Campaigners have pointed to studies that suggest singing in a choir might benefit mental healthLeading Scottish musicians have united to call on ministers to allow the country’s choirs to convene again after claiming there is little evidence that group singing spreads coronavirus. Artists including Nicola Benedetti, the violinist, and Sir James MacMillan, the composer, said that the mental and physical health benefits of choir singing outweighed the risks from Covid-19. The Scottish government said that the science on spreading coronavirus through singing was inconclusive, and there were fears that the additional exertion required to project the voice could cause droplets to travel beyond the recommended two-metre distance from others. The musicians have signed an open letter to Fiona Hyslop, the culture secretary, citing research by Christian Kähler and Rainer Hain, of the Institute of Fluid Mechanics and

Source: The Times June 30, 2020 23:03 UTC