Last concert of the year

[wiseheart]

That would have been today, for our school choir consisting of teachers and parents. (When we say "year" we think in school terms, just that it's clear.)

In any case, we had it today, and while it wasn't what it could have been, it was still nice. Fortunately, we were the only ones who knew where we've screwed up the pieces; the ones who came to hear us liked our performance.

I'm still not sure that I'll return to the choir next term. It's just too much stress. Our choir leader is a darling, but she doesn't seem to realize that we're just amateurs, mostly with fairly ruined voices (due to teaching that is really hard on the vocal cords) and always chooses too ambitious pieces. Then she is stressed out because we're struggling with said pieces and have to abandon many of them on which we've already worked for months because we simply can't sing them on the niveau she expects us to do. *sigh*

I love singing with the others, I really do. But it should be something by which we relax, not additional stress. After twelve years or so it simply becomes too much.

Comments

[lhun-dweller.livejournal.com]

I'm glad your audience enjoyed the gift of song you gave them.

It always seems a shame when the focus on "performance" steals the joy that singing brings to one's mind, body and soul. There's a big difference between taking on something a little challenging, which stretches the mind and body without robbing the joy, and struggling to achieve something that is out of reach. I hope someone can quietly speak with your choir leader to recalibrate her goals/expectations so you singers can once again the joy of making good music!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

We've tried. Repeatedly. It didn't work. Her idea of quality, plus her constant fear that the Boss won't be satisfied with our performance make her completely deaf. Which is stupid, because the Boss is never satisfied with anything, unless it has something to do with maths, but we can't change either of them. So I might leave the choir next year.