SoCS: Singing

Singing has been a constant in my life. As a child I sang at school and at church. In high school, I sang in the mixed chorus and in my final year made the Girls’ Ensemble. I could sing, do (simple) choreography, and smile all at the same time! I also was in a few musicals, nearly always in the chorus.

I really learned to be a good choral singer in college. At Smith, I finally learned to sing classical music, everything from Gregorian chant up through newly composed work. Granted, in those days, we sang Western music only. Today, I would probably get to do some world music as well. I also got used to singing in different languages. While I had sang mostly in English, with a bit of Latin, before college, I sang frequently in Latin and German, with some Hebrew and French.

For the past 33 seasons, I have sung with the Binghamton University Chorus, which is a town-gown group, meaning we have students, faculty and staff from the university, and community members participating. Some of our members are in their 80s; I know of at least one who has reached her 90s!

I hope that I will still be singing, if I am blessed enough to reach that age.

As the hymn says, “How can I keep from singing?”
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This post is part of Linda’s Stream of Consciousness Saturdays. The prompt this week was to begin the post with a word ending in -ing. Please join us! Find out how here: http://lindaghill.com/2015/10/09/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-oct-1015/

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Author: Joanne Corey

Please come visit my eclectic blog, Top of JC's Mind. You can never be sure what you'll find!

12 thoughts on “SoCS: Singing”

  1. Thank you Joanne for sharing your love of singing and it’s so good that you’re in such a choir. I think we’ve discussed my daughter’s singing and how she’s been getting a lot of opportunities to perform with her school choir.She loves it. I have thought about joining a choir myself but my voice comes and goes and I’m already doing violin and playing in an ensemble so you can’t do it all!

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    1. I do know that you have a very musical family and what a blessing it is! One of the things that is great about choral singing is that you can nearly always and everywhere find a place to do it. I hope your daughter will have a lifetime of singing opportunities ahead for her. I know your health issues make singing in a group difficult, but you have your other musical outlets and can always sing around the house on your good days.

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      1. Yes, singing around the house is wonderful. My son actually sings a lot around the house. I’m hoping that he comes to appreciate it more. Singing is unfortunately shunned by so many boys, especially in Australia. It is such a shame because it gives you such an emotional release and brings such pleasure xx Rowena

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      1. I’ve sung that one, but not a lot. I like “Stay with Me” for holy week, since I learned the alto part years ago. Some day I’m going to buy the Taize CD to go with the book we have. For advent, I like “Come and Fill Our Hearts With Your Peace.”

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        1. We always use “Stay with Me” during Holy Week, too, which is hauntingly beautiful. I am not familiar with your Advent one. It got my mind turning toward “Jubilate Deo” which is great for the Christmas season or any time when jubilation is called for! We always sing it in Latin, though. I don’t find the English translation to be that good.

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