Until eight years ago, I never had thought of myself as a singer. As a shy person in high school, would not have even considered choir had I given it any thought. Missed opportunity! On the other hand, my wife sang in the U.S. High School Band and Choir, toured internationally, sang at Concordia Choir, and was friends with Dr. Erik Christiansen, whose grandfather founded the St. Olaf Choir and was a prolific choir music composer, and whose father conducted the Concordia Choir. “Doc”, as he is known to many of us, used that muscial genius and DNA to conduct The Stillwater Choir in Minnesota, making that H.S. choir consistently one of the best in the country year after year.
My wife kept after me each year to go to their concerts, but being busy with art, thought,
“Eh? High school choir? Whoopitydoo…Naw, I’ll pass.” Then in 2006 she finally convinced me to go. WOWWWW!!!! I could hardly believe how great and powerful they sounded, and so moving in expressing the beautiful compositions, and fun in the humorous ones. More spark of life than most college choirs! I was hooked…as an appreciator/listener.
When Doc decided to retire after the 2016 season, I decided to drive to the school once or more per week and learn how he could transform squirrely high school students into amazing vessels of sound memorizing a long set of complex music, seemingly flawlessly. I sat in a corner and took copious notes…33 pages-worth in very small letters, transcribing everything going on. It was an incredible experience, like being in a school of angels (with a somewhat devilish sense of humor!) amid a large high school.
One and a half years later, via a church art commission, I saw the church choir room, and asked if I could listen to a rehearsal, as the sight had reminded me of the joyful time at Stillwater. My expectation was to sit quietly in a corner and listen, but upon entering, the choir director, Linda Burke, handed me a music folder and said, “Why don’t you sit in the back with the basses and sing with us?” Deer in the headlights look notwithstanding, I complied. I didn’t even know how to read music, as I played piano, drums, and harp by ear only. Relying on good ears for music and trying to see the up and down flow of the notes on the pages, I did well enough to fool those around me into sounding like I knew what I was doing. And totally enjoyed it. Next week I brought my wife, and we have been singing in that choir ever since. (Had either Linda not been such a good director, or the music selection not interesting, I would have not continued) A year later, Dr. Erik Christiansen came out of retirement to conduct “The Century Choir” at Century College in White Bear Lake, MN. Even though in way over my head, I knew I could not miss the opportunity to learn from one of the best choir directors in the US. It is an unauditioned choir with quite a range of skills and personalities, with typically 3/4 of its members being former H.S. students of his from various years who love singing with him, his sense of humor, and his committment and skill to put Art with a capital A in the music. So this is a choir full of heart! Choir singing is one of the most fun things going on in my life, and I had no idea about it until all of these pieces of opportunity came together so serendipitously.
I encourage anyone to give it a try. Choir people are the best! They are an eccentric and very welcoming group of people. There is nothing quite like the joy of coming together to make beautiful sound and expression. I will close this message with a link to our spring concert of 2023, which had an amazing range of songs that was my favorite of all our repertoires. If looking for me: a 2nd bass, back row, 3rd from the right for the first set, then 5th from the left afterwards. But rather than look for me, look for yourself singing in a choir and having the time of your life! https://www.youtube.com/live/q_y8NgXL2EM
Glenn Terry 