Every Wednesday night I sing in the city Youth Choir. We practise for two hours and we sing with the symphony, CBC radio, at churches, synagogs, memorial services and in holiday shows. My choir is like my family. I've known many of them for years and we love each other like crazy. The behaviour at rehersal isn't really as strange as it seems. I mean what do you expect when you take a bunch of teenagers, put them in a room where they feel completely comfortable and tell them to express themselves? Obviously hilarity ensues.
Since I just came home from rehersal and choir is fresh in my mind I thought I'd tell you guys a few of our legendary stories. Okay here goes, but I must warn you that the following is not for the faint of heart... DUH DUH DUH DUH! Just kidding, I hope...
First story; It was our Christmas concert and we had just finished a wonderful round of 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' and were supposed to be filing down the aisle and to our seats in a calm and orderly fashion as our director said a few final words of thanks. I had on the most amazing brown leather boots with five inch heels and I was feeling particularly beautiful that night. I stepped down from the top step of the church stage/stairs and felt a slight tug. Thinking nothing I continued my descent when suddenly I lost all control of my body. My legs seemed to have a mind of their own as they ran down the middle aisle of the church trying desperatly not the buckle and let me fall. I tripped and sprawled down the aisle arms flailling, legs running and screaming just a little bit. I have to say it was not my most graceful moment. The worst part is that every time we have a concert our director tells everybody not to wear heels that are too high or they might trip and then stares at me for a good ten seconds. Good times.
This brings me to my second story. One of our directors and conductors took a year off from the choir and went back to school to pursue conducting at a higher level. Now let me describe this guy. He's a big tall guy with a deep voice who used to say things like "That note makes me want to eat babies." Of course he's totally awesome and we missed him like crazy the year he was gone. What we didn't expect was how he returned. He's still a big tall, deep voiced, totally awesome guy but now he's very zen. He says things like "I don't want to cut you off, that sounds too violent" and "Don't try, do or do not." I made the mistake of thinking out loud when I remarked that he was a hippie now. If you know him at all you know that a hippie is the EXACT opposite of who he is. And yet every time he says something like "We'll just relax and let the note come to us" I can;t help picturing him in a flowery top and headband singing the Beatles in a meadow.
Now there are millions more where these stories come from but for the purpose of time (and because I have civics homework) I'll just list a few funny things that have been said or done in choir.
-Our director told us to envision sqeezing a dime between our butt cheeks in order to hit high notes.
-One of my friends advised the choir to think of 'strawberries and anime characters frolicking in snow' to get in the right mood for a song.
-One of my friends and I consistantly break out in a square dance.
-I've been told that choir could only be improved by tacos.
-An adjudicator (judge) told us the true meaning of 'fa la la la la'. (If you don't what it is google it. You will never sing 'Deck The Halls' the same way.)
There's tons more that I can't think of at the moment but I think I've named enough that you get the gist of what goes on in Wednesday night rehersals. We are insane and to outsiders we may appear to need psychological treatment but we love and care for each other and most of all we love music. And that, my friends, is what brings us together.
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