing and at the age of seven she started to sing.
“That was my whole life, I lived for it and now I live for teaching,” she said.
Ms Begnell has now been teaching in Port Macquarie for 20 years.
She has witnessed people come out of their shells due to singing.
“I’ve seen a lot of people that have come through who have barely spoken to me and who have just become so much more confident,” she said.
One of the things Ms Begnell loves about teaching is witnessing the development in her student’s personality and helping to build confidence.
Her ideal student is someone who works hard and practices.
“I can always tell when they have or when they haven’t.”
“There’s also such a thing as good practice and bad practice.”
“Good practice is working on technique and going over what we’ve been through in class, bad practice is just singing the songs.”
Ms Begnell has credited Les Miserables’ On My Own as a piece which she never gets tired of hearing her students sing.
She said it is a very proud moment for her when she hears about her students going on and being in shows and musicals.
“They’ve achieved their dreams, and I’ve helped them to get there.”