I’ve been singing since I was old enough to make sounds. Yeah, Mom said I would sing to myself in my crib or playpen. Not surprising when you know that there was always some kind of music playing in our house from dawn 'til dark. I sang all through school and college, mostly in stage musicals. And I will be singing until I no longer have breath.
What fulfills that need these days (and for the last decade plus) is my involvement with Sweet Adelines, the international Women’s Barbershop organization. I highly and sincerely recommend to women everywhere to find a chorus near you and enjoy the toughest hobby you’ll ever love. Yes, toughest. Vocal production standards for performing members are pretty high, but newcomers, anyone who can sing Happy Birthday or We Wish You a Merry Christmas without having friends and family encourage you to take up painting instead, are more than welcome. We, the members, the directors, the section leaders, will teach you the skills and give you plenty of opportunities and access to the “pros” within the organization so that you can hone those skills.
That’s where I spent the weekend. At a hotel in beautiful downtown Parsippany New Jersey with a couple of hundred of women (and a few men - come choruses have male directors) (they love these weekends, surrounded by all those women - most of them are single or divorced; I wonder if there’s a corollary… ;)). Over the years, I’ve befriended many of the women from other choruses, although during my first few years, I felt intimidated by some of them.
We started Friday evening with a workshop led by the International Faculty (different people each year, each an expert in three or more aspects of the art form). This year, we were honored to have the director and choreographer from a five time International Championship chorus. Check out the 5 minute video on the bottom left of their homepage. If you live in or near Chicago, you MUST catch the Melodeers in performance at least once. They’re the chorus every other chorus wants to be. So, director Jim and choreographer Renee imparted their wisdom to us. It was amazing. I am having difficulty coming up with enough superlatives.
We, the attendees, also participated in smaller workshops, hung out at the bar together, laughed ourselves silly, and sang every chance we got. One of SAI’s projects is to foster musical education in high schools. One of the fundraising efforts to this end allows the general membership a chance to sing with a championship quartet. What a joy that was. My chorus is good, don’t get me wrong. We’re quite happy just working to improve ourselves and not driving towards the competition awards. If we win a ribbon or honorable mention, bonus; as long as we improve over the previous year, we’ve achieved our goal. But to have a chance to sing with three award winners is mindblowing.
So I spent the weekend piling energizing experiences on top of each other. I also had several cups of coffee today for the drive home since I got, maybe, 5 hours sleep all weekend. I tried to nap when I got home, but I was, and am as I write this, too wound up to sleep. I am also too sleep deprived to edit photos, so that will have to wait for tomorrow and later this thread.
Oh, and fellas? you can pkay, too.
Great MMP, Rosie! As a former church music major, I love to sing too. Sweet Adelines was one of my favorites growing up: I got to be an “unofficial” member while I was in high school. Apparently I couldn’t join, but a couple of the ladies thought it would be a great experience: so I got to sing with them. It was an experience I will never forget.
Right now, hubby and I are in the adult choir and the handbell choir at church. Our kids are in the children’s choir and all four of us ring in the children’s handbell choir. Hubby and I handle the larger bells that the kids can’t, so our family comprises most of the bass clef. Last year, the kids started strings: our son plays violin and our daughter plays cello. She has dropped the cello this year in favor of pursuing band: our son is continuing strings and joining band as well.
Music is the best education a person can have. When your youngest enters high school, you should find your local SAI chapter and get back into that. It has changed dramatically, for the better, since you were in HS
I’ve been thinking about getting back into it before that. Because of you, I’ve looked it up and found where the local chapter meets. I’ll be hopefully going very soon. I really missed barbershop: used to sing lead, and I don’t think my voice has changed that much.
Rosie, I envy you. I took 8 years of voice lessons from age 8 to 16. My voice teacher finally gave up on me; not because I had a bad voice, but because I had such paralyzing stage fright (still do). Just thinking about facing a crowd makes me break out in a cold sweat.
Hubby had his treadmill (passed, no electrical problem) and his cardiac echo Thursday. We won’t hear how that was until Tuesday. He said the tech was talkative and friendly for about half of it, then shs became very businesslike. That scared him a bit. He hasn’t gotten any worse, but he still can’t walk a block without getting winded.
At this point finding something bad would be a relief. Just to know what we were up against would give us direction.
Congrats, rosie! I’m home from Pittsburgh, and not ax murdered. There was a fight Saturday night at the hotel, but it involved the wedding party next door, not the hockey people(Bet they wishd that the brought axes to one of their dates).
