Sunday, August 21, 2016

Musical Monday - What's In It For Me?

Image result for clip art choirThe Benefits of Singing in the Choir

Singing in a choir is a unique and fun experience.  As I have mentioned before, you need to check out the choirs in your area to find one that fits YOUR needs.  
1.  If you are a classically trained singer who wants constant challenge, you may want to explore choirs that require an audition and want you to be able to read and sight sing and do much of the learning of your parts on your own.
2.  If you are more relaxed and want to learn the major part of your learning at practice and are willing to work with the choir and your director to learn bit by bit, a community choir may be more your style. 
3.  There are still some churches that have some fine choirs and again if that style of music is your favourite then send your talent and time in that direction. 
No matter what type of choir you end up choosing, here are some of the rewards I feel you gain. 
  • You increase your listening skills.  Firstly you have to actually listen to what the director is saying.  (Directors please note:  Please take a page out of my book and learn to talk less and sing more!!)  Those directions are important to at least one person in the choir and if you aren't listening then you may be interrupting others' ability to listen. You also have to listen so that your voice blends with the voice of the person next to you, as well as with the sounds of the particular type of song you’re singing. Listening well takes a great deal of energy. A good director will recognize that and help you learn those skills.
  • You learn more about reading music.  Even if you are a trained musician, there are always some ways of interpreting the written music you may not have experienced in the past.  As in any art, there are different styles.  You will get to begin to create or hone your very own style.
  • You learn more about using your ears to know correct sound.  Picking out your part when the other voices of the choir are surrounding you is a good workout for your ear. You develop the ability to know when your part fits into the others without slipping into the tune or another part being sung close to you. 
  • You get a chance to work on your social skills. In choirs, you often find people who like you are inspired by beautiful music. Being around other people enjoying the process of learning and making great sounds, is a joy not to be missed.  You really have to be there. 
  • You may get to travel with the choir. A choir I belonged to years ago, toured England, Scotland, and Wales singing and interacting all the way.  It was an amazing trip I wouldn't have experienced without that choir.  Our ETS stay closer to home but we still travel to new areas and have met some really wonderful people along the way.
  • You may become a more self-assured person.  Anytime you learn new skills and do things that may otherwise have been outside of your comfort zone, you grow more confident.  When you gain confidence then you can share that with others around you.  
Singing is a wonderful release and opportunity to express yourself through music and singing. You just won't know until you try.  Find a singing group and see how it goes.  Commit to one season and find what you can learn and then grow from the experiences.  Most importantly, have fun!  It is the key to everything. 




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