Steph Mattie
Ah! The calm that follows the December concert and before the start of our spring rehearsals. The SaddleBrooke Singers have returned from a break and are transitioning from the 2019 board of directors to the 2020 team. It has been my pleasure to write the articles for our group for the past two years, and I know our incoming publicity/article chairperson will keep you all well informed on the doings of the Singers. For my last article, I’m submitting a wonderful piece from one of our members, Sam Page. He has truly captured what many of us feel about being a part of such a great group.
How SaddleBrooke Singers Improved My Life: A Testimonial (Sam Page)
Although my background included singing in large choirs, ensembles, and solo work, I had not sung regularly in a group for over thirty years. (Of course, I still sang in the shower and with the car radio!) My wife, Laurie, and I moved here in 2005, and when I heard about the SaddleBrooke Singers, the desire to get back into choral singing drew me in like a magnet, and I joined in 2007.
Having been in choral groups before, I remembered how much pleasure it gives you to be a part of a choir, to make music along with your fellow singers, and what a sense of accomplishment it gives you when you nail a piece of music in a performance. What I had almost forgotten was the camaraderie that comes with singing and learning as a group. It’s as if you have joined an extended family who are working toward a common goal, that of making music—good music—together. Singing also relieves stress, gives you a sense of well-being, and it’s physically good for you!
Then I picked up my old guitar and started playing it again, and also brushed up on the harmonica. I began to play in public, not just for my own amusement. I also got up the nerve to play both the clarinet and harmonica in SaddleBrooke Singers concerts. I had the honor of serving as the president of the group for five years. Laurie also joined later, and what a great feeling that is since I think we sang in our last choir together in high school!
The greatest thing the SaddleBrooke Singers did for me was to build up my confidence as a singer. I don’t get nervous anymore when I get up and perform before an audience, whether by myself or in a group. I joined a Church choir, a Hawaiian Band, a Jam group for a while, and I sing solos at the SilverBelles Dance Group performances. I’ve performed in the SaddleBrooke Variety Shows.
The point is, that being in the SaddleBrooke Singers has been one of the most positive experiences in my life, and has led to so many other things that I thoroughly enjoy doing. If you want to make a positive change in your life, or maybe just see how much fun you can add to it, join the SaddleBrooke Singers. You don’t have to be a professional singer, and you don’t have to audition. If you’ve ever sung in a choir in your life, think back about how much fun that was, and re-kindle those good feelings!
For more information, call Jay Hansen at 520-271-8542.