Harmonica Festive Concert


Have you joined this year for Harmonica for Lung Health?
If so, come along to our a Harmonica Festive Special, Thursday 12th December at 10.30am
Dust off your harmonicas, put on your best Christmas jumper and come along and learn some festive tunes with Father Chris-mas!
Register using this link 


ASTHMA AND LUNG UK CHRISTMAS FESTIVE CONCERT 2024

ASTHMA + LUNG UK Classes

with Chris Startup


Uk and International Classes

Thursday 10.30am BOOK HERE

STARTING NEXT 6 WEEK COURSE STARTS JANUARY 2025

ITS FREE and a great way to start your Harmonica For Lung Health journey


WORLD COPD DAY THE BIG BATON PASS


I have some really exciting news!

I will be LIVE on Wednesday 20th November at these times for

WORLD COPD DAY THE BIG BATON PASS

 

I will be Live from the UK streamed around THE USA 

Talk : Chris Startup (Project Sounds UK) and Jonnie Korinko (COPD Foundation US)

15.00pm - duration 15 mins

 

Singing For Lung Health - 

16.00pm - 16.20pm 

 

Harmonica For Lung Health

(Clive and Steve will be joining me)

16.20pm - 16.40pm

 

This is the link that will take you straight to the LIVE Stream on Wednesday

NO SIGNING UP NEEDED - ITS FREE

WORLD COPD DAY PASS THE BATON 2024 - LINK!

LIVE HARMONICA FOR LUNG HEALTH 2024
ONLINE CLASSES EVERY FRIDAY at 1pm

(SIGN UP BELOW)


HARMONICA ONLINE

£20 a month

 



FRIDAY 8th November 1pm

FRIDAY 15th November 1pm

FRIDAY 22nd November 1pm

FRIDAY 29th November 1pm




 We are meeting at

 Parklands Community Centre

in Northampton

2.10pm -2.40pm

£4 per session


Wednesday 6th November 1pm

Wednesday 13th November 1pm

Wednesday 20th November1pm

Wednesday 27th November 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.


www.harmonica.uk


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

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