Ahhhhhhh - the joys of a Pittsburgh wedding. Both a hockey game AND a fight can break out at any moment.
We’re staying near the park. Our plan is to arrive Thursday early enough to relax (say 4ish), we need to be at the park Friday around noon-ish and all day Saturday. AFAIK right now. Sunday we either head home or head for Camden Park in West Virginia.
Terrific opening post! I always wanted to be a good singer but being Lutheran now I can make up for lack of talent with volume. Whenever there is a local chorus or choir concert I can make, I make it. Its the best show going and has most of the professional acts beat in a hundred different ways.
I’ve got a bit of a reputation at work - during my lunch break (if the weather is suitable) I grab my guitar, harmonicas and a cushion and head out to sit under the trees and play/sing. It really is a nice spot by a pond under a willow, and I belt out some Dylan, Dire Straits, Clapton, Hendrix, Led Zep, Simon and Garfunkel and lots of other stuff as well. Acoustic revisionings with harp solos. People sitting round eating can hear me if they want to, but I just do it because I like to. It is also the stuff I do at open mike nights at our local pub.
I also sing bass in our local community choir (we performed the Vivaldi Gloria last term, and do general show tunes/jazz/gospel stuff otherwise) and I help out with the church choir at Christmas/special events.
I love singing - I don’t have a great voice tonally, but I can hold a tune and work a harmony if I get to practice it. I love the complex multi-voice stuff (like the Vivaldi). For a kid who was musically overwhelmed by talented sisters, I don’t do too bad.
Great OP, rosie. I am very envious since I can’t carry a tune in a bucket. I did have music lessons at school for several years and during my junior years I regularly played in the school’s music group at competition level. It was very exciting but we never really got very far in the competitions. Dancing was my thing, I used to do a lot of that instead.
So, no axe-murdering over the weekend?
I am going to a wedding on Friday, I hope there aren’t any fights there but I suspect if there is one, it’ll be started when the bride finally punches her mother.
Great OP Rosie! I have a fair to middlin’ voice, IMHO. I don’t sing in the church choir or anything like that, though I used to. I gave it up for other church duties that I find more fulfilling. Anywho, those who sit near me in church say they like hearin’ me sing the hymns. That’s either a compliment or a sly way of sayin’ I have a big mouth.
doggio did y’all place any bets on the fight?
picu good thoughts and prayers headed out to hubby and you. You’re right, findin’ a reason would be a good thing just to know where to go from there.
Great MMP, Rosie! My daughter was born talking/singing. The actually had to call the pediatrician into the delivery room because they were concerned about the noises she was making at birth- was her airway blocked? Nope, she was vocalizing. She has always loved to sing. You’ve seen the clips I’ve posted on FB of her! I hope she derives as much joy from singing, for a long long time, as you have!
I’m been not posting very much, her or on the Giraffe Boards. Just in my own head for quite a while, lately. But ready to come out and fly again.
Great OP, Rosie; it’s always neat to hear/read more about one of your major interests! I don’t have a very good or strong voice, but was always part of my Mom’s choirs through the years. Until I got to college and escaped, that is! I’d like to be able to sing again, but can no longer hit the high soprano notes and just can’t seem to get the alto harmony going … well, it doesn’t come out sounding on key, that is. LOL Could vocal training really help with that?
Happy Monday morning all…I’m caffeinating. Checking my list, too, to see if Zsa Zsa is on there. They said on the news that a priest has been to give her Last Rites.
Someday vocal lessons will be one of my guilty pleasures. In the meantime, I entertain friends and family by singing overdone, off key versions of my favorite showtunes.
[del]Today is the beginning of a crazy week for me.[/del] [del]Ok, actually today is the beginning of a crazy couple of months until December.[/del] Hmm… Today is just the continuation of craziness.
Someday I’ll look back on all this and laugh, right?
Oh yeah, almost forgot I had the most bizarre dream last night, sort of an invasion of the body snatchers dream and I woke up wondering if it was really real or not. :smack:
I envy you, rosie. Such a cool avocation. I can’t sing my way out of a paper bag either. I DO sing but usually only to the dogs (who are tone deaf anyway).
Whenever there is a local chorus or choir concert I can make, I make it. Its the best show going and has most of the professional acts beat in a hundred different ways.
I’d like to be able to sing again, but can no longer hit the high soprano notes and just can’t seem to get the alto harmony going … well, it doesn’t come out sounding on key, that is. LOL Could vocal training really help with that?
