Community Chorus

When I lost my job at the night school, I felt very lost.  That was my ticket out of the house each week to be around grown ups.  I was very well aware of my need to talk to someone other than my four and two year olds.  A friend of the family, the mother of one of my husband's childhood friends, with whom I had struck up a friendship, had talked about singing in the community chorus.  I sang in choruses in both high school and college.  So, I called her up and asked for the details.  She was ecstatic!  She was so excited for me to join and said everyone would love to have me and not to worry if I didn't get the notes right away because they all struggle.  I should have known what I was getting myself into then.

Four years ago, when I first joined, the chorus was around sixty to sixty-five members. At thirty-four, I was all their younger by at least twenty years.  My car was nearly hit four times, all by Buicks, as I pulled into the parking lot.  The first night two people fell, but luckily no hips were broken.  We picked apart "Feliz Navidad" about a thousand times because they just couldn't get the tune.  And, when I introduced myself, I got a rousing applause and during the break almost every member came up to personally welcome me into the group.  It was the first and only time since moving here that I was wholly and fully welcomed as a member of a community.  

I love these people.  And we're not all that bad either.  The altos need a little extra special attention most nights.  I bring along my crocheting, which you'd think wouldn't be all too much of an unusual sight, but has garnered much attention and admiration given the population, while the director works with the altos.  I've made some great friends through the chorus, though again all old enough to be my mom, some to be my grandmom.  For a couple years there was even another young mom like me needing to get out of the house.  Age aside, they are a terribly supportive and enveloping group of people.  At the break we catch up on past members, their successes and life changes and passings.  Prayers are said for those in need.  Cards sent for cheering up.  There are a lot of jokes told throughout the night, mostly corny music jokes, some dirty jokes.  It's my comic relief for the week.

Sadly, our numbers are now less than fifty.  We have lost several members over the last few years for varying reasons.  One woman's husband passed away and she lost her passion to sing.  One woman's voice has failed her with age.  A couple women have had to move closer to family or go into continuing care facilities.  And, of course, there have been deaths.  This past year we lost three very special members.  One woman sung with the chorus since its inception over forty years ago.  She was ninety-three and yelled at me once for sitting in her seat.  When a person sits in the same seat for forty-some years, you had better move, and fast!  Another was a clergyman with a booming voice who would narrate different pieces of music for us. And the last was a woman who used to own my husband's childhood home.  She was the first person to come and introduce herself to me the night I joined.  I drove her a few times to practice and her passing was quite sudden.  It was a rough year.

Today my prayers focus on this group of wonderful people.  I hope this new choral season finds them all in good health and sees growth for the chorus.  These people are like my extended family.  They are all there for one reason or another, and while they might not understand all the reason the chorus is special to me, they do understand why it's special because it means something for each of them as well.