So, yes, I have finally started singing again. My long break from singing is over, and I am singing. Singing in a choir, something I have not done for ages. (and yes, we are doing the Rutter above, but with organ and brass, not full orchestra)
I guess this is where I take you all back to understand a few things. I have sung for many years. I used to be quite decent. I sang solo roles for various companies around Sydney, and Perth before that. Probably more than twenty productions easily. I've sung in operas, musicals and a couple of oratorios, I have sung solo pieces in concert and chorus on stage. I've sung at nursing homes, bringing cheer to the patients. But, I found it all becoming a trial. Partly because trying to juggle a full time job and regular rehearsals with others, plus finding time to practise yourself, and then, find time to work on things with a teacher too. Trying to also find time to have a life outside of that? Yeah, it becomes a challenge.
So, eventually, I found myself resenting the time I was taking to do things, yet never having the time to get good enough to make a career out of it. I was also finding myself singing things that I, quire frankly, was not enjoying, simply because the group I was involved with was doing them. Singing when you heart is not in it is a truly soul destroying thing, let me tell you.
So, after a strong recommendation from my teacher of the time, I chose to stop. Stop singing, stop performing, stop practicing, and basically focus on work, and generally, having a life.
And that has mostly been a good thing. Music has remained a part of my life all that time since, but, not as an active performer. Now, about five years later I have started again. Just a toe, shall we say.
It partly came about because it is convenient. The choir I sing with rehearses less than a ten minute walk from home. Singing in a choir is also much less time intensive. With just going to the rehearsals, I am almost on top of what I need to do for the pieces we are singing (I have a couple of awkward spots to fix in the commissioned piece we are doing) And I am once again enjoying it. Yes, I am enjoying making music with others, something I had long lost the thrill of doing.
So, if you want to hear the results, feel free to come along (and say hi!) The details are here and you can buy tickets from that link too. Also, I can vouch that the music is enjoyable too. The newly commissioned piece by Dan Walker is full of surprising rhythms and also is not "challenging" in that scary new music way. Not to say that it is not challenging to us as singers, but it is certainly not a piece that will make you get up and walk out in horror. But, it will reward repeat listening, in the future.
And, think about what you have given up because you have lost the love of it. Is there something you need to look at again, and start trying again, to see if your love is refound? Its worth examining.
