If you’re a choral singer, or if you’ve heard someone talk about conflict, you may have encountered the corny phrase,
“There’s a reason we have two ears but only one mouth!”
(Har…)
Cheesy, indeed, but there are times when we are served well by listening more intentionally. When you’re singing in a choral setting, this is not only about how you sing, but about how you fit your singing into that of others. How do you blend? How do you practice dynamics? How do you keep the rhythms and cut offs precise and together? How do you make space for other vocal parts that should be primary in particular spots? This takes listening.
I’m just turning the corner on being sick for a week, but last night, I felt well enough to sit in the back of my choir rehearsal. I probably wasn’t contagious anymore, but just to be sure, I took some space, and instead of singing, I listened for the rehearsal.
And in listening intentionally, I perceived the music differently. I gained a larger view of the piece. I heard things that are working exceptionally well. I heard mistakes that needed more rehearsal.
This was a good exercise. And since I’ve already referenced an additional context for my corny, opening phrase, I do wonder where I need to listen more. If I listen intentionally, might I perceive conflicts differently? Might I hear needs more precisely? Might I consider community responses more frequently? Might I discern possibilities more readily?
This is a good invitation.
—Renee Roederer
Smuggling Grace 