It has been almost a
month, Rozanne decided to take up the position as the choir leader of Holy
Family Church, Kajang. Only a month and she is already regretting it for no
matter how much effort she put in, there was still something wrong with the
choir. They were singing, but the music did not click. They attended practices,
but it made no difference. They had everything it took to form a choir and yet
it did not sound like a choir.
On the verge of quitting,
Rozanne decided to give one last shot. She thought hard and prayed fervently,
asking for God’s help. Then it hit her that maybe, if they were actually
friends instead of strangers, they might appreciate the beauty of music and
start singing wholeheartedly.
Hence Rozanne organized
much more than just choir practises. They played games, they watched movies and
they even ate together. Soon they weren’t just choir buddies, but buddies for
life. Rozanne knew she has found they key to unlock the mystery of the ‘strange
choir’. It was indeed friendship and fellowship. For now, the choir does only
sound like a choir with mesmerizing angelic voices, but in fact it is able to
lead the congregation in singing.
Many might think that the
secret to forming a great choir is practises after practises. However it is actually
so much more than just practices. It is the friendship formed and bond created
between the members of the choir that is able to bring the choir to live. When
the ‘I’ have transformed into ‘we’, when the members are comfortable to sing
with each other and when the gift of music is appreciated through bonds of
friendship, then can a true choir be formed.
Choir
or also known as choral music first existed together with traditional music,
which is widely spread among the traditional cultures. Ancient Greece claimed
its place as the oldest unambiguous choral repertory during the 2nd
century BC. Following the ancient Greece music is the medieval music, the
Renaissance music, the Baroque music, the Classical and Romantic music and the
most common one nowadays is the 20th and 21st century
music.
Since
choir is simply music and voice so what has friendships and fellowship got to
do with singing? Well, it has everything to do with singing, especially in a
choir. When you are closely knitted with each member of the choir, it acts like
a thermometer that sets the temperature of the whole stage. There is a warm
fuzzy feeling when your passions are shared with your friends rather than
strangers who tend to create boundaries and tension to the surrounding
environment.
“When choir members do not know each other, they
feel shy to sing confidently because they are afraid of what the other might
think of their voice. This hinders them from singing with their hearts as they
are more conscious about other things,” said Rozanne, Holy Family Church choir
leader.
When the singers are
uneasy with their surroundings, their best cannot be portrayed and hence the
results produced are ordinary. Once the bonds are formed, the warm feeling will
then occupy the whole room where the audiences will get a chance to witness
something extraordinary.
“This spirit of friendship was what drove everyone
to choir practice every week because they wanted to be with their friends,”
said the 22 year old choir leader. “It is also reflected in our singing as
everyone now sounded more cohesive and comfortable singing with each other,”
she added.
In
every organization or a group, support is the most valuable asset that can be
gained. Can a tree stand alone without its roots or can a baby grow without
being nursed? The bottom line is everyone needs support to survive in this
world. When the whole choir is united, they technically form their own support
group. Besides their passion for music, they tend to share the beauty of life
through fellowship and companionship. Laughter will be heard, tears will be
wiped and life will be treasured. Nothing beats the feeling of having a friend,
who shares your innermost passion. Hence that is the beauty of singing with
friends.
However,
with the existence of many other latest musical genres the value of choir has
been decreasing. Many musicians especially the youngsters prefer to invest
their talent in bands or solo singing. Nowadays choirs are usually found in
church services, orchestra performances or in music education. It is rather
disheartening to see this treasured piece of genre slowly coming to end for it
certainly carries a lot more than only music.
The
sound of a bird singing can make you stop and listen. The cry of an infant can
make you wonder in awe. The noise of a spoilt radio can annoy you to the
maximum. The sound of your mom nagging can drive you crazy. The sweet music
from the piano can give you goose bumps. The breathtaking voice of your favourite
singer can leave you mesmerized. However, only the joined angelic voices from a
choir can make you appreciate the gift of music through friendship.
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