Singing is a Hobby too!

by Josephine P.
(New Orleans)

My name is Josephine P. and here in the deep south in New Orleans, music is a vocation, an avocation, or a hobby for many citizens and visitors.

I had been an alto singer in a choir in high school, but never had a thought to sing in a choir as an adult. I have always loved gospel music and it is prevalent here.

You don't have to go to church on Sundays to hear gospel music as it is often the entertainment at gala occasions and for convention and conference entertainment.

One evening, I heard a small community choir and knew that I wanted to join it and to sing with them. Not only did they welcome me, the made sure that I was able to sing with the correct voice section for my singing range.

The choir dues are $20 per month and we rehearse once a week for about 2-1/2 hours. At least twice a month (except in the summer), we have a performance. Some of these are in the evenings, some in the morning for breakfasts, and some involve singing at festivals on a weekend afternoon. The performances usually take about two hours.

Not only do I enjoy the singing, but I have made new friends with a large and diverse group and I have been to places in the city that I would never have visited before.

When we had a major natural disaster here, it was the choir that held together, found one another, and raised money from family and friends to help other choir members to get back to the city. We found places to live for our choir friends who had lost their homes.

We have been together through births and deaths and, like most families, we grow closer as we celebrate our successes and support one another through our challenges.