Whether you are in a high school, college or community choir, we all go through those moments where we question why we started in the first place. While contest season or juries or concert weeks can be thrilling, they are also exhausting. You're around your choir friends so much that you swear you're going to punch that off-pitch tenor in the face the next time he loudly sings the wrong note. We get hot, we get sweaty, and we have rehearsals every single night. If you're one of the really dedicated ones, then you're in multiple choirs, and thus have multiple rehearsals. Despite all of this, never let it get to you!
1. Making music is a stress reliever.
Especially during the stressful times of the year, like before a big performance or close to finals, we have an increased level of cortisol–a chemical your body uses in fight-or-flight situations. High levels of cortisol cause us to feel anxious or stressed. Studies show that when people actively sing in a choral setting, their cortisol levels go down significantly. Which means there's really nothing better for you in these situations than to run that section one more time!
2. Choir helps you learn to focus.
We have to listen to so many things when we are performing–the blend of voices, our dynamics, phrasing, etc. We also have to intently watch our director to make sure the whole choir moves at the same time. Really, all our senses are engaged in creating this music, which helps us to develop a focus that extends beyond the rehearsal room.
3. Choir people are some of the weirdest people in the world, in the best way possible, obviously.
Choir is such a diverse activity. You meet people of many different backgrounds, opinions and perspectives. Yet they all have one thing in common: They are all weirdos. They make weird noises when they warm up and are really OCD about your pronunciation of German vowels. Yet they're also some of the most loving and accepting individuals you will ever meet.
4. Your director's voice.
Maybe your director has the velvet cushion of a bass voice, the bright tenor voice that makes you want to melt, the sweet vibrato of a soprano, or the awesome harmony of an alto that we are all jealous of. Whatever the case may be, just getting to listen to his or her voice is reason enough to stay in choir.
5. Choir helps you with the maths.
While it's common knowledge we can all count to four, some may not realize that we can also count to six, eight, and literally every fraction in between. Maybe someday this skill will help us with that killer math section on the GRE.
6. Singing releases endorphins.
And endorphins help you feel good! This can be especially helpful for someone who is combatting depression. After a long day of sitting at a desk worrying about upcoming deadlines and what we have to do, it can be good to take a break and remove ourselves from all of that.
7. Choir helps us grow spiritually.
Whether or not you practice Christianity, so much of choral music comes from Latin texts, the Catholic church, or is influenced by Christianity in some way. With this focus on the sacred when we sing these texts passed down for centuries, it's moving.
8. Those beautiful moments when the music becomes more than what is on the page.
This really is only a privilege for the diligent. If you put in the hours to memorize your pitches, rhythm, dynamics and everything else the composers write on the page, then you can finally start making music with the piece.
9. When you get to go on tour!
Not all choirs can afford this, obviously, but if you ever get the chance to be a part of one that does, it is definitely something to look forward to when you're dreading going to rehearsal. Tour is a time when you get to make wonderful music you know inside and out because you get to sing it so many times for so many people. Since you're more comfortable with the music, you get to spend most of your time relaxing and building relationships with the other crazy choir people on tour with you (see #3).
10. You may even find that special someone.
We all know the couples. The stories get passed down from choir veteran to novice, instilling hope that maybe you too, starry-eyed soprano, will meet your prince with the golden voice at one of those nasty, sweaty rehearsals.
11. The pregnant pause.
Although the phrase may not be as familiar, we all know and cherish this feeling. After a performance, when you have just nailed a really powerful piece, the pregnant pause is that moment after the last chord slowly fades away but before the audience starts clapping. This is one of those spiritual moments that really feels sacred. You don't want that moment to ever go away, although it inevitably will. But when you're in this moment, just stop. Listen. Feel the power of that moment and remember: this is what we have slaved away for. It was all worth it to experience that one moment of spiritual transcendence, which is too heavy for words.
