Just What I've Been Waiting For!

I have been missing choir for SO LONG. I belong in choir. Church choir doesn't count. There aren't enough people with enough experience and the music isn't challenging. I need choir. I am and always have been a "choir voice"- meaning, it's best for everyone involved when my voice is blended in with a choir rather than alone. I love harmonizing. There is nothing like singing with a large, polished group when each person knows his or her part and sings it like the whole choir depends on it. And the sound reverberates through the hall and directly into my soul.

I get to do it again. The mere thought of it brings tears to my eyes. I know I'm a sap. It's just that I am and always will be a choir girl. My high school choir director was Mrs. Linda Schmidt. She is a phenomenal teacher. She taught us to feel the emotion behind every song we learned. She picked difficult songs and we practiced and rehearsed and bled and sang and memorized them until they were ready to perform. She didn't accept mediocrity. We were to learn the parts and rhythms and feeling of the song or die trying. She pushed us. We grew and improved.

I saw Mrs. Schmidt last week at my sister's improv comedy show downtown. We chatted for a few minutes, during which time she told me she will be teaching part time at BSU, directing two choirs. One is an audition choir that is an official class and requires enrollment in BSU. The other one is a community choir that meets every Tuesday evening at the Morrison Center. I am going to be there one way or another. Somehow. I need to. I am so excited! I realize the thought of joining a community choir sounds a bit iffy to everybody. Ordinarily, I'd be wary of the idea. But I happen to know that whatever Linda Schmidt touches has the tendency of turning into pure spun gold.

Once again, I know I am a sap. I shouldn't have to apologize. I just like to gush about the things I am passionate about.

I can't wait to sing in a big, good choir again. How do I know it will be good? Because it has to be. Mrs. Schmidt accepts no crap. And I can't wait to be challenged by the songs she picks, because I know she'll choose some toughies. I can't wait. I can't wait! But I suppose I'll have to wait until Tuesday...