ASTHMA + LUNG UK Classes
with Chris Startup
Uk and International Classes
Thursday 10.30am BOOK HERE
STARTING NEXT 6 WEEK COURSE STARTS 21st March 2024
ITS FREE and a great way to start your Harmonica For Lung Health journey
LIVE HARMONICA FOR LUNG HEALTH 2024
ONLINE CLASSES EVERY FRIDAY at 1pm
(SIGN UP BELOW)
HARMONICA ONLINE
FRIDAY 5th April 1pm
FRIDAY 12th April 1pm
FRIDAY 19th April 1pm
FRIDAY 26th April 1pm
We are meeting at
Parklands Community Centre
in Northampton
2.10pm -2.40pm
£3 per session
WEDNESDAY 3rd April NO CLASS (HOLIDAY)
WEDNESDAY 10th April NO CLASS (HOLIDAY)
WEDNESDAY 17th April 1pm
WEDNESDAY 24th April 1pm
JOIN OUR ONLINE CLASSES
Online Harmonica For Lung Health classes + exclusive Members page - only £20 a month.
(INCLUDES HARPING MEMBERS PAGE)
(Via bank transfer)
Can't make the whole month? No problem! pay-as-you-go option
(DOES NOT INCLUDE HARPING MEMBERS PAGE)
One Harmonica For Lung Health Session - £6
(Via bank transfer or PayPal)
You can email me (see below) to find out more.
HARMONICA FOR LUNG HEALTH
These classes are also designed for people living with lung conditions
They are accessible to the beginner and to the intermediate harmonica player
No previous musical experience necessary!
The harmonica is an instrument that is easy to learn and fun to play with others.
Recent research has shown that it can contribute to improving lung health.
Further research is being undertaken to continue to explore the benefits of harmonica playing on breathing.
Sessions explore different genres of music including Blues, Country and Folk music. We also have regular visiting players coming in to give us exciting workshops.
Ed Hopwood of The Harmonica Barge currently joins us once a month and delivers workshops either with all or with small groups in breakout rooms.
All sessions are currently on Zoom to reach to participants nationwide and sometimes further.
We also have a harping members page!
Your monthly subscription gives you exclusive access to a range of features to keep you playing and entertained
in-between sessions.
Practise all the songs we are playing, download the music, meet the teachers, play along to backing tracks,
play along to previous zoom classes, listen to live shows.
You want to join us for singing as well?
2 online sessions
Singing and Harmonica Online: £35pm
If you are not able to make a whole month’s commitment (life can get busy!),
a pay-as-you go option can be arranged.
Please email me (see below) ………. to find out more.
In association with Harmonica UK
HarmonicaUK has supported the harmonica community since 1935, and has something for all players. Members within the UK and 50 countries worldwide include beginners, some of the top players in the world, teachers, music therapists, collectors, harmonica repairers, manufacturers, and retailers. Annual membership starts at just 20 GBP with options for young people and those living outside the UK.
HarmonicaUK is actively reaching out to all current and potential players, with health benefits of playing harmonica being at the centre of this. At the start of 2022, HarmonicaUK begun to engage with organisations and therapists. This project is still in its in fancy, but good progress has been made and there are some exciting ideas being shared. By becoming a HarmonicaUK member, not only can you keep up to date with these developments, but there is also a forum on which health issues and experiences can be shared and discussed.
A qualitative study exploring the benefits of playing the Harmonica with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease has recently been published by Dr Adam Lewis, Lecturer in Physiotherapy at Brunel University, London.
This exciting and unique research study was carried out throughout the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, using Chris Startup’s online Harmonica group to recruit the sample of participants and all sessions were delivered via Zoom.
The results were very encouraging with participants stating that, despite playing the harmonica with COPD being hard at first, they were able to gradually adapt and key in to their breathing. As the breathing became easier, they were able to focus on the songs and escape their respiratory condition while they were playing. Participants also noted a marked improvement in their ability to clear their airways. Additionally, they valued the social aspect of the group, as it allowed them to stay connected with others in some of the most challenging times of the Covid pandemic; many added that the group became a central activity in their weekly lives.
(Lewis et al., 2021)
Further studies are required to investigate the benefits of playing the harmonica with COPD and Chris is very excited to continue to work alongside Brunel University’s Adam Lewis and Joy Conway and to participate in this ground-breaking research.
You can view the paper for full details by following the link below:
Chronic Respiratory Disease : Sage Journal
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/14799731221083315
Reference:
Lewis, A., Conway, J., Middleton, J., Startup, C. and Wyatt, J., 2021. Playing the Harmonica with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. A qualitative study.
SEND US AN EMAIL FOR MORE INFORMATION
