Last week in church a sister mentioned that a Handel's Messiah Choir was meeting again to get ready for an Easter performance. The practices are from 8:30-10:30 Saturday mornings and the performance will be Easter Sunday, April 12th at 7pm.
While I have sung in a few Stake and ward choirs in the past 10 years, I have not really sung under a professional conductor with really challenging music (don't get me wrong, some of my BYU choristers were really great music majors) since I graduated High School in '99. I have felt much regret over this. My soul has missed being part of a full choir, missed singing, missed warm-ups, missed harmonizing, missed performing. I decided that I was going to sing this year and that Matt was going to support me and watch Dean while I was at practice. Sure he'd have to get up early on Saturday for a month, but I NEEDED it. That night I came home and told Matt. He was really good and just said, "Ok."
I know how much he despises getting up early on Saturday, so I suggested that I take the Neon (though it's not gone further than a mile from our home in over a year) so he could take Dean in the Rav to get donuts. He was hesitant (slightly afraid that I'd be killed in the Neon since it's not so safe and kind of a junky car), but he took me up on the offer.
The music is challenging. I've only ever sung one selection from Handel's Messiah, and that was 11 years ago. I was happy that I have mad sight reading skills and that block and contrapuntal was one of my strengths! There were only a few times the conductor actually broke down the parts and played them individually. It was so much fun! I believe the conductor is a Presbyterian Minister of Music, and he was literally (and I really do mean literally) sweating from his 2 hours of vigorous conducting. The majority of the choir is LDS, but there were a few Methodists there today. I hope more people of more faiths come. What a great opportunity to come together and sing praises of the Messiah. I feel very blessed. (Local friends, there is still a great need for more men, so if your hubby sings, get him there! We only had 4 tenors and 6 basses.)
When I got home I found a very happy Dean with a face covered in chocolate glaze. He happily helped me eat a donut. He also wanted one with his lunch, though I told him no.
4 comments:
That sounds like fun. Singing in ward and stake choirs is nice and all, but really getting meaty music to sink your teeth into and being in a group with people who can actually hear and find their parts is so much better! Making music with good musicians is a fun, fun thing.
Singing the Messiah is so awesome. It was a great experience for me too!
our community sings the messiah every year at christmas!
I know how you feel! I miss singing so bad in a "Good" choir. ward choir just doesn't cut it. good for you to be doing that though, hope you have fun!!
What a fun experience. I just started singing in our Ward choir. I know, not even on the same level, but it's been about 10 years, if not more, that I've sun in a choir. I have really enjoyed it... there's just something about music.
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