How Can I Keep From Singing?

I had a very nice weekend. I managed to have a lot of fun, all the while procrastinating my Baroque project. Now, it's literally the week end and I have a stack of treatises begging to be read. So, the weekend. I had a great time on Friday with Joe. It was just what the doctor ordered: an evening of good conversation and good food (greasy mexican + margaritas and milk for dessert). I bounced my crazy thoughts off of him and he helped put everything into perspective.

On Saturday, I had a voice lesson with Desiree. I oftentimes feel like we have these little "actor's studio" moments. She's been a great help this fall and I feel like I have had some revelations regarding my singing. One thing that has been confirmed is that I need to slow down a bit. My friend John jokes that I have lightning-quick thoughts (which I liken to a super power). (BTW, his super power is laser beam focus). The hardest thing for me to reconcile with my singing is the seeming contradiction that what sounds bad in my head sounds good to everyone on the outside. The design of the human ear is terrible for singing! After my lesson, I dashed off to the school library to pick up a book that came in from interlibrary loan - a book that I will be coming more intimate with as soon as I stop blogging.

After a multi-hour nap, I went to see "laser beam" John's choirs perform. They were really amazing and it was great to see John in action doing what he loves to do. He was in his element and he seemed so much freer than I've seen him during our summer conducting program. His groups sounded great and they made truly wonderful music.

At church today, we had a great turn out. I had 18 choir members show up which is almost an all time record since I've been there (last year's average was 11). They are sounding great and I think the work of the past year, as well as the techniques I've learned in the summer program, are paying off. They sang "We Shall Walk Through the Valley in Peace" and I was so happy with their vocal color, intonation and dynamics.

For the offertory, I sang a duet with José. He has such a lovely voice and it was great to sing with him. I love harmonizing with someone else - it is like a little dance. We sang "How Can I Keep from Singing?" - a favorite of mine. I'm in love with the early American folk tunes and the Sacred Harp songs. There is something so memorable to them, both the tunes and the lyrics. I keep hearing in my head the words, "No storm can shake my endless calm, while to that rock I'm clinging. Since Lord is love of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing?" In light of the epiphanies of this weekend, I can't think of a better mantra.