Singing High and Loud

They switched up the process for Candlelight choir this year.  Due to increasing demand, they have switched from first come-first served sign-ups to a lottery system, and now they're actually doing auditions.  They're not calling the process auditions, but "selections."  Either way, the idea that maybe there wouldn't be a tone-deaf person wailing behind me this year led me and my big fat ego to go out for it.

My "selection" was yesterday.

Of the four song selections, I originally decided to do the one that ends in a high A.  Why?  Soprano I ego, of course!  I broke out my old Candlelight rehearsal CD as soon as I signed up for "selections," and have been singing along with it on and off ever since.  Unfortunately, most of my other singing these days is of the alone in the car belting along with Christina Aguilera and Pink variety.  It turns out alternating between belting pop and singing high soprano (you know, with basically no warming up) will do a number on your vocal cords.

So I chickened out of the song that ends in the A, and instead went with the one with basically four bars of sustained G instead (from 1:23 to the end in this video, if you're curious).  I can't say I nailed it - I've got a lot more air in my voice than I used to - but I really do think I did well.  Well enough, for sure! 

I mentioned my "selection" on Facebook yesterday and got a comment that made me laugh: "You're a soprano?"  To hear me speak, you'd never guess that.  And the comment made me flash back to middle school, 7th or 8th grade.  I was auditioning for Ms. D, I believe for Small Ensemble, and she didn't even look up from the piano. 
her: voice part?
me: alto
her: (laughing, and speaking in a deep man voice to imitate me) alto

We then proceeded to do vocal scales, starting in the low alto range.  We kept going up and up, higher than I'd ever really even tried to sing.  I was aware that Ms. D was looking up from the piano, eyebrows WAY up in surprise.  Heck, I couldn't believe those notes were coming out of my mouth!  And the only reason my voice cracked and we stopped was because the girl standing next to me was laughing or making a face and it made me laugh. 

I've been a soprano ever since.

As far as singing goes, it's one of my true loves.  I'm better than average, but not great.  I still sing in the car, but rarely in front of other people.  Karaoke? Gah...no way!  I love singing Phantom more than Les Mis because I enjoy the high parts.  And I look back on that one moment in middle school as a turning point of sorts.  What if I never knew I had those high notes in me?

Anyway, just my self-absorbed deep thought of the day!