“A Few Reminders” - Thoughts to Begin the Season from Artistic Director Erin Freeman

Dear City Choir Friend,

It seems like there are a lot of things to do these days. Check the news, keep up with politics, buy the right things at the grocery store, keep the house clean, get rid of the bamboo, stand up every hour, breathe.

Schedules are complex with competing priorities, but luckily, the tech folks have developed a multitude of ways to remind you to get down to business. The phone flashes, the watch buzzes, the computer provides a helpful ‘ding.’ (Or maybe ‘helpful’ should be in quotes. Do we really need a reminder to breathe?)

Sure, I guess it’s important to get all the things done, but these days, amongst all of the constant reminders, I’m finding that my needs are actually much simpler. However, just like Mozart’s stunning Ave Verum Corpus, simple can be profoundly important. I need reminders to find the good in people. I need reminders to discover what is possible. I need reminders to seek out beauty.

For these, I don’t need a beeping device or a motivation matrix – all I need is City Choir.

 

REMINDER #1: FIND THE GOOD IN PEOPLE

Every Monday night, roughly 150 people descend upon St. Columba’s church near Tenleytown in Northwest DC. These are volunteers – singers who give of their time to rehearse for 2.5 hours with the ultimate goal of giving a concert for the public. They work diligently to refine and perfect every detail. They show up early to set up tables, to check people in, and to hand out candy. They donate, and they encourage others to donate. They offer each other rides, wait with their colleagues until the Lyft arrives, and walk each other to the Metro. They check in on sick members, support those who are grieving, welcome the newest recruits, and offer hugs – or a smile – when required. And they sing . . . beautifully. 

If you need a reminder that humanity is good – impressive even, come to a City Choir rehearsal. (Yes - we occasionally have open rehearsals, so keep your eyes peeled!)

REMINDER #2: DISCOVER WHAT IS POSSIBLE

It’s one thing to see great people do great things. After all, if you look past the constant grievances of the media, you’ll find them everywhere. But to truly discover what is possible when they give of themselves and work in tandem, City Choir is a perfect reminder of the possible. Imagine: 150 people with different backgrounds, jobs, and abilities. Some have been singing together for 40 years, and some are first year choir members. Some sightread well, while others have an affinity for languages. Everyone is given a chance to lead in their own unique way – whether it’s running a sectional, leading a fundraising initiative, or bringing cookies. But when they sit in their chairs and give themselves over to the process of a rehearsal, the magic really starts to happen. Musical decisions are made – some overtly through verbal instruction and some less obvious through the art of careful listening. Incremental progress is celebrated – slow and steady, kind and giving, focused and demanding. A vowel is matched, and the intonation improves. A consonant is well-placed, and the music is instantly filled with vitality. Such cooperation makes the chorus a laboratory that proves that with care, cooperation, and a whole lot of listening, a large group of people can become even better than the sum of their parts. 

REMINDER #3: SEEK OUT THE BEAUTY – AND WHEN YOU FIND IT, CHERISH THE MOMENT

Sure, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but however you define it, it can only be experienced in the moment. No cell phones and no distractions. Even the most bold and impressive monuments to beauty are fragile and ephemeral (remember the tragic Notre Dame Cathedral fire). City Choir is devoted to providing small and grand moments of beauty in everything we do. From our joyful sing-alongs as part of the National Symphony Orchestra’s Sound Health Friday initiative to our performances of music by Haydn, Beethoven, Bonis, Bizet, and Gershwin; from our pretty impressive and straightforward National Anthem for the Nats games to our City Singers engagement chorus that brings music to those who cannot leave their homes – we carefully curate musical experiences that provide a moment of beauty and inspiration for crowds large and small.

 

So, if you’re like me and you would like to be reminded of the important things in life, turn off your notifications, put down the to-do list, close that kanban flow chart, and head to a City Choir event. You’ll be glad you did.