In Advanced Vocal we sing a piece called "Musica Dei donum optimi". The lyrics mean "Music God's greatest gift." This motet has been a real challenge for us to sing because it is 6 part, and we only have 21 vocalists. So I sing 2nd Soprano with Jill Brennan and Becca McGown. Yesterday and today in first hour we were struggling to "fix it" and lock the chords and everything, then finally when we almost had it the bell rang! Then today we had an after school rehearsal to prepare for NAU Jazz & Madrigal Festival (which is in two days I'm so exctied!!) Doc said that she felt like a bad teacher that she couldn't take this piece to the next step. It kinda crushed me when she said that because she is ANYTHING but a bad teacher; we all wanted to improve the piece we just weren't sure how.
Then Mrs. Law, our new student teacher, said why don't you all sing it with your eyes closed? So that's just what we did. Its truly amazing how much more your ears work when your eyes are closed! The music becomes the only thing you think about and thats just what we needed, to become surrounded by the song. It was an incredible experience to open our eyes to see Mrs. Law, Dr. Spencer, and Ms. Hatch all practically in tears. They said it became so beautiful and just came together so well. Dr. Spencer then said "Just think how good of a choir we'd be if we sang 5 hours straight!" Then Zac and Chelsey joked about how we'd only have 21 friends!
I have come to adore and simply LOVE Advanced Vocal with all my heart! Its probably why I talk about it so much! If there is two things I wish I could stay in high school for it would be Seminary and choir because they have made my life complete! I find SO much joy in doing what I love with 20 other kids just like me who love it too!
Now to talk about AMEA! The second I got there AVE was just leaving the building to go do sound check so I was right on time! We warmed up quickly in this small room and then went back for sound check. Highland's directors were there, Ms. Hatch, Mr. and Mrs. Law, and just a few more were in the room. We finished up pretty fast, only going through 1 or 2 songs just to make sure the sound system was ready then it was time to wait! We sat in the hall, talked, took pictures, then had (my favorite) our "family meeting". Doc pulled us outisde and we talked about how we have done all the preparing and now it was time to just go have fun and reallly dive deep into the music, and let the audience enjoy it! We went in to listen to the one group before us, a group of 10 girls from North Canyon who sang pop music. They did well! Then it was our turn to show that jazz music can be performed!
The perfomance was AMAZING, I loved being there and have an audience that really appreciates good musicianship and jazz music! We sang Billy's Bounce, Happiness is Just a Thing Called Joe, Comes Love, and Brazilia! It was just perfect, I was so glad that we were able to make Doc SO proud of us! After our performance she had so many teachers come up and tell her how amazing she is! A girl from a professional jazz group, High Altitude, told Doc that they now had competition! The audience was so fun, smiling and kinda jamming out with us :) Monday we had another "family meeting" and just discussed the performance. I asked Dr. Spencer the best comments we got and she shared a few. One was from a graduate of Gilbert High who said she had never been more proud to be from Gilbert! Another was from a student teacher at NAU who simply asked "How do you do it? How do you get so many students to love jazz? If you could give me ONE thing you focus on what would it be?" Another big complement was one from Dr. Schultz who is Highlands director, who came up after and gave Doc a huge hug and said "It was incredible! Your chords locked, you swang so well, and the tone was beautiful! My students have to hear you guys!!" While we were singing I could see she had a recorder so I think she's going to share it with her students! Now that just feels so good!
I feel SO blessed to have music be such a big part of my life right now. There is no way to describe it when the sound just rings in the air for what seems like forever, and you are able to sound as one voice. The world just goes still and I am living in the moment, I hope that everyone someday gets to feel that peace that music brings because it is indescribable.
Love my choir family :)
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