I Don't Think Mama Ever Sang Bass

Singing in a large choir is very much akin to participating in athletics. The two are alike in that both require discipline. Both begin by warming up. To be successful the singers and the players must listen carefully to the coach/director, and  follow the game plan the way it has been practiced for weeks. Just like in a team sport, choir members must listen and depend on the other members of the choir, and those playing the instruments. There is no “I” in choir! Well, there is an “I” in choir, but I think you know what I mean. I know what I'm talking about because I coached for several years, played basketball and baseball, and now I am in a wonderful, large choir.

Sherri and I joined our church's choir about six months ago. There are 115 members, plus an orchestra. We practice every Wednesday evening for about an hour and thirty to forty-five minutes. Then we have to be at the church on Sunday morning at 8:45 to go over the piece or pieces we are going to sing during the worship service, and meet back between Sunday School and the worship service to practice another ten minutes.

We do vocal exercises before each practice. We stretch, bend, do sit ups, a few push ups, and run in place. Not really! We don't do that last part.  At every practice we work on pronouncing our vowels correctly. We are told to smile with our eyes, not with our mouths because no one can pronounce vowels correctly if they are smiling with their mouth. Therefore, we sing with British accents.

I think for me the best part of serving in the choir is being one small voice of the many voices as together we lead the congregation to praise our Heavenly Father. Our director leads us, as we practice, to a place of worship, and points us to the spiritual significance of the songs we are singing. He reminds us to look up from our music so that we can follow his directions. I do not read music so I have to watch him, and listen carefully to the voices behind and beside me so that I am on the right notes. Is that not the way it is with life? Watch the One who directs the way, and listen to the right voices that will keep me on track. In this way I will blend in much better to make a more lovely sound not only in the choir, but also in life. Being in the choir is such a blessing.

Just a side note if anyone cares to continue:

As long as I can remember I have loved music. I enjoyed sports, but never as much as singing. I played the piano for a year when I was in the fifth grade. I liked the piano, but because I was teased gave it up to play baseball although I could have done both. I regret that decision so much. I love the hymns. I love classical music. I loved listening to opera, and thought I would have enjoyed singing opera. Of course that never worked out either although I did sing my own arias when my girls were young as well as doing my Julia Child's impersonation when making tuna salad. They seemed to like both. But the point is, as a silly kid, I gave up what I enjoyed most, could be doing now, and can do now for what I haven't been able to do for many years. Oh, if only I could have a do over!