THAT song in your heart can be good for your mind and soul if you just let it out, says the Sunraysia Community Choir.
The amateur vocal group, known all around the district for the professional polish of its performances at various festivals, ceremonies and other events, is on a recruitment drive for new members and especially wants to show younger people that singing can be good for their mental health, as well as their physical wellbeing.
"We'd really like to target anyone who's young in our community who needs that encouragement if they do suffer from anxiety or stress in their lives," choir member and unofficial publicity officer Barb MacDonald told Sunraysia Daily this week.
"We'd love them to come along and experience the benefits of being in our choir. It doesn't matter where you are in life right now, it doesn't matter what age you are."
Formed in 2012, the choir is an independent group that practices once a week and performs free of charge by request.
It practices in a church hall, but is not a church choir and is not musically restricted to hymns or other sombre tunes.
"We are a true community choir. We don't have any auditions. If you love to sing, you should sing," Mrs MacDonald said.
She said while anyone aged 16 or older was welcome to join, such pursuits were often overlooked by younger people who might see choir singing as a bit stuffy or old fashioned.
"We have an extreme range of songs. We do ballads, we do folk, pop, jazz," Mrs MacDonald said.
"The most beautiful song we're doing at the moment is Circle of Life, from The Lion King. It's amazing and it sounds absolutely beautiful."
Fellow member Nina Hardie has researched the health benefits of singing and points to the science behind them, specifically that related to the vagus nerve, which carries information between the brain and the internal organs and controls the body's response in times of rest and relaxation.
This neural relationship was the secret behind the peace-bringing activity of yoga chanting, for example.
"If you have good vagal tone, you will be able to destress quicker," Ms Hardie said.
"In stressful situations, you'll be able to bring yourself down a lot quicker by singing or chanting or humming."
She added that singing in a group also came with "a sense of belonging" and improved self-esteem.
"It's that you're working on something and improving. You don't realise it until you do it," she said.
Mrs MacDonald said the performance side of the choir was also especially rewarding for novice singers, who tended to improve rapidly in the company of others..
"If you hit that right note and you get that song and you can sing it and people can say that sounds good, the reaction from the crowd and the joy that you bring is just overwhelming sometimes," she said.
To enquire about joining the choir, check out its Facebook page, email sunraysiacommunitychoir@gmail.com or phone 0437 976 524.
Potential members can also just turn up to practice at the Church of Christ hall on Tenth Street on any Wednesday between 7.15-9.15pm.