Singing in the Choir
I joined the Farmington Community Chorus in 2010 and it radically changed my life. I was longing for some joy in my life after some rough transitions. My son had moved away and some of the empty nest stuff was creeping in. He was very active in his high school with their music programs – various choirs and musicals. He was amazingly good! I never missed a show and was his biggest fan. And with that whole phase of my life gone while he was miles away, I missed him immensely and I missed the luxury of that prearranged entertainment of going to see him perform.
Now, I knew that I needed something to look forward to – something that would get me involved in a community in order to move out of the undesired state I found myself in.
I remembered attending a friend’s concert and decided to look them up online. They had auditions twice a year. It was the end of summer and they would be doing a holiday show in December.
I remember when I went to the rehearsal, they gave you music to borrow and had you stay for the rehearsal and then audition at the end of it. I don’t read music and definitely didn’t sight read. I fumbled my way through – luckily there were some Christmas songs I knew. I was so grateful when they told me I would receive a CD with my part on it to learn from – I couldn’t imagine any other way to learn the songs I’d never heard before. I do have an ear for music but I have to hear it over and over sometimes to get all the notes.
I managed to get through all that and when I gave them my number to let me know if I got in or not – I guess I gave them my son’s number not mine… nervous I guess! So he got the call that I was accepted!! He gave them my number and I was notified. We laughed about that!
So that first session I remember we ended with Do You Hear What I Hear and the harmony was so beautiful I was crying on stage – and you can’t sing and cry at the same time, not well at least!
I’ve been singing with them for 11 years now! I have learned so much, made so many new friends, sharing Tuesday nights for rehearsals and been in 2 shows each year. We were scheduled to sing at Carnegie Hall in 2020! Obviously never happened…yet.
A whole lot of healing has happened and I have found my voice! Singing is powerful. Singing is a gift. Singing is how I have stayed sane! I’ve stretched myself and learned so much from our director Steve SeGraves. He makes it fun and he has allowed me to play some of my original music in our shows. I am hoping we will be able to meet again in person rather than virtual this fall. ...Fingers crossed! Until then... I hope those in my choir know how much I enjoy singing with them and how much the choir means to me!
