At Singers for Funerals, we often sing for Catholic funerals, including both simple and full mass services. Indeed, soprano Toni is the soloist of choice for several Catholic churches in Hampshire, and in particular the Southampton/Portsmouth areas.
 So far this year we've sung over 100 individual songs and hymns for funerals, burials and memorials services.
As you would expect, this total includes some of the most popular items, including:  When you’re organising a funeral, there isn’t always a lot of time to investigate lots of options for the service. So, you (and many families like you) may not even realise you can have live music at a funerals service. And that applies to the songs you and your loved one enjoyed, not just the hymns.
So, why would you choose to have live music? Here’s five reasons that families have told us.  Singing at funerals across southern England does ensure we sing in many different types of venues. The contrast in venues is sometimes very marked, but as professional opera singers we're able adjust our voices to suit each venue accordingly.
 An issue that has come to light is if a funeral takes place during Lent, some priests have insisted there's no music at all in the church. (This is what caused me to do the investigation and call the Catholic Church to get a definite answer).  Unchained Melody was originally written for ‘Unchained’, a 1954 movie about life in prison. In the movie an inmate sings about time passing so slowly when you’re locked up wanting to be with the girl you love.
This song has surprised us by being a popular request for funerals. Not usual for opera.
Lascia ch'io pianga (Let me weep) 
One of the skills you learn at music college as a student of singing is to suit your voice to the music, and that includes volume. Singing a song with piano is obviously different to singing an aria with orchestra, for example. However, it;'s only experience that teaches you the art of self-regulating and adjusting your voice to different spaces as well. And it's not always about the size of the space either.
One of our favourite funeral hymns is 'And did those feet in ancient times', otherwise known as 'Jerusalem'.
 Throughout the years we've been singing for funerals, no pattern for bookings has emerged. However, over the last months, one has emerged - bookings for the middle Friday of the month.
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AuthorsOur blogs are written either by Kirsty Young (mezzo) or Toni Nunn (our soprano). If you'd like to be a guest writer, please let us know! Follow Toni on LinkedIn
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