Singing outside of church
  • CatherineS
    Posts: 690
    Of all ironies I have recently been admitted to a secular choir which mostly sings sacred music. It's really lovely: organized, professional (in comportment, not in the sense of being paid), and well-directed. The music is very interesting: a style I've wanted to learn to sing, but not had much opportunity until now. All a capella, as far as I am aware. The other singers are all quite good (one has to audition). The director stays completely focused on the rehearsal - no chitchat, no tangents, just the work we need to do. The vocal coach is very good (she formerly taught my voice teacher so what I learn in the choir reinforces what I practice in my private lessons.) We are preparing the following for an upcoming choral concert featuring various groups each singing sacred music:

    Herr, nun lässest du, by Felix Medelssohn
    Kyrie from Mass 2 by Francisco Mignone (Brazilian, I think, 1897-1986)
    Our Father (Otche Nash in Russian) by Tchaikovsky
    Beati quorum via by CV Stanford

    They are all quite lovely, though it took some time to practice pronouncing Russian, and the Mignone has lots of weird intervals and accidentals that needed some extra attention.

    Does anyone else here sing in a non-church context? What kind of music? Does anyone play/sing very different styles like bluegrass or rock or something in addition to their church work?
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Elmar
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,368
    Hmmm.
    A pretty good 'secular' choir indeed!
    You are fortunate to be in it.
    (We could do with more such 'secularity'.)
    Thanked by 3CatherineS CHGiffen cesarfranck
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    I recommend groups like this to everyone interested in singing in parish choirs : often most of the repertoire is sacred, and often the music director is an experienced choral conductor able to work on vocal issues that the person's parish organist might not recognize. If only we could get those weaker parish organists to join such a choir!
    Thanked by 3CatherineS CHGiffen Andrew_Malton
  • Carol
    Posts: 849
    I belong to a college/community choir and have found that it has strengthened my singing and I have been exposed to many wonderful Masses from the classical period. I also sing folk music with my husband. Singing in choir is so different than singing solo and it has increased my sight reading and improved my diction.
    Thanked by 3CatherineS CHGiffen mmeladirectress
  • cesarfranck
    Posts: 158
    Partipating in community choirs of all sorts has been beneficial to my singers.
    Thanked by 1Carol
  • StimsonInRehabStimsonInRehab
    Posts: 1,916
    I've sung with a group called the Lafayette Chamber Singers for the past six years. They have a very eclectic mix of music. For example - of the three concerts we did last year, the Christmas concert focused on holiday music ranging from medieval to modern, the Valentine's concert is a showcase for Great American Songbook crowd-pleasers (we each get to choose our own solo piece) and the Spring concert is usually based around a unifying theme - this year was Canadian composers.

    There's so much I've learned in terms of music theory and general choir directorship from being in this group. The group consists of a lot of professors and academics (this being a college town choir) but it's a very close-knit group. The director and his wife (the accompanist) has been very supportive and has even given me organ lessons in the past.

    I also sing with the Voyageur Strolling Singers at a local reenactment of colonial times called the Feast of the Hunters' Moon. A lot of french chansons and Billings and that sort of stuff. I also occasionally sit in with the local Shape Note meetings, which is always fun.

    In my former life, I also did a lot of musical theater. Everything from Koko the Lord High Executioner to Charlie Brown. I won a statewide award as best singer for a production of 1776, but I think I only received that because I was reasonably close in age to my character (I was Rutledge from South Carolina).

    I really need to get out more.
    Thanked by 6noel jones, aago CHGiffen Incardination CatherineS Carol Elmar
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