I've been singing in choir for the past 6 years of my life, and I must say, it's been an incredibly rewarding experience. All you choir nerds out there I hope you can resonate with a few of these.
1. You can't survive without a pencil.
Do you think you're going to just remember that schwa or breath mark? Maybe a newbie choir nerd would think so. Not to mention the fear of a glare of a conductor who sees you without one. You can never make too many notes in your music. I sometimes even mark notes the conductor makes for other voice parts.
2. You do not always need to stand out to create something beautiful.
Choir is not about being a soloist. It's about blending with the person next to you and your section to create a unified voice. I believe this idea of giving up being the center of attention to reach success can be applied to many situations. Thanks choir!
3. No one is going to wait up for you.
Whether you're late for class or haven't been practicing your music at home, the music will not wait up. The choir will move along without you whether you like it or not. Choir has taught me to be punctual and responsible for myself.
4. It is okay, even helpful, to own up to your mistakes.
I'm that choir kid that always raises my hand when I make a loud mistake that I am aware of. This saves the ensemble time in figuring out who is making the mistakes and making sure they realize they made one. I think we can all afford to own up to our mistakes every now and again.
5. You don't need much in common to make a friend.
I run into people all the time who I recognize from my choir and that is enough for me to wave hi and strike up a conversation. Music brings us together, as we all have the common goal of being the best musicians we can be.
6. Sometimes to feel something is as valid as to know something.
Let me explain this one. Last semester, my choir professor played out some chord progressions from the piece we were singing on the piano. She asked the class what the names of the chords were, and some music majors answered. She then stopped and said, "I just want everyone to know that even if you don't know what a chord progression or an interval is, if you feel the changes and movement inside of you, that is just as valid." This definitely stuck with me as someone who is not a music major.
7. You can settle for average, but you should shoot for great.
This is something my current conductor says a lot. I think it speaks for itself on how we should strive to be as musicians and humans.
8. You can't just be satisfied with nailing one part of something.
When you're reading a piece of music, you can't congratulate yourself for just singing the correct pitches. You have to keep working to learn the rhythms, add dynamics, and be expressive. Similarly, when you're studying for a test you can't just settle with understanding the quick vocab words, you have to know how those definitions apply to the subject, and other important key factors of the subject.
9. Sometimes, we just need an escape.
For me, choir is an escape from my chaotic life. It is so important to take care of yourself and do things you love that make your heart soar, even if they are time consuming.
Fellow choir nerds- what lessons have you learned? Leave me a comment!
