Voices Carry

My generous sister-in-law asked me to be part of a small, informal singing group she was forming. I sang and took voice lessons when I was younger but hadn't kept up the practice. I was honored and flattered and excited and said yes.

The plan was to gather together in person and get some guidance and direction from my sister-in-law's former singing teacher who would be joining us over Zoom.

At our first practice together, I was surprised I could still sing decently. Over the following weeks, my surprise blossomed into confidence as I practiced on my own or with my husband (he's accompanying us on guitar).

The other women in the group are kind, generous, beautiful, practiced singers. Sanding among them as we gathered, I sang out in full enthusiastic voice.

At the end of one practice together, I lost my place in the sheet music and stopped singing. Suddenly, I could hear the women next to me more clearly. Each voice was different and they were singing in a different ranges but together, they sounded as one.

I'm not used to singing in a group and it hadn't occurred to me that lowering my volume was part of that experience. In my excitement and focus on what I was bringing forth, I hadn't realized what else was possible as a group.

During the next practice, I lowered my volume and could hear the complexity and beauty of all of our voices as we harmonized and sang together. Making eye contact as we sang, we were, in real time, connecting, adjusting, making space for each other and elevating the quality of our own voices in return.