Singing is something almost everyone does. Children sing, performers sing at ballgames, people sing along with the radio in their car…it’s a universal human activity. Because it can seem so simple, people tend to underestimate the skill it takes. But singing is a skill I have pursued for many years, and it takes enormous effort and dedication.
It is a skill that pushes me to grow. It is something that challenges me and allows me to develop more than just my vocal skills. As a member of SGC, I have learned to become a better singer. Because of my choir experience, I am able to sing and live my life with equal confidence. I am not afraid to try again when I make mistakes, or to help others when I see them make mistakes. I know how to work hard and have fun while doing it. I love singing in SGC, and consider it my greatest talent not because I am the best at it, but because it pushes me to become the best I can be.
Choir and music has long been a part of my life. I joined a choir in elementary school because it sounded fun and all my friends were doing it. Then, when I started middle school, I quit. I thought that singing in choir sounded lame and didn’t want to be associated with that. I continued to take private vocal lessons, but I definitely missed the atmosphere of being in a choral group. Joining SGC was the best decision I could have made. Although it is time-consuming and challenging, it is worth it for the community and the skills I learn.
SGC has brought me a community of smart, thoughtful, and caring young women, which I am proud to be a part of. The memories of our concerts, camp, retreat, and tour will stick with me forever and I am so lucky that SGC provides these opportunities. It’s kind of heartbreaking to realize that my last concert with SGC at town hall will never happen, that I won’t get a graduation luncheon, that I won’t be able to go on tour with SGC and experience Romania with so many of my friends, and that hours of rehearsal for Cabaret and concerts feel like they’ve been abandoned. But I do realize that just because we can’t currently meet in person, doesn’t mean I’ve lost the community.
Choral arts has taught me many valuable and applicable skills. Choral music requires individuals with high levels of personal competence to work together. It requires patience, and the willingness to try again. It demands that you really understand the material, and how to apply it. Although my senior year may have been cut short, I’m happy that I got to spend it as a part of SGC.
-Eva Zhou