Choral Singers Check In

[Bertha Venation]

Poll question: Choral Singers Check In

I'm singing again after seven years off. My feelings are mixed.

Do you sing?

[Silver Swan]

1. I was in choruses for many years.

One was at work (a Chicago office of a large Federal agency.) Originally, the chorus only performed at Christmas, but for a few years we also sang at other government functions around town. It was nice to be paid my regular salary for singing.

I also was a member of a community chorus in the northern suburbs of Chicago. We did two main shows each year: a Renaissance dinner show in the winter and a modern music show in the spring. We also sang holiday songs for anyone who would hire us--mainly businesses, and an occasional private party. We needed to earn money to pay for the expenses of doing our other shows! This chorus disbanded a few years ago.

I miss being in a chorus this time of year--I wish I knew people with whom I could sing holiday songs.

I know many people don't like choral music, and many people think amateur singing is beneath their dignity, but singing is fun, and I miss it.

[Silver Swan]

2. Kick

Just because I can!

[kwassa]

3. I'm in a small church choir, was in a large chorale of 200 or so

http://www.nationalphilharmonic.org/philharmonicchorale.htm

acoustically fantastic hall.

I now have Handel's Messiah memorized.

and was also in a large gospel-style choir of about 100 or so that was fun in a totally different style of singing.

http://www.agapelive.com/index.php?page=8

My wife has a real voice. I just like music.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. I'm in one now.

It's a church choir, but they do a pretty decent concert series so I don't have to be involved in the actual church part. I used to do a lot of choral singing; years ago I was in a college choir that actually got to perform at Carnegie Hall! Then got involved in some pretty good church choirs, but after awhile I decided that although I really enjoyed the music I couldn't handle the church stuff. Oddly, though, I think the best choral music is the religious stuff, even though I have no particular patience with religion. I'm glad to be back in a choir, though.

[LynzM]

5. I used to sing a lot...

Middle school and high school, regular school chorus, drama club, "select" chorus, Regionals, All-State. I miss it a lot. These days, I'm mostly singing folk music at concerts, or singing along to stuff in my car...

:hi:

[Manifestor_of_Light]

6. used to. various church choirs.

The most interesting stuff was the High Church Methodist Church I went to where the minister would do plain chant and we would answer him in Anglican (four part) chant. it changed every week and was more interesting than the standard protestant dirges.

The best church music is the classical stuff in Latin which they do in concert halls.

Took piano lessons and fiddle lessons for years. Then in the early 90s I took voice lessons. I had sung in church choirs before but nobody ever told me to go take lessons. All I ever heard was "Pipe Down!".

So I got my range and my passagio figured out and learned about breath control and projection. Wish I had someplace to sing opera. I would rather sing secular stuff in foreign languages, so that kinda leaves out church.

I've also been a music director and a piano player at a Unitarian Fellowship. That was fun because you can do any sort of music you want to, as long as it fits the theme. That is very refreshing.

One time I played the piano for the July 4th service, and for a patriotic song I played OF THEE I SING, BABY by George Gershwin.

[elleng]

7. High School

One of my VERY BEST experiences!

:D

[mikeytherat]

8. Choral, church choir, and funk-band vocalist.

mikey_the_rat

[Bertha Venation]

9. This has turned out to be an interesting thread, and I'm glad!

I thought I wouldn't get any hits at all.

Thanks, everyone, for telling of your experiences. :)

[MorningGlow]

10. I did, many years ago, in high school

Main chorus, folk group, small audition-only harmony group. I really loved it. But when I auditioned for the choir in college, the choral director told me to get lost. For some reason he kept trying to cram me into the soprano range, even though my normal range is second alto and even tenor. Weenie. Thus endeth my choral career, but I got my musical jollies by performing in musicals and solo at open mic nights.

I only sing in the car now. I miss performing very much, but I'm not sure what I can join just yet. I might look into it in the future.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

11. I belong to two ensembles sponsored by my church:

The auditioned choir, which sings for Sunday, evensong, and festival services, and the non-auditioned choir, open to anyone, member of the church or not, which gives two concerts a year.

Advent and Easter are busy times. Coming up in the next few weeks, in addition to Sunday services, are the Advent Lessons and Carols on November 29, a performance for the senior dinner, a couple of evensongs, two Christmas Lessons and Carols, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Probably a Feast of the Epiphany on January 6, too.

I love the repertoire (500 years of mostly English repertoire) and the people. This is one of my best choral experiences ever, and I've been singing since the age of eight.