Guiding Principles:

In keeping with the Choir's aim and vision, a number of guiding principles are to be used, in order to ensure any music performed by registered ELM singers are fit for purpose.  These guiding principals are for the reference of contributing composers in shaping their submitted music and lyrics.  Additionally they may be of general interest to singers as a means of deepening their connection with the meaning of the music and lyrics.  

These principles fall into two categories, namely; therapeutic and artistic.

Therapeutic Principles:

Everybody has a choice in the attitude they adopt, the beliefs they hold and the way they behave.

• Positive attitudes (e.g. optimism, hope, trust, faith, confidence) produce placebo effects that nurture the well-being and health of those adopting such a perspective on life. 
  
• Concentrating focus on living in the present,  maximises appreciation of the good things in life (no time to spare for feelings of hurt or worry).
  
  Alternatively,
  
  
• Negative attitudes (e.g. pessimism  cynicism,  scepticism)  produce nocebo effects can harm the health and well-being of those choosing such a perspective on life .
• Focusing excessively on events past that produce feelings of hurt (e.g. anger, regret, resentment, revenge, envy, injustice, wrongs) achieves nothing and may cause stress related harm to those harbouring them.
• Focusing excessively on hypothetical future events that produce feelings of fear (e.g. worry, anxiety, apprehension, disquiet) is pointless, for they may never happen and, doing so, may cause stress related harm to self.

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Artistic Principles

Composers have the power to write music that influence the attitudes and beliefs held by their performers and listeners.

• Music concluding with a uplifting mood, which produce feelings of joy or peace in performers and listeners, nurtures well-being and health.
  
• Lyrics conveying positive, optimistic and self-affirming sentiments and messages also nurture well-being and health.
  
  Alternatively,
  
  
• Music concluding in a dark mood, which leave performers and listeners in a depressed or despairing state of mind, are counter productive to well-being and health.
  
• Lyrics conveying negative, pessimistic and self-limiting sentiments and messages are counter productive to well-being and health.
  

Arrangements of music performed by the ELM Virtual Choir must, at all times, be rewarding to the participating singers and easy enough to be sung by them.