Monday night, I went looking for a tenor or two. The Director of one of the Male Choruses that I sing in has taken the position of Music Director at a new church and invited me to come to a practice of their Men's Chorus. He knows that I'm looking for a tenor or two as replacements in the Gospel Messengers. I went, expecting to sit in the back of the church, just listening to the guys but when practice started there were only about 6 men there, and I was handed the lyric sheets along with everyone else. This is a new Men's Chorus and that was immediately obvious. And the group is almost all tenors. As guys trickled in, there were finally nine or ten guys, with just two baritones and one bass. I ended up moving up to sit with the two baritones who seemed totally lost. I talked with the guy I sat next to and asked him if he is a baritone. He said that he didn't know. He'd never sung in a choir before. The other baritone seemed equally adrift so I found myself quickly picking up the baritone harmony and helping the two guys to learn it. With the exception of one song, I hadn't heard any of the ones we sang Monday night, but after almost ten years in a Men's Chorus, I can pick up most of the baritone harmony off the piano as the Chorus Director is playing it.

The practice turned out to be a lot of fun, and the guys asked me ifg I'd come back to help the baritones and the bass singer. I explained to them that I was really there hoping to find a tenor for my group and was already singing in two Men's Choruses, but they were still encouraging. I'll go to practice one more time, this coming Monday as two of the best tenors weren't at the practice I went to. And then Ruth and I will go to a service to hear them sing.
I figure that I'll never find another tenor (or two) sitting at home waiting for a phone call from a complete stranger.

The practice brought back memories of the first time I went to the Men's Chorus practice I've been in for almost ten years now. I went and sat in the baritone section because I recognized the only person I knew. Turns out, he is a baritone, and so are I. Glad I didn't sit with the First tenors...

I also find it very appealing to see so many men joining Choruses who are coming just for the love of the singing, and to support the church. Some aren't very good as singers, but they often are the most loyal. Some have never sung except when they are alone, and turn out to be fine singers. But, they all are dedicated, and because being in a Male Chorus in a black church (at least) doesn't require any experience or the ability to read music, as most songs are learned by memory.

Jerry