Out of my league?

Yes! I finally did it! After a long absence away from any kind of organized singing I enlisted in a chorus here in my hometown of Ithaca, NY. The chosen chorus was the one that didn't require an audition, as there are few things I hate more than such torture. I also figured that if it doesn't require an audition, it probably is pretty easy going (last time I sung in a chorus was in Longyearbyen, Svalbard. The program consisted of ABBA and "Vem kan segla". I obviously need easy going).

Boy, was I wrong. I've been to two rehersals so far and I feel that I've accidentally stepped into the Navy Seals of choruses. At the first rehersal we were handed the score of the fall semester's piece: Mass in A-flat major by Schubert. Open it on page 1 and start singing. Before I could flip the page, the rest of the chorus had already sung half the mass. Holy Mo.

Many many many years ago I flirted, with appalling results, with structured music learning. I must have been the worst student ever to (dis-)grace Mr. Cortes's little classroom on Hverfisgata with her presence. I never learned to read music properly. I can't tell a tvíund from an áttund (or almost not). And here I am, supposed to be onsighting a whole f***ing mass! Hahaha, am I the only one who thinks this is funny?

So, they do have training wheels for us less gifted. Bunches of CDs with all the different voices, including fortunately the alto, are on their way to Ithaca as we speak. I can pop it into the CD player in the car and howl out loud all I want on the highway so as to not embarras my fellow altos during the steepest part of the learning curve. And actually, although it may sound like I'm cursing the day I decided to join the chorus, I love it.