Should I sing in the choir?

[rusmeister]

Ahhhh! :help:
I've been asked to try out for the choir!!!
(I know that's not unusual, especially as most churches have small-enough choirs, but remember where I am and what language I'm being asked to sing in!)
There are plenty of people in the church - maybe 70-80 regulars now, but the choir director heard me singing at the end of the service (when someone ran up with a little kid after the service was over for a last-minute Communion, the choir jumped into "Telo Khristovo..." and I joined in), made a beeline for me and asked me to try out next Saturday after Vespers. :eek:
This is Old Church Slavonic here, and I know I have an accent.

I know most of you'll say go for it, but this is a full church with a semi-professional choir, and I can't tell bass from soprano! :o

[zhilan]

Ha ha. Sounds like a fun way to practice your Old Churcl Slavonic. :P

My guess. Just give in now. You've been identified and targeted. Resistence is futile.

[rainbowbright]

The language might come to you after regular practice. I would say if you've been told youhave a good voice then go for it: Choirs always seem to be in desparate need of male singers

[Melethiel]

Especially if you're a bass. ;)

[gzt]

You should go ahead and do it. As for language, people sing in foreign languages all the time, it might even help your accent. I mean, why not?

[choirfiend]

Sing softly and contribute what you can! You dont have to go be a foghorn with imperfect pronunciation...but we have Russian immigrants singing in our choir in imperfect English, and we dont care:)

[Dewi Sant]

Sing! Sing! Sing!



I find that being in the choir gives you an amzing view of the liturgy,

[Tsarina]

Join! My priest convinced me to join, even when i don't speak Russian or have sung in years! I even forgot how to read music and now im starting from scratch again and the Choir is really helpful.

It's scary in the beginning, but you'll get the hang of it, and the Choir will help you out. Go for it! :)

[Akathist]

I think when you see the music and go to practices you will discover that it is a blessing to sing in the choir.

While we use english in our service, we have one prayer that we sing in Slavonic. It is written for us in a phonetic language.

[Khaleas]

You'll probably notice that you know more than you think you do when you actually see the text or hear the music up close. I thought I was just 'singing' along with the Paschal troparion or Our Father with what I thought it was... but Father wrote it out for me transliterated and I had actually picked it up just right.
I've taken a tiny bit of Russian but now all the Russians are realizing how much I understand and get really surprised. There isn't a choir that has too many people so why not try out. He wouldn't ask you if you sounded like a wounded bull in heat (that's not my saying, I stole it). :P

[eoe]

I made the mistake of mentioning that I once upon a time sang in a choir and was forcibly dragged to choir practice the next day and have been in the choir ever since. The music is 90%+ greek but after you get used to it it is not too bad. It is a great way to learn the language actually. Remember all the Russians learning English from the Beatles? I have learned quite alot from being in the choir and it is a wonderful way to get involved with the church and get to know people and serve God.

Now the downside:
When you are in the choir you have something to do during the liturgy. This can, especially in the beginning, take your focus off of the liturgy. The good news is that once you learn most of the hymns you are more immersed in the celebration until then you are going to have another layer of confusion to deal with.

[Akathist]

I made the mistake of mentioning that I once upon a time sang in a choir and was forcibly dragged to choir practice the next day and have been in the choir ever since. The music is 90%+ greek but after you get used to it it is not too bad. It is a great way to learn the language actually. Remember all the Russians learning English from the Beatles? I have learned quite alot from being in the choir and it is a wonderful way to get involved with the church and get to know people and serve God.

Now the downside:
When you are in the choir you have something to do during the liturgy. This can, especially in the beginning, take your focus off of the liturgy. The good news is that once you learn most of the hymns you are more immersed in the celebration until then you are going to have another layer of confusion to deal with.

I agree sometimes it can take my mind off of the prayers to focus on certain pieces I am unfamiliar with. Also, for long services with the Eucharist it can be challenging. I have learned to drink a ton of water on Saturday to help me go into the service the least dehydrated. (It helps that the people who pour the wine that we have on the table to drink after receving the Eucharist start to pour a little extra into the cups when the choir goes comes through the Eucharist line. I have trouble having any liquid in my mouth to swallow the bread withuot it and it helps me finish the service.)

[nutroll]

I say try out. Just watch out for that Simon guy, he can really be a jerk to contestants.

[The Prokeimenon!]

If you're not comfortable with it, you really should tell the choir director that you can't join at this time. Once you join, you're making a commitment to be there for every service and practice. You'll no longer be able to sit/stand back and "take in" the Liturgy. It's a big deal and shouldn't be taken lightly.

That being said- if you have a talent, you better not bury it ;)

Rdr Moses

[Akathist]

If you're not comfortable with it, you really should tell the choir director that you can't join at this time. Once you join, you're making a commitment to be there for every service and practice. You'll no longer be able to sit/stand back and "take in" the Liturgy. It's a big deal and shouldn't be taken lightly.

That being said- if you have a talent, you better not bury it ;)

Rdr Moses

Check to see what the committment means. In my parish attending practices is encouraged but many members miss due to other obligations, etc. And at any time a choir member can take a break. I don't sing for example on the week of our annual festival. The choir goes up the the balcony for this and I have trouble with the stairs and the added heat up there effects my asthma. At times almost all choir members sit out for a DL or two, perhaps just to soak it in again, or due to sore throats or because they have guests visiting and want to stand near them.

[Tsarina]

Check to see what the committment means. In my parish attending practices is encouraged but many members miss due to other obligations, etc. And at any time a choir member can take a break. I don't sing for example on the week of our annual festival. The choir goes up the the balcony for this and I have trouble with the stairs and the added heat up there effects my asthma. At times almost all choir members sit out for a DL or two, perhaps just to soak it in again, or due to sore throats or because they have guests visiting and want to stand near them.

This sounds like my Church. Are you sure we're not in the same Parish? :P

[rusmeister]

Thanks a lot guys, I am taking this in. Yes, Moses, I already sense the commitment part. I've been struggling to make it to either Sat. eve. svcs or to early confession on Sundays (which I love - the church is so quiet and I can do the candles and veneration before the crowds come) - my youngest son is one year old now, and he's been sick a lot and has been waking up at 6am, so running off and "dumping" him on my sleeping wife just because I want to go to church early hasn't seemed right.
My wife is encouraging me to go for it, but I am afraid of taking on too much, fear of inability aside. But I do so want to become more a part of the church and the people I live with here (including all those who learned English via the Beatles - one of the choir members is my next-door - or next-podyezd neighbor and loves those Beatles songs. This doesn't have much to do with the price of tea in China, but yesterday he installed blinds for me to try to keep the baby from waking up so early).