Preaching to the Choir

Singing is something that I have done since before I entered school. My family is very musical and many of my relatives sing and/or play an instrument. I took singing lessons when I was very young and did choir in elementary, middle, and high school. In addition to this, I have also sang in ward choirs and in small groups for church. Although I have grown up singing, it has never been easy for me to sing by myself in front of audiences. Being shy is probably part of the problem but I have also had some experiences that have made me more hesitant to sing a solo. I remember once in elementary school auditioning for a solo when I had a cold and therefore did not sound the best but still decent. As it can be assumed, I did not get the solo and I was a little devastated. In fifth grade for our promotion ceremony they had auditions to sing a solo part to Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten". Again I tried out and again I did not get the part. One of the things that was frustrating about this experience was that some of the soloists were only selected because they could sing loud not because they were on key. However, the hardest solo that I ever had to do was for my choir audition in high school. We had to perform a solo and then went through some vocal exercises that would determine what choir we would be put in. Again, this was one of the most terrifying things I have had to do. I avoided ever trying out for solos in choir because I did not want to sing in front of an audience or in front of my class. If there was one thing that could describe how I felt about singing in front of others, it was embarrassed.

Although this seems to be a long and drawn out story about how much I avoid to sing solos, this is not the end of the story. As I have gotten older I have tried harder to address this fear of singing a solo in front of others. I took a singing class and was required to sing in front of others often. It was not less scary to get in front of others but I have learned to calm my nerves better when singing in front of others. Last year for my ward Christmas sacrament meeting and for a high council meeting, I sang a solo of "Away in a Manger" and although it was not easy for me I did it. I hope that this story can encourage you to continue to try to do hard things and realize that although something may not get easier, that the experience and growth is worth it.

Comments

  1. UnknownNovember 27, 2017 at 6:18 PM

    I understand your pain! I am definitely by all means not a singer, but speaking in front of a large audience has never been my cup of tea. I will say it gets easier as you get older. I don't know if you share in the same opinion. I applaud your courage. Keep up the good work!

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