Why Choir (And Tour) is Amazing:
10. The voyage. In all three of my years in Choir I have yet to experience a far-away tour, but I have high hopes forthat in my fifth year. Outside of that, however, the trips to Quebec and Northern Ontario have actually been loads of fun. It's essentially a giant, God-centered road trip with a bundle of your best friends.
9. The attitudes. Granted, some people are there for poor reasons and have bad attitudes. And even still some people with great attitudes get tired and cranky. But there is no denying that it is hard to imagine any group of 20-something-year-olds with more joyful spirits.
8. The jokes. Every tour has them, and some of them are just too good to forget. This year for me it is Dontcha, Taylor's attempts at French and Joz my passionate lover. And I love the fact that I can glean this from a week of bus-riding and fatigue!
7. The music. Take it from someone who favours screamo, rock and punk over Beethoven, Bach and Handel (not Liszt, I would take him over anything!), there is a whole world of absolutely incredible music that our generation is going to miss out on. Were it not for Choir I would never have heard of O Magnum Mysterium (Lauridsen), Christus Factus Est (Bruckner), Crucifixus (Lotti) and Requiem (Faure's, Gilles' and Brahms') among many other marvelous repertoire.
6. Sopranos. They might be divas sometimes, but so many of these ladies are the nicest, most honest people I have ever met. Many of them inspire me to be more in touch with my femininity.
5. Tenors. There are few sections where you can find pop stars, politicians, math buffs and basketball players. But we have them all, and they love nothing more than to give out hugs and spread joy.
4. Basses. Some of the manliest men I know, and some of the most reliable friends I have.
3. Altos. There is not one alto in choir that I don't absolutely adore. These ladies are entirely dedicated to love, to God, and to each other.
2. Dr. Teeuwsen. While he may come across to almost everyone in their first impression as the scariest, most intimidating man alive, T-Man is like a giant teddy bear. True, he plays organ like a world champ. And true, if you aren't singing to your full potential he'll scare the crap out of you in a concert. However, he will also sing "Dontcha" and "Go for a Soda" on the bus, will hug anyone, anywhere, anytime, and will become your father while you are at school.
1. Faith. I'm not the only one who wants desperately to understand, and when we sing songs like this all together, I feel certain that we're all seeking answers together.
