Saturday, November 27

My stint in the college choir

I like to sing and like to think that I'm okay at it. I've been in a few choirs, have sung a few solos, and helped on a worship team a time or two.

When I first transferred to Bible College, I decided to join the school choir. I lasted for one semester. But even though the class was not enjoyable, I do have one funny memory from that time.

My college had two choirs: a select choir and a general choir. I was in the general choir. Every year, my college would give a Christmas concert before the students left and that concert would always be the Handel's Messiah. The general choir would sing some of the Handel's Messiah songs, the select choir sang some others and then together we all sang the Hallelujah chorus. The select choir was small and was expected to know and perform the Handel's Messiah perfectly. The general choir was expected to do our best. We were told that it was okay if we didn't have it down pat as the select choir would carry us and the performance. From what I remember, the teacher rushed us through our practice classes, not giving enough time for some of us (i.e., me) to really learn our parts. I am an alto and for some of these songs I had a hard time hearing the alto part and I didn't have the foresight to practice out of class.

Anyhow, the night of the performance came. I was standing on the risers with a group of my "general choir" friends and the Hallelujah chorus started. I knew going into this evening that I did not fully know my part, however in hopes that other people did and especially the select choir, I figured that during the parts where I was uncertain, I would just quietly mumble/sing and then fully participate in the areas I did know. Well, about half way through the Hallelujah chorus, I noticed that all of my surrounding friends were doing the same thing.

"(mumbling) And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings, forever and ever,
And Lord of lords,
(loudly) Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings! and Lord of lords!
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings! and Lord of lords!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!"

This one section of the choir, of which I was a part, kept bursting out our "Hallelujah's" but very clearly did not confidently know the other parts. We all realized this together about half way through the song and started laughing. Clearly, laughing in the middle of a school-wide, city-invited concert is not a good or recommended thing...especially when singing a reflective memorable song like the Hallelujah chorus. We quickly contained ourselves, choking back the laughter and focusing on the singing but I looked to the audience to see the president of the school glancing in our direction just before we were back in control. Despite the embarrassment of being caught, that remains a hilarious moment to me.

To this day, whenever I hear the Hallelujah chorus, I always think of that time and will mimic that choir experience.

2 comments:

Kaye said...

I saw this clip this morning. you should get your crew back together and flash mob your local food court! haha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE

Mindy said...

That clip was great! Getting the gang back together would take a miracle! :)