Guess what I did? Go on...guess. You'll never guess....are you sure you give up? OK...let me tell you.
I went to a choir practice. Oh, sorry, did you hit your head when you fell off your chair? Somewhat shocking I know, but let me explain.
This wasn't a church choir thing, although the practice was at a church. It's a community choir open to all, tone deaf or not. A while back I wrote about my interest in a choir from Toronto called Choir! Choir! Choir! I came across them on YouTube when they did Space Oddity after David Bowie died. An impressive 500 person tribute to the man. Since then I have loved watching their videos of everything from Africa by Toto, Bridge over Troubled Waters by Simon and Garfunkel and so on...their version of Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen and Rufus Wainwright on lead was amazing, truly. They look like they're having so much fun simply singing. I'm enamoured with them.
I can sing plenty well in the shower or driving along, and I'm absolutely awesome after a few drinks singing TV theme songs....Fish don't fry in the kitchen, beans don't burn on the grill.... yeah baby. But to step out of my comfort zone in a small intimate session with people I didn't know...well, let's just say I was much more comfortable on bent knee singing up to that girl in grade three. My kids had a hoot about the whole thing when I told them.
And how in the hell did I end up there on that night? My big mouth unsurprisingly. I had told a friend of mine, well, we were in the beginning days of a relationship at the time, but now friends, that I was in love with Choir! Choir! Choir! and she had told me she was involved with this other community choir. Cool. Didn't think much of it at the time because really, what are the chances I'm going to go sing out loud? Well, fast forward a month or so and she's texting me about eating sushi and going to choir. "You know, I can bring a guest to this if you're interested". My response was sure, sounds like it could be fun...thinking that when the time came I would blow it off. "Excellent, what time do you want to meet at the church?" What? Tonight? Uhm....fuck it. Comfort schmfort...OK meet you soon. What the hell right?
And there I am in this grand old Anglican church sitting beside my friend really unsure of what to do or how to do it. Nervous yes, hopefully not showing it to her though...got be tough right. The leader of the choir is the energizer bunny period. Her attitude is infectious if not borderline crazy, but in a good way. She truly loves what she does and it made it easier to loosen up and my friend was very supportive as well...thankfully, but not without a few well placed jabs at my less than perfect pitch. The vocal exercises were a little wonky and I may have been in the wrong section...should have sat with the other few men in the bass section but I sat with her in the tenor area. All good I think.
I didn't stay long as I was doing a daddy taxi stint but I must say I enjoyed it. It really was a non judgemental place to try some vocal chops. Will I go back? Not sure yet, partly the $175 or so to sing and partly because I have a work schedule that sometimes gets in the way. And then there is the do I want to do it attitude...I'm not sure yet. I'll think about it is the best I can say but I'm very glad I accepted the invitation.
Told you that you would never guess.
Ciao
D
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