The blog I swore to never sing.
September has been a pretty exciting month for the editorial staff. Both Jason and Tim celebrated birthdays a few weeks back, and just yesterday, our very own Jennifer Grathwol just got herself a new surname yesterday as she tied the knot (huge congratulations go out to Jen!). Heck, even outside of our department, there's good news: Our production director John Millin and his wife Bridget had their first child last week, and they named her Ragan Rose (which I'm assuming is a tribute to both Hot Water Music's co-frontman Chuck Ragan and Johnny Cash's "Give My Love To Rose," which automatically makes this kid cooler than I'll ever be).
For me, though, this month has been pretty low-key (except for that whole Dillinger Four thing). I've felt a bit stir-crazy lately, which resulted in me cutting off all my hair yesterday, which was therapeutic. But after today, I feel positively awesome, and it's all because of choral music.
I know, I know: Totally nerdy, right? Well, it gets nerdier -- I'm a member of the Cleveland Messiah Chorus, an organization that has performed Handel's Messiah (you might know it as "that big piece of music that features the Hallelujah chorus in it") every fall since 1921. It's a small group, one that I discovered last year when trolling the internet looking for singing opportunities (I've been singing chorally since I was 12 -- I've toured internationally three times with various choirs, and even went to college on a vocal scholarship), but it is an incredible release for me. We had our first rehearsal of the season earlier today, and I've been on a natural high all day. There's something about singing in a choir that just gives me a rush, especially when the material is as majestic and powerful as Messiah is.
While it is sort of weird being the only person under 30 in the group (and this is by at least a decade and a half), there's also something incredibly freeing about it, too. No one there really knows what I do for a living, nor the "scene politics" that come with it. No one is pitching me on bands, nor asking what my favorite album of the year thus far is, nor getting into debates with me about how incredibly overrated [insert band] is. I'm able to leave all of that behind for just 90 minutes a week for the next two months, and it is definitely something I am looking forward to each week.
It's also strange to me how choral singing is still viewed as "uncool" by people who are too obsessed with trying to stay cool. There's a discipline to it that you don't get just by belting out Moneen songs in your car, and there's an appreciation you develop from performing it that will heighten your knowledge of contemporary music and will help you see connections between things that you never would've seen before. I encourage anyone reading this to find a local choir and give it a try, just once. I promise you that no one will make fun of you (and if one of your friends actually does, they're just jealous they don't have the talent you have). And if you live in Cleveland, come join the CMC! Everyone is welcome, and there's no audition required. And since I'm already there, you won't be the only person wearing a Hold Steady T-shirt or a Braid hoodie, either.
For me, though, this month has been pretty low-key (except for that whole Dillinger Four thing). I've felt a bit stir-crazy lately, which resulted in me cutting off all my hair yesterday, which was therapeutic. But after today, I feel positively awesome, and it's all because of choral music.
I know, I know: Totally nerdy, right? Well, it gets nerdier -- I'm a member of the Cleveland Messiah Chorus, an organization that has performed Handel's Messiah (you might know it as "that big piece of music that features the Hallelujah chorus in it") every fall since 1921. It's a small group, one that I discovered last year when trolling the internet looking for singing opportunities (I've been singing chorally since I was 12 -- I've toured internationally three times with various choirs, and even went to college on a vocal scholarship), but it is an incredible release for me. We had our first rehearsal of the season earlier today, and I've been on a natural high all day. There's something about singing in a choir that just gives me a rush, especially when the material is as majestic and powerful as Messiah is.
While it is sort of weird being the only person under 30 in the group (and this is by at least a decade and a half), there's also something incredibly freeing about it, too. No one there really knows what I do for a living, nor the "scene politics" that come with it. No one is pitching me on bands, nor asking what my favorite album of the year thus far is, nor getting into debates with me about how incredibly overrated [insert band] is. I'm able to leave all of that behind for just 90 minutes a week for the next two months, and it is definitely something I am looking forward to each week.
It's also strange to me how choral singing is still viewed as "uncool" by people who are too obsessed with trying to stay cool. There's a discipline to it that you don't get just by belting out Moneen songs in your car, and there's an appreciation you develop from performing it that will heighten your knowledge of contemporary music and will help you see connections between things that you never would've seen before. I encourage anyone reading this to find a local choir and give it a try, just once. I promise you that no one will make fun of you (and if one of your friends actually does, they're just jealous they don't have the talent you have). And if you live in Cleveland, come join the CMC! Everyone is welcome, and there's no audition required. And since I'm already there, you won't be the only person wearing a Hold Steady T-shirt or a Braid hoodie, either.
posted by Scott Heisel at
6:36 PM
5 Comments:
Choir is by far the coolest thing I ever did in junior high. I really wish I had continued it in high school but I was way too intimidated by all the really good singers. haha I'm gonna have to do my college's choir though for a 'practice course' some time in the next two years. I can't say I'm stoked cause I SUCK at singing, but it's either choir or musical theater. And as much as I love doing theater, I am not an actor. It was a pretty easy choice after that.
I applaud you for sticking with it, though!
-Monica
Scott I must say that chorus is awesome. It seems every choir needs the resident "punk" (aka kid wearing a band tee) but it really helps. Since my parents made me take chorus I got to make real friends, and learned a love for just performing in general. It also helped me to learn song structure, like when where and how dynamics should be implemented in songs.
So I'm glad your still singing, and if I was a Cleavlander I would join. And I think Davey Havok sung in his high School Choir.
I truly believe that the kids who are worried about looking cool are the ones who miss out on all the stuff that makes life awesome, choir and chorus included. Nothing nerdy about it at all. In fact, it's pretty awesome. Find your muse and run with it. (besides, learning the ins and outs of music like Messiah truly has to keep your work life in perspective, yes? Screamo kids can't quite hold a candle to Handel).
Good for you!
Vocal scholarship? Seriously? Damn, I wish I'd known such things existed when I was in high school. Maybe I would have actually gone to a real college, instead of going to community college for a semester and then taking 5 years off.
By the way, the choir kids were the coolest kids in my high school. Probably cause the various choirs were the only extracurricular groups that actually were good. Well, them and the boys' swim team.
Okay, i wasn't going to respond to this post. I changed my mind. I would love love love to be in a choir or singing group of some sort, but...when would be an appropriate time for a smoke break during choir practice?
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