The beginning of the goodbyes
Today was the last Sunday our choir sang for the season. Yup, no choir during the summer, we have “special music” instead (i.e. solos, duets, small groups). So, today was the last day of practice and singing as a group until the choir reconvenes in September.
I’m going to miss them.
A lot.
I have never been in a choir like this one, and I doubt I’ll ever find one like it again.
It is hard to pinpoint what made it so unique, because part of it is a feeling. A fellowship, if you will. The kind of community that forms because of a shared love of music and love of singing praises to God.
A big part of it is our director. She has a beautiful spirit about her. She is the kind of Christian I strive to become, supportive and understanding of all people, a remarkable relationship with God, a loving/teasing relationship with her husband, and grace under pressure, to name just part of them. Musically, she is phenomenal.
But it is not so unusual for me to work with musically talented directors. Heck, one of my former choir directors was an accomplished organist in addition to being a choir director, and would play technically challenging pieces while directing us with eyebrow movements and head bobs.
I think what really stands out is how she helps us share the emotion and message of a music piece with the congregation. Sometimes, we can get so caught up in the details. But she will bring us back to the point of why we are singing. “Think about the words. Think about this message,” she would say.
It isn’t just the quality of the choir. Although it is notable that almost every person in the choir is a strong soloist or duetist in his/her own right. I have been in choirs with a lot of good voices. In fact, part of how I usually end up choosing a church is the quality of the choir. Enough voices on the 4 parts, good blend, harmonies, some sense of precision about a piece.
And this wasn’t the choir with the most energy. That was the choir I was in back in Maryland. Back where I had difficulty finding the right UCC church, so I ended up attending a United Methodist church. Talk about a denomination that loves their music! The Methodists have got that down. That choir really appreciated a more gospel/contemporary Christian/high energy style of singing.
So, I think it comes back to the community and the spirituality.
Even though I’d have to draaaaaaaaaag myself out of bed extra early on a Sunday morning to make it to the 1.5 hour rehearsal that took place 2 hours before church started… once I was there. Wow! We’d joke around, and laugh. And sing really tough pieces. And get lost during the sight reading, and we’d laugh at our mistakes. And we’d pick apart the hard parts where we’d just fallen apart, and tease the tenors. And the tenors would tease us back. And we’d sing for a while. And we’d tease the sopranos. And we’d sing for a while. Then they’d tease us back. And the sopranos would tease the basses. And we’d sing for a while. And the basses would get their moment to tease the sopranos…
… and you get the idea.
And our director would smile and laugh and let us have our fun. And then we’d go back to trying to make beautiful music.
And most of the time we would.
And sometimes we’d find out that while we were singing a piece for the congregation, more than one of us had gotten chills.
And sometimes we’d all get so emotional, that we’d get tears in our eyes and would be trying not to give into crying… because, Dang It, it is hard to sing when you’re crying!
And that may be at the heart of what I will miss the most.
Colleen from NJ says:
How wonderful that you had that experience with those great people! I’m sure you wish you can pack them up and take them with you…
but I have a feeling that, down the road, there are a group of vocalists just waiting for what you can bring to them… and although it may not be the same, it may be a different kind of wonderful.
Goodbyes are so hard when you leave something like that. You’re a gem, Danielle; you certainly won’t be simply replaced.
poopie says:
Very nice post Danielle
LadyBug says:
What a beautifully touching post, Danielle.
I second what Colleen said. There is definitely a group just waiting for the gifts you have to offer…vocally, spiritually, and emotionally.
I can’t find you in that picture. Are you hiding?
Danielle says:
“A different kind of wonderful”
- what a beautiful way to phrase it Colleen.
And you ladies are going to make my head swell with the compliments.
No really, the pats on the back are just what I needed today.
As for my location, I’m behind the director (blond woman walking from the left). Although I’ve posted some far off pics of my face lately (the St. Croix inner tube one comes to mind), I was thinking this one might be a hint too close.
Ern says:
It’s wonderful to be a part of that kind of community. Thanks for sharing.
And I love the flowery pictures you’ve been posting. What an amazing tree that is!
Amber says:
I love church choirs. That is something that I would find important in my church.
I just visited my old church this Sunday. They are going to be replacing the stained glass in the back. That makes me sad because the stained glass is so beautiful.
Thankfully, I had my camera with me. So I snapped a few shots of it.
What do you sing in your choir? I’m an alto/baritone.
BTW, did you ever get my e-mail from before?
Squirl says:
Danielle, that was great, I really enjoyed the post. I suppose I enjoyed it from a selfish perspective.
It reminded me of when I was young. My father directed the church choir and my mother played the organ. She was a good singer, too, but you also need a head organist.
They didn’t hold those positions when we moved to Michigan, though. But I do have fond memories.
Momo says:
I loved your story. I moved around six months ago to NC from FL and I really miss our church. We were a small church with no choir, however we had alot of very talented singers and musicians who sure did love to sing praises to The Lord. I, like you, am sure there will never be a group of people quite like this one.
Jesster says:
How lucky you are to be part of a group like that! I’m a pastor’s kid and I have really fond memories of listening to choir practice when I was a kid, and hearing things “click.”