For the first time, Isabella and I participated in a Christmas Concert. It all began with the children's piano instructor discussing the ability to recognize music via note reading verses ear training. When I used myself as an example of ear training before note reading, she stopped and wanted to confirm my ability to sing. I explained my choral experience in our previous church and my training in college, she practically had me against the wall. "I need Altos! Can you sing Alto?" The following Wednesday at Isabella's Choir Rehearsal, she handed me a packet for the Alto section. Thus began a two month preparation for the Christmas Celebration to be held at our church.
First, I wish to clarify any misconceptions on my abilities. I was Mezzo-Soprano trained in college for one year, quite a long time ago. Due to allergy issues and several bouts with strep and bronchitis, I was very nervous about my ability to hit those high notes as I once could. The Alto section is a more safe zone, only requiring me to have confidence in my ability to distinguish the different sections. Here lies the problem, I have lost much of the confidence I once possessed. I have a very strong voice, it is the fear of keeping it on the right note. Most music is heard in the Soprano range for females with the Alto range getting lost amid the Tenors section. However, without the Altos to enunciate the words, it can sound like the females are emitting some lovely sounds when singing some of the chosen pieces. This is not to say the Altos carry the most weight, it takes the whole range to make the piece sound as the composer meant it to sound. The most difficult part for me, a person who was highly trained by ear first, was to know I was indeed following the intended notes for my section even though they sounded flat compared to the Sopranos. I had to ignore my ears and follow my brain, something akin to a person becoming blind and trying to find their way about their house. It is familiar, but you just are not sure if you can trust yourself.
I humbly proceeded to the rehearsals, nervousness and all. At my first rehearsal, I gingerly took a less conspicuous seat off to the side of the Alto section. After two songs, the director moved me to the center on account of my strong tone with directions to learn the music fast for the sake of my Alto peers. Oh, dear! What have I gotten myself into? Karl took my music and downloaded it onto my headphones (I do not have an I-Pod, just a small ear phone player which was intended to have books on CD for me while I weeded my gardens in CT) to which I drilled it into my head. Interestingly, when Isabella was at the Children's Rehearsals one evening, she begged the director to let them sing one of the adult 5 part pieces because she had learned it from listening to me. In the end, I did a fair job by my accounts, and an amazing job according to Karl and Anton. Isabella said, "The Adults sounded like the CD Mommy!"
The children sang a few songs while the adult choir took a break. They did a wonderful job, especially when several children were out with strep throat. Isabella entertained everyone with her faces and inability to stand still. I was getting upset with her until I noticed Anton was making faces at her from the audience. The adults returned for a few songs and then the children returned for the medleys. Again, our little artist could not contain herself. She began directing, following the director's moves a little slowly at first, but in full motions by the end of the number. Later, when asked if she would like to be a director when she gets older, Isabella exclaimed, "I already am!"
