All throughout school music was a part of my life. Whether it was choir, concert band, marching band, musical theatre - or, heck, even the dang recorder in fifth grade - music has always been essential. My high school choir was my second family, and now as I continue to sing in college choir, I realize more and more everyday what I have learned and gained from being part of an ensemble...
1. You will always make time for what you love
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It's a pretty big commitment. You must consistently invest time, energy, and talent to others who are working just as hard to create great music. There is rehearsal almost everyday, and when you finally do get some free time, you want to avoid my homework at all costs. Despite the stress and the late-nights, I know that I wouldn't - and couldn't - give it up even if I tried (and we've all tried).
2. Details are meaningful
I'll admit that I've rolled my eyes a time and again when my director says for the billionth time, "don't forget that it's mezzo forte at measure 50," or "how many times to I have to tell you all not to take a breath in the middle of a phrase?" One dynamic marking and one "no breath" note don't seem like detrimental things, and really they aren't, but paying attention to the details make the magic just that much stronger.
3. Leave your ego at the door
A choir isn't a solo gig. You're sharing the performance space with countless other musicians who are all there for the same purpose: to make music and memories. Everyone has to rely on one another if everything is to come together in the end, so arrogance is the opposite of productive, and no one has time for it.
4. Music for "medicinal purposes"
Music heals. It really does. It may not fix everything, but it is an outlet into which you can channel all of the chaos that's in your head and your heart. Never underestimate the power of Eric Whitacre's "Sleep" to take your stress level from 100-0, even if only for a few minutes.
5. Relish the little moments
The littlest things make me so happy now that I pay attention to them more. A single key change holds more power than you may think.
6. The value of a non-biological family
People in a music ensemble love like family, joke like family, and even fight like family, but there is a dedication that exists despite all of the differences in opinion. It might not always seem like it, but someone in that group will always have your back. People care for one another in ways that you never thought possible.
7. Sacrifice
"I cant. I have rehearsal." This phrase seems to get real old, real fast. There have been so many times when I've wanted to skip to take a nap or go to the Coney Island for a few hours and binge on Greek salad, but I know what I signed myself up for. Music doesn't happen overnight, and music is my priority. Having said both of those things, I have learned that in spite of all the time I have sacrificed to be in an ensemble, I don't regret a single minute of it.
8. Time is precious
A music ensemble only gets so much rehearsal time a day, a week, a month, a year. Pretty soon the show will be over, and then you find yourself running around like a chicken sans its head because NO REHEARSAL. Post show/concert depression is real and alive in the music world. Cherish the time that you have, because when it's over you'll really start to internalize how much it meant to you.
9. Sometimes notes speak louder than words
The words on the page are important, yes. They were put there for a reason: to be communicated and to be heard. However, sometimes the notes - the sounds, the phrasing, the chords aligning in perfect pitch - can strike you more profoundly. I have a deep appreciation for all that goes unsaid, but never unsung.
10. Everything that you do is worth it
There have been times when we've been working for twenty minutes on the same few difficult measures, and I'm about ready to stop trying. I have to step back and remember how incredible it feels to perform. It's worth it. It's worth it. It's ALL worth it. You're always so proud of everything that you never thought would come together.
I wouldn't trade that frumpy maroon choral dress, character shoes, and nights in the auditorium until 10:00 p.m. for anything in the world.
