Did she just call me a…

Good morning, and happy Saturday! I saw my first flock of southward bound geese the other night. While we still have a few weeks to go before summer is over, we are now officially in my favorite part of the season. The end. I am really looking forward to some cooler days, and even cooler nights. The constant heat and humidity we’ve had this summer has been tough.

The one thing I think I have enjoyed most this summer was resuming the in-person violin lessons with my teacher, which stopped and went to online via the Zoom app in late March or early April. I honestly cannot remember because it seems like that was so long ago. Even on the Zoom app, I was a very nervous student, and when in-person lessons resumed, I went to that first lesson still very nervous, but that disappeared quickly, and I have looked forward to every lesson since.

Like a lot of beginners at any instrument at this level, I struggle to see much improvement at all from my practice. My teacher sees it though. More so now that we can be in the same room together, rather than watching and listening to each other via an app that, helpful as it was at the time had a lot of limitations. She acknowledges the progress that I am so often unable to see, and that has been so incredibly helpful at alleviating my nervousness and building my confidence.

She has more than once commented that my understanding of music as a singer has been very helpful and each time she has I have to pause mentally and ask myself did she just call me a…

…a singer?

I know that I have, over time, gained some experience reading music while learning to sing my part in all of the songs in the last four concerts with the Albany Gay Men’s Chorus. My first concert cycle was a huge challenge, but each concert cycle after got a little easier and even I noticed I learned things a lot quicker even though the material was new. Even though I still didn’t really read sheet music properly, at least as far as naming the notes and knowing with much certainty what that should sound like, I knew enough to perform my bass part. The violin is the soprano voice of the string instruments so that’s the music I am learning. I wouldn’t think that what I think I know about singing a bass part would be all that helpful but she recognizes when it is. I guess hearing her say it caught me off guard because it was the first time anyone has said it. I am a singer. 

That’s all for now. I have plenty or things that need to be done today and the earlier I get started the better. 

One last thing though, if you or someone you know might be interested in singing with the Albany Gay Men’s Chorus, our director is hosting a Q&A session via Zoo at 7pm this evening regarding the rehearsal cycle for our winter concert and the new online format. If you’d like an invite, please send an email to benapril@albanygaymenschorus.com

And remember, even if you think you can’t sing, so did I.