On Singning.
(more update leading to current stuff)
I have always appreciated music. Music can be used as a tool to adjust mood and feeling. When pulling all nighters I often use carefully selected music to help keep me awake. I have a testimony of the power of music to help usher in the spirit, and it is may be more than just coincidence that I tend to go for girls with some musical talent.
But in all honesty, my family tends to lack musical talent. Until a year ago I would have said I was completely lacking in musical ability, but a year ago I decided to actual TRY something musical and was able to successfully teach myself to play the recorder (you know that little flute like instrument) and in the process I learned to read music. So, I know longer can say I am totally I am musically inept but I acknowledge it is not a strong suit of mine.
In November Jeff Heatherly approached me and told me he was forming a ward choir, and that he was greatly in need of men. He also told me that the reason he was asking me to join the choir was because he saw in me a desire to praise the lord in song. I explained to him that I was willing to try but that I am essentially tone deaf, in other words, if you play a note and I sing a note I cannot tell you if I was on the right note. Jeff promised to work with me and I agreed to participate in the choir.over the next few weeks my humble little ward's humble little choir practiced Silent Night a few times each week after church working on developing four part harmony. I also met with Jeff a few times and received, not voice lessons but lessons in music theory and principal. A big problem for me was that I was the only tenor, to help me and the choir as a whole Jeffery was also singing tenor as the choir conductor. This meant that if I watched and listened closely for Jeff I could try and sing what he was singing but if I lost him I was completely lost (this meant that I would end up trying to sing the melody with the sopranos).
On Christmas Sunday the ward choir sang and I feel we did fine. I still have a long way to go before being anything more than some one who wants to sing, but I am trying.
This leads me to some more current events...Last week we opened Elder's Quorum by singing "How Firm a Foundation" we had good attendance in Quorum but Jeff was not there. Our new bishop conducted and Bob Houghton who is in our bishopric was present lending us a powerful trained bass. We sang unaccompanied and it was the best I have EVER heard our quorum.This week we had most of the same people, still know Jeff but also no Bob, and for reasons that cannot be adequately explained I was the one "conducting" (or at least waving an arm around while standing at the front of the room) and this week we once again sounded borderline cacophonous. How is it possible that 18 men can sing so well together and then a week later 14 of those same men can not sing together at all? I just don't understand. (Any of my elder reading this should know that I am simply being honest and am not attacking any one persons musical abilities)
Tonight after church Jordan and I went to the YSA fireside. It was a Hymn-along conducted by a brother from my home ward. We sang together many of my favorite hymns and I felt the spirit greatly as we raised our voices in praise to God. I truly do love music, I just wish I had more ability to do it well.
I have always appreciated music. Music can be used as a tool to adjust mood and feeling. When pulling all nighters I often use carefully selected music to help keep me awake. I have a testimony of the power of music to help usher in the spirit, and it is may be more than just coincidence that I tend to go for girls with some musical talent.
But in all honesty, my family tends to lack musical talent. Until a year ago I would have said I was completely lacking in musical ability, but a year ago I decided to actual TRY something musical and was able to successfully teach myself to play the recorder (you know that little flute like instrument) and in the process I learned to read music. So, I know longer can say I am totally I am musically inept but I acknowledge it is not a strong suit of mine.
In November Jeff Heatherly approached me and told me he was forming a ward choir, and that he was greatly in need of men. He also told me that the reason he was asking me to join the choir was because he saw in me a desire to praise the lord in song. I explained to him that I was willing to try but that I am essentially tone deaf, in other words, if you play a note and I sing a note I cannot tell you if I was on the right note. Jeff promised to work with me and I agreed to participate in the choir.over the next few weeks my humble little ward's humble little choir practiced Silent Night a few times each week after church working on developing four part harmony. I also met with Jeff a few times and received, not voice lessons but lessons in music theory and principal. A big problem for me was that I was the only tenor, to help me and the choir as a whole Jeffery was also singing tenor as the choir conductor. This meant that if I watched and listened closely for Jeff I could try and sing what he was singing but if I lost him I was completely lost (this meant that I would end up trying to sing the melody with the sopranos).
On Christmas Sunday the ward choir sang and I feel we did fine. I still have a long way to go before being anything more than some one who wants to sing, but I am trying.
This leads me to some more current events...Last week we opened Elder's Quorum by singing "How Firm a Foundation" we had good attendance in Quorum but Jeff was not there. Our new bishop conducted and Bob Houghton who is in our bishopric was present lending us a powerful trained bass. We sang unaccompanied and it was the best I have EVER heard our quorum.This week we had most of the same people, still know Jeff but also no Bob, and for reasons that cannot be adequately explained I was the one "conducting" (or at least waving an arm around while standing at the front of the room) and this week we once again sounded borderline cacophonous. How is it possible that 18 men can sing so well together and then a week later 14 of those same men can not sing together at all? I just don't understand. (Any of my elder reading this should know that I am simply being honest and am not attacking any one persons musical abilities)
Tonight after church Jordan and I went to the YSA fireside. It was a Hymn-along conducted by a brother from my home ward. We sang together many of my favorite hymns and I felt the spirit greatly as we raised our voices in praise to God. I truly do love music, I just wish I had more ability to do it well.
posted by a.lost.boy | 12:22 AM
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