I thought about making a list of the top 10 reasons WHY this blog post has been so long in coming, but really, who wants to read a bunch of excuses? Instead, I'll tell you what's been going on in VIP-land since our last update...
1.) We performed at Asbury! - and it was pretty fabulous. To help kick off the Memory Walk, we sang the national anthem and God Bless America and the Disney set from of our Broadway show. It's always interesting to perform when there's a dancing mascot! Yes, there was -- along with a DJ and several hundred folks gathered together to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer's. We enjoyed the performance, and hope to post some pictures from it soon.
2.) After the performance, I hopped in the car for a weekend in Philly. In between Dave Matthews concerts, I had a lovely lunch with Ashley C. (VIP '06) and dinner with Iain (VIP '06), Emily A. (VIP '07) and Elena (VIP '26). Fun to hang out with these former (and future) VIPs!
3.) We've had two more rehearsals, full of some pretty exceptional moments. One of my favorites -- in HS VIP, we're singing a wonderful piece that has a 3-part men's section. And our 7 guys nailed it in just one rehearsal. That really takes a level of musicianship that's head and shoulders above your typical youth choir. In fact, all of VIP really is performing "up a notch" right now. The 23 singers in middle school (yes, 23!) are doing music that, at a different point in time, full VIP might have done. It's awesome to see the singers conquering new musical territory -- and loving every minute of it.
4.) This year, I am incorporating choreography into warm-ups. Yes, it's a little silly but it entertains me. Ha! Oh - and it has some educational value, too. It helps VIP to physically relax before they sing. It introduces them to moves that will be part of our next choreographed show (in 2011!). They learn to follow their conductor and respond to instructions. Finally, it helps them to learn to think, act, and move like a unit. The singers learn quickly to self-correct when they're moving in the wrong direction or they're out of sync with the larger group... if they can hold onto that skill (physically and metaphorically), the individual singers and VIP will be in very good shape.
Welcome! Voices In Praise exists for the glory of God and in service to others. As the youth choir of Friendship United Methodist Church, the group is open to all youth in grades 6 -12 who have a desire to sing and a willingness to make the commitment to the group. Singers are not required to be a member of the church or to have any background in singing. Our doors are open to everyone!
The choir rehearses on Mondays. Girls rehearse from 6:30pm – 8pm; Guys rehearse from 7pm – 8:30pm.
New singers are welcome any time. Feel free to contact Director Holly Reynolds Lee at 301-728-1748 with questions!
The choir rehearses on Mondays. Girls rehearse from 6:30pm – 8pm; Guys rehearse from 7pm – 8:30pm.New singers are welcome any time. Feel free to contact Director Holly Reynolds Lee at 301-728-1748 with questions!