When I am frustrated, stressed, or otherwise not feeling right, I turn to music for help.  It doesn't matter how bad a day I had at work . . . after rehearsal, I am relaxed, rejuvenated, energized, and in a wonderful mood!  If I had not found the Huntsville Master Chorale, I would be very unhappy here.  I also enjoy the church choir that I am singing with, but the Master Chorale has the more challenging repertoire, which I love.  And the people are wonderful!  New friends with which I have much in common.

An exceptional singer that I met in the Master Chorale also sings with a group called Huntsville Collegium Musicum.  I went to hear them recently, and was blown away!  They are a 12-voice a cappella group and they presented a stunning program of early music.  In particular, I am obsessed with Lay a garland by Robert Pearsall and The Blue Bird by C.V.Stanford.  I have been listening to these pieces on youtube all weekend.  Monday at work, I was beside myself over some messed up formulas, and so I played The Blue Bird for myself on my iPad at my desk.  I was soon weeping.  The beauty of this piece washed over me and touched me so deeply.  It was a fantastic release and restored me to a calm peace of mind.  I love music, but I am not learned and I can't believe I was not aware such a beautiful piece of music exists.  I feel cleansed and ready to tackle what comes next.  Coincidentally, the woman in HCM who sang the soaring soprano part in The Blue Bird has spent the last 9 years singing with the Lancaster Chorale in Ohio.  I know no less than 8 wonderful singers from this group.  It was delightful to meet her and to marvel at what a small world it is sometimes.

I think I need to dive deeper into my love for music.  I love singing with HMC and church choir, but there is no reason I can't also study the subject so that I don't allow other wonderful pieces of music to go undiscovered by me.

I am so grateful to have this wonderful part of my life, that enriches me and others who hear me.  I regularly hear from singers around me that they love sitting near me, and especially in church choir, that they appreciate me leading them in the alto part.  I am so ecstatic to share this love of music with so many important people in my life, but especially with a talented, kind, funny, sweet, and wonderful man for whom I have developed deep feelings.  And who lives in Ohio.  All good things are in Ohio as far as I am concerned.