Any choir singers/lay readers here?

[Mariya116]

I have searched the forum for threads on choir singing and have not found anything recent. So, dear choir singers! Let's get acquainted and share our experiences! I sing both alto and soprano, depending on who's more needed on a particular day. I sing at the Liturgy and the Vespers, and do reading if needed. I love it, even though it is a lot of responsibility and takes a lot of time out of my week. But I'm glad to be able to serve the parish in this way. Mine is a very devoted parish, I respect them for how they have carried on despite the declining membership.

 

[ProScribe]

Hello I started out as a beginner layman more than several years ago.

 

[OuterWater]

I am a Reader and sing bass in my choir. I make it rumble

 

[Mariya116]

Do you guys find that being a church singer is demanding?

 

[OuterWater]

It can be somewhat time consuming, but it is a labor of love. I have been singing in choirs since I was about 10, so I'm used to always having music to learn and practicing practicing practicing.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

I have searched the forum for threads on choir singing and have not found anything recent. So, dear choir singers! Let's get acquainted and share our experiences! I sing both alto and soprano, depending on who's more needed on a particular day. I sing at the Liturgy and the Vespers, and do reading if needed. I love it, even though it is a lot of responsibility and takes a lot of time out of my week. But I'm glad to be able to serve the parish in this way. Mine is a very devoted parish, I respect them for how they have carried on despite the declining membership.

Hi, Mariya!

I'm also a "roving" alto/soprano. My range is really 2nd Soprano/1st Alto - not too high and not too low. We have several services each week and I try to be at as many as possible, so yes it does take time but I love it. I'll be singing til they cart me off or my voice gives out. About the only time I get to do any Reading is during the morning Holy Week services early in the week when very few people are there.

Mary

 

[Anhelyna]

I suppose you could call me a Lay Reader too - I read the Epistle in English every week . We are a Ukrainian Language parish and only the Readings are repeated in English. Until our Sub-deacon arrived at Pentecost I was also Blessed by our Exarch to read the Gospel as well - now that's the sub-deacon's remit [ we do cover for each other's absences so we are always prepared for both each week - just-in-case ]

We don't have a choir but Ukes sing . There is something strange about our Chant though - at some point in the past[ could be 20 years ago ] they started using the 1st Harmony line as the Melody - it's taken me some time to start harmonising - but it's slowly developing now and I'm gaining in confidence , though concentrating on the language and the chant at the same time is challenging.

 

[Ortho_Cat]

I have searched the forum for threads on choir singing and have not found anything recent. So, dear choir singers! Let's get acquainted and share our experiences! I sing both alto and soprano, depending on who's more needed on a particular day. I sing at the Liturgy and the Vespers, and do reading if needed. I love it, even though it is a lot of responsibility and takes a lot of time out of my week. But I'm glad to be able to serve the parish in this way. Mine is a very devoted parish, I respect them for how they have carried on despite the declining membership.

hi, i'm a bass, and i contribute to the choir every so often. i'm not a "regular" per se, but i do what i can.

 

[cristinasorina]

My husband is the choir director and I sing soprano as well. I do think it is a labor of love as well, and I do enjoy my time there. Currently I am on extended choir leave of absence ever since my youmgest daughter became mobile and could not sit quietly in her carseat anymore. Hopefully once she grows a bit she and her sister can keep quiet and not be so distracting to all the choir members.

 

[Mariya116]

I must say I'm not a child/baby person and would gladly do without children in the choir loft (the non-stop whining, Jesus!). Then again, I'm a woman so it's indecent to admit to not adoring little darlings.

 

[cristinasorina]

I must say I'm not a child/baby person and would gladly do without children in the choir loft (the non-stop whining, Jesus!). Then again, I'm a woman so it's indecent to admit to not adoring little darlings.

Yeah, it was fine when my first was the only one there, I was able to stay in the back more to sing and nobody really noticed her. It was kind of hard for me not to sing since I was one of 2 sopranos. It's kind of difficult with 2 to keep them quiet especially when the youngest is only 9 months old... so i'm on an extended break. Being in the choir loft really was great for my now 2 year old. She can sing many of the responses, and she knows the Beatitudes fairly well.

 

[Mariya116]

my now 2 year old. She can sing many of the responses, and she knows the Beatitudes fairly well.

Aww!

 

[Lukaris]

I had not sung for perhaps 30 years & then had to chant during a 2007 Lent Presanctified liturgy (with deep apprehension). From there I was basically put into the choir & have been there since ( a most humbling experience). Guess I go off key back & forth between tenor & baritone and have found choir to be most spiritually uplifting. In our Antiochian parish, we use majority English with a fair share of old liturgical Arabic, occasional Slavonic & Greek also.

 

[hungrytiger]

I try to sing soprano with the choir. Sometimes we do some of the readings too.

I was trying to learn how to sing alto. My range is more soprano, but I seem to be able to get most of the alto part. I was trying to learn because we have a small choir and it would be nice if we could have all the parts covered well. But then the two people who sang alto moved away, and I didn't feel I had it down well enough to carry it on my own. Though just recently we got a new alto again So, now our choir's back up to 4 members.

I don't find it very demanding. I'm glad I'm able to go to church and that they let me try to sing. I'm afraid I don't practice much though. And we don't normally have a lot of services during the week. So I guess that's why.

My two little girls hang out in the pew with us. I hope they're not too disruptive. They're 4 years old and almost 2 years old. I'm just so glad that they're able to come to church with me.