Music is good for the body and soul. There are studies that have revealed the effect of singing on critical thinking ability and developing minds, but we hardly need the figures to make us aware of music's significance in our lives.

I have spent nearly a decade of my life singing in the choir on a regular basis. I have identified as a soprano, alto, and even tenor. I have cried over not receiving solos, lost my voice, come home exhausted from six-hour rehearsals, and loved every minute. Beyond the cognitive skills, singing technique, and music theory I learned, I have picked up invaluable insight from my directors and colleagues. Here are seven of the lessons I have collected along the way.

Choir musicians are a special type of people, and our directors seem to see the world through a different lens. Whether you have spent a day in the choir or a lifetime, it's impossible to deny the value of the wisdom you receive from a community of musicians. In the words of composer John Rutter, "Choral music is not one of life's frills. It's something that goes to the very heart of our humanity, our sense of community, and our souls." There is not a chorister nor listener in the world who has not been moved by the music of a chorus of voices, and I will always carry with me the wisdom I gathered while singing.