A Choir Family

In high school, choir was my main source of community. Though I was often referred to as “Megan the dancer,” the choir room was my sanctuary. The goofy choir teacher who was basically my big brother the kind but intelligent accompanist who let us cry about our boy drama in her office, and, of course, my friends. As the choir kids, we had a close bond and we spent most of our time in and out of school together: at musical rehearsals in local restaurants during lunch breaks, in music theory study groups, and basically any other time we weren’t in choir. It wasn’t even that I loved singing so much or that I was particularly talented. I was just so drawn to the community created there. Choir was my family. It was where I felt safe and at home. When looking to college, I knew I wanted the same experience.

            

Before I arrived on campus, I decided Folk Choir was the best equivalent to my high school choir experience, and I started planning my entire college experience around it. I looked up when they rehearsed, performed, and I started making sure that all my other extracurriculars and classes would fit around it. I was packing my bags for their international tour and worrying how I would go home for a weekend if I had to sing every Sunday in the Basilica. I was already feeling the pressure of such little time and so many things I wanted to do. But I told myself it was worth the sacrifice to have a choir family once more.

            

Late in the summer before my freshman year, I caught a cold. It kicked in full blast just as Frosh-O was starting. My Folk Choir audition was that Saturday. I was trying to save my voice, but it was already going out Friday night. By Saturday, there was no way I could talk, much less sing! When I arrived at my audition, I was told that there was no way I could audition and to come back again in November.

            

As I walked back to my dorm, I wasn’t sad or angry or upset. I felt freed. I was able to take on all the other extracurriculars that I didn’t think I had time for. I had time for dance and quiz bowl and theater and teaching catechism and my weekends were free to going to visit home whenever I wanted. But now, the only thing missing would be a choir.

            

Just two days later, a solution arrived. One of my friends told me that she had joined Celebration Choir and invited me to join too. After one rehearsal, I was convinced. I loved how its weekly rehearsal fit neatly into my schedule. I loved how wonderful it felt to sing familiar vocal warm ups. I loved the rewarding feeling of mastering a difficult piece of music. I loved our choir dinners before rehearsal and the different events and tours we got to take. I loved the diverse group of students in our choir and the different insights they brought. It was exactly what I had been looking for.

If you’ve been reading this blog, you’ll now that I seem to look for God everywhere, in the way the disjointed pieces of hopes and prayers seem to fall into place all at once. Finding Celebration Choir was such a blessing and I know that only God could have led me there. God has given me the best of both worlds: a chance to still sing despite my busy schedule and a beautiful, unique choir family for my Notre Dame journey.

To learn more about the Celebration Choir, check out http://campusministry.nd.edu/basilica-of-the-sacred-heart/basilica-choirs/celebration-choir/ or email Choir Director, Karen Schneider-Kirner at kschnei1@nd.edu.  

           

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