I’m new to Higher Ground, I mean really new. Many members have known one another for years, or even studied under Janet while she taught high school, but I’m an Ontario import with no such history on the North Shore. It hasn’t mattered even an eighth note!
When I auditioned, Janet gloated over her inclusive group that doesn’t suffer from discord or cliques. I was cautiously optimistic.
But, at my very first practice, the altos celebrated having my new voice to boost theirs. And, knowing I would be site-reading every piece of music, everyone told stories of the amount of time it took to learn their parts in music from previous years. And, the retreat? Well, it was like returning home to a family reunion – I may have felt some distance at first, but by the end, I was genuinely one of them.
We stand in lines and stay within our sections during concerts (sometimes), but when we’re at ease, you might imagine bubbles in a champagne glass. Crossing paths, bubbling up in excitement, and surfacing to chat with whoever is standing nearby. We’re a group, but also individuals who care about each person whose voice our own joins and that comes out in our sound. You’ll see.
-Betsy
