I have been in a choir that welcomes people, ages eight to adult, for six years, and it was something that I left behind when I went off to college.
Of course we do a lot of singing, but another perk about the hobby is the amount of traveling we do. Not only is one of our choir trips filled with music, but it is also filled with many different activities and traveling with fellow choristers. After six years of such events with different choir groups, here are my main takeaways from the experiences I have had.
Age is just a number.
In the choir room, you see kids of all ages but you don't really get to know them until you are stuck with them 24/7. You end up learning a lot about different kids and the qualities they have, even though they can be many years older or younger than you. You realize that you all share one hobby, and you find yourself bonding quickly over it. They end up being your friends who you end up missing when you are not around them.
You learn the stress of traveling in a group.
Because let's be honest, attempting to get through customs can be a pain by yourself, but imagine throwing in a group of sixty or more. This is especially true for the younger kids travelling because they ask a bunch of questions and always seem to be very confused. For some, this is even their first time getting on a plane or traveling away from home for more than a couple days. Looking at it in the musical point of view, there is always that person who cannot find their robes or music. It is just expected!
You get to try new things through the activities
One of the main things about traveling as a group is that you get to try things you never thought you'd see yourself doing. Since you spend the mornings singing, there are usually field trips during the afternoon. Whether it is rock climbing, zip lining, boating, trips to the beach or anything else you may thought you would never be able to do, there is usually a field trip for it.
You find great appreciation for the music...
You may be used to singing the regular music back home, but on tours you end up finding a new love for it since you are singing at a totally different venue with a totally different audience. You are there to wow the people watching you, who have never seen you before. There is suddenly a different energy running inside you as you know that you can sing your best and impress the people you traveled so far to perform for.
...And the venues you sing for.
Like mentioned before, you are singing for a completely different audience. You also get to take in the fact that the venue you are singing for is completely different than the one you sing for back home. You marvel over how beautifully the articulately the building has been put together, as well as how different your voices sound acoustic wise.
