Our New Tenor (Help!)

Good Evening, Sweet Baby,

Okay, Sweet Baby, I need your help here. I am just back from my first Sunday at Pearl's church. I sat with her during the pre-service choir rehearsal, helped her onto the stage, then sat in the pews for the service itself. The main choir practice is for an hour, after the church service is over, and so I helped Pearl down the stairs and back into the choir practice room.

And the first thing the choir director says to me is, "so, how would you like to sing with us"? I made a little joke in response, something like, "well, once you've heard me you'll wish you hadn't asked that question".  :)

Actually, I think I have a fair voice, and used to sing harmonies in my band years back. I've been singing along to zillions of rock songs ever since I was four, and I can blend in with those pretty well, too. But I wasn't ready to be asked to sing in a church choir the very first time I showed up to assist Pearl. At first, I thought the director was just kidding, maybe saying it out of politeness, or just as light humor. But then I remembered Pearl telling me many times that the choir is hurting for members, and tenors especially. The director kept going : "What range do you sing in"?

Me: "I don't really know. Whatever comes out of my mouth, I suppose". The next thing I know, she is handing me all the sheet music for today's rehearsal, about 8 songs in all. She says, "Just sit between Pearl and Chuck, and follow along with them".

And just like that, before I had time to protest, I'd been roped in to being part of the church choir. When the rest of the members came in to the rehearsal room, she introduced me : "Let's welcome our new tenor"!

Now, she said all of this with a smile on her face, and she is a professional piano and voice teacher from USC, who obviously knows I can't just sit down and start singing and blending in with choir members who have been singing together for at least five years (the time I've seen them from working for Pearl). Also, some of the choral parts in the songs are fairly complicated. You've heard John Rutter and that type of music, I'm sure. You have probably sang Eric Whitacre's stuff which is extremely complex, choral-wise.

What I am saying, Sweet Baby, is that the music didn't sound too extremely difficult, but I just wasn't expecting to be asked such a thing. I thought I was just there to help Pearl get around the church rooms and stairs.

So help me, my Baby. What do I do now?!  :)

They are all very nice people at the Reseda Methodist Church, and I've known many of them, at least to say "hi" to, for all the time I've been with Pearl. But the choir director was not joking when she asked me to join the choir - right off the bat, on my first morning! - and.......I'm skeered! (scared).

Cause I was always kinda shy. I dunno if I wanna sing in front of a church congregation.

Help me, Sweet Baby!

I hope you had an awesome Sunday. I'll be here at home til 4:15, then at Pearl's. You know the drill.

I Love You and await your far-better-singing-voice-than-I'll-ever-have advice.........

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):) ......and Sweet Dreams a little later.