Help: Really mad at my choir director

Subject: RE: Help: Really mad at my choir director
From: sophocleese
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 10:46 PM

Burke, you just reminded me of something else. I asked my husband how much lower than usual a song had to be before he found it uncomfortable and how much higher it had to be before he found it uncomfortable. His answer was that two full tones lower and it became difficult but it only had to go one tone higher for it to be tricky, or uncomfortable. So I wonder if that's a function of the original key or a higher level of discomfort with something too high rather than too low.

Subject: RE: Help: Really mad at my choir director
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 12 Dec 00 - 12:15 AM

My wife and I had more of a concert than a wedding. We were very fortunate that we had a family friend to play the organ for the 'churchy' bits. We sat down with a group of friends of mixed voices, sang htem all, experimented and agreed that they would be much more singable if we brought the feys down by 1.5 to 2 whole tones. We advised the organist and she was happy to accede. Come wedding day I turned to wife on each occasion that these hymns were being sung and said something like "That bitch is playing them in the original keys". When I tackled her afterwards she smiled sweetly and said "I figured that on the actual day that you'd be too excited to even notice".

This has been a fascinating thread. I hope that Rebecca has fared well.

Regards, John

Subject: RE: Help: Really mad at my choir director
From: The Celtic Bard
Date: 18 Dec 00 - 07:53 PM

I know what you're all thinking. It's about time Rebecca stuck her head back in here. I'm sorry but I've been busy and plus with all the people on-line doing their Christmas shopping, the server I use has been busy.

Well, for the moment you've all been waiting for. I talked to my choir director and asked her why she choose only worship team members. She said with the church expanding like it has been, she wanted to put on a professional show. It turns out that the song I thought she had lied about was actually a different song with the same title. She offered to let me sing for her again and then gave me some pointers. She told me to practice at home and sing for her on Sunday at practice. When I did she decided to give me the solo. I sang it yesterday for all three services and everyone told me that I did really good. I know that I did good.

However I felt guilty that she gave me a solo just because I raised a fuss. I told her at our meeting that I wanted her to give me a solo on the merit of my voice and not because I said something. I also apologized for the rather angry message I left on her machine and for accusing her of lying.

My sister said that it sounded like she gave me the solo just to shut me up and keep me from going to the choir as a whole.

I guess in the end that I'm more confused than ever. I'm glad that I got a chance to prove that I could get up there and sing. However now I'm wondering whether she did it just because I said something. I loved doing the choir and the concert was great. You are so right, Kernow John, when you said that I should remember that I'm doing it for God and not for my choir director. Thank you so much for reminding me of that. In the end it's about a very special baby's birth and not about getting the solo or looking good in front of the congergation.

Thank you everyone for your advice, criticism, hard questions, and support. Have a very Merry Christmas.

Rebecca

P.S. Sorcha, in response to your comment, I just want to say that I like to think that life is fair and that the church is immune to human failings. I know it's not. I'm not saying that my church is special, I just like to think that it is. Thank you for your comments.

Subject: RE: Help: Really mad at my choir director
From: InOBU
Date: 18 Dec 00 - 08:40 PM

Hi Rebbecca! :-)
Just to let you know, we at the YCL (Young Communist League) Meet every Sunday, from 9 to 11, am, and WE all get to sing, have solos and are really nice to each other! Besides, insead of a coffie hour afterwards, you get Borcht, Vodka, and Beer. Soooo, come and have a nice wee sing with the comrads, and a hug.
Arise ye prisoners of starvation, Arise ye wretched of the earth!
:-0
Larry

Subject: RE: Help: Really mad at my choir director
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Dec 00 - 09:16 PM

Oh for Gods sake........get a life.

Subject: RE: Help: Really mad at my choir director
From: CamiSu
Date: 19 Dec 00 - 12:01 PM

Rebecca

Perhaps instead of giving you a solo to shut you up, she has instead discovered another voice she can offer solos to, as well as one who will practice with her pointers? (Next year you'll know for sure.) As to remembering who you're singing for, that's also a wonderful way to handle the shakes when doing the solo! (Our church has no choir, and I am the substitute soloist of last choice--owing, I hope, to the fact that I am also a Sunday School teacher, and they prefer not to pull me out of there...)

CamiSu

Subject: RE: Help: Really mad at my choir director
From: GUEST,the atheist in the Choir
Date: 19 Dec 00 - 01:50 PM

Seriously, I doubt whether a really good musician (instrumental or vocal) needs a God to worship. If the music's good, sing it. If you think you could do it better than the people who get to do it, either you're wrong or you've got a legitimate complaint. I once led a whole congregation of Unitarians in singing "A Man's a Man for A' That". I wasn't the best voice there, but I had the only authentic Scots accent.

Subject: RE: Help: Really mad at my choir director
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 19 Dec 00 - 02:10 PM

The best carol singing doesn't go in for solos, just the occasional party piece. I'm talking, of course, about the Village Carols tradition - best heard and best sung in pubs rather than churches (more ecumenical that way).

Subject: RE: Help: Really mad at my choir director
From: The Celtic Bard
Date: 19 Dec 00 - 09:09 PM

Again I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this thread.

I am seriously considering taking a voice class that is offered at my school to get some professional help with my voice. There is also a concert choir that I might dig up the courage to try out for. I'm going to continue to improve my voice.

Thank you everyone for all of your comments.

Have a very Merry Christmas.

Rebecca <><

Subject: RE: Help: Really mad at my choir director
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Dec 15 - 01:32 PM

Joyce Moes

The solos in my choir do not go to the best voices but to those who kiss up to the director. I have tried and certainly have been prepared to audition but the raspy soprano and her pal always get the solos. I have been given a song leader position based on my hard work and voice. However, the raspy soprano and her pal are given the weddings and funerals. It is not fair - why not give a few others in the choir a chance not only me? We have some men and women who have excellent voices and musicianship. Need your help!!

Subject: RE: Help: Really mad at my choir director
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Dec 15 - 12:52 AM

Well, I have to say that singing groups in general, not just church choirs, tend to be very political. I was in one choir where the choir director's wife was the only one who consistently got solos, and she was a horrible singer and the nastiest person in the choir. But she was a Force To Be Reckoned With, and she would have made things very unpleasant for the rest of us if she didn't get the solos she wanted.

And the choir director, a really good guy, would have been really miserable.

I was in a caroling group where I thought I was the director and another guy was emcee, but the other guy thought HE was director. Turns out that I had been replaced as director when I was off on vacation one year, and nobody bothered to tell me. The other guy died, so now they're happy to have me as both emcee and director. But it was really awkward for a while.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Help: Really mad at my choir director
From: kendall
Date: 03 Dec 15 - 09:04 AM

I'm with Bert.