Why Whistling Works

                                                                                                 Julie Kemp Pick


 A student from North Carolina Wesleyan College  just became The 2011 World Whistling Grand Champion. Damariscotta Helm is "the only whistler in the world who performs the 'double whistle' where she is able to whistle 2 different notes simultaneously," according to Wikipedia.

Luke Janssen is a controversial whistling champion who strives "to make whistling cool."  Erik Olsen of The New York Times, reported on Luke's unique style, "Palate whistling involves blowing air over the tongue and below the roof of the mouth to produce a note. In the more conventional style, called pucker whistling, the whistler blows air through his lips to produce sound."  Luke's powerful rendition of Stairway to Heaven  was the only performance that earned a standing ovation.

Another World Whistling Champion is Carole Anne Kaufman. An article from the Monrovia Patch, highlights some of  'The Whistling Diva's' accomplishments. She won first place at the 2008  International Whistling Championship in Japan, and the following year in North Carolina. She spoke about other girls whose relatives discouraged them, "Whistling women and crowing hens always come to some bad ends."  Fortunately, her parents didn't believe in old wives tales. She owns her own hair salon and often whistles while she works on clients.

As a frustrated whistler who could warble everything from The Andy Griffith theme, to a Phantom Of The Opera medley, I would love to go to the convention in Louisburg, NC; home of the International Whistlers Museum. Maybe there's a special senior section that I could aspire to participate in one day. At least, I wouldn't have to worry about remembering the words.       




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