Recently, I gave my 200 choir students an assignment following our last performance, "In 200 words or more, tell me "Why Do You Sing?" I wanted to share some of their profound and honest thoughts with you. Music feeds the soul.
"Why I Sing?" From the Mouths of Today's Teenagers....
-You don’t have to be the best or the most serious, you just have to love doing it.
-I can tell you why I started singing. Straight up, I was told there were hot babes, a cool teacher, and an easy A.
-So I guess if I had to sum up why I sing, it would be because it makes me happy. Happier than a lot of other things, and I find that beautiful.
-To put things simply: music is art, making art is like feeding one’s soul.
-My heart sings out loud and strong, as for my mouth, it only guides the words of my heart to the ears of others, and in some cases, to the heart of others.
-I sing because it makes me feel indescribable. When I sing, all my troubles disappear, and I become overwhelmed with joy and happiness that I can't find anywhere else.
-Singing allows me to believe I have a purpose in this world.
-So, today, through singing, I'm a far stronger person than I could ever have hoped to be. I owe it all to song.
-I don’t think I will ever sing solos or anything, but I can definitely see myself being one of the old ladies in my church choir in 80 years because I love the feeling of being in a choir.
-When I open my mouth to let out the sound it’s feels like I’m also letting out all the negative energy from throughout the day. It empowers me.
-Music to me is an expression of the mind from the person who wrote it.
-I sing because I enjoy having a class where I can be myself and not have anyone else judge me.
-I sing because it's my life.
-Singing has brought me confidence and hope. It’s brought me friendship and life. Most of all, it’s taught me to believe in myself. Without singing, I wouldn't be the person I am today.
-Music is one thing that really unites people, and that’s why I love singing in a choir.
-Without singing and music, I probably wouldn’t be the person that I am now. It inspires me and changes the way I think about the world.
-I love singing, and I will never stop doing what I love.
-Singing is a major part of my life, probably one I couldn’t live without.
-Without singing or music, I feel like I wouldn’t be the same person today. Being a singer taught me to express myself and to not be afraid to be who I am. Singing has helped me find who I really am and how I want to express that.
-Singing has helped me to get through fear and heartbreak, and it’s helped me to figure out who I am and who I want to be.
-Singing allows me to express all of my emotions with words and melodies. I have never found another instrument that has given me the joy that singing brings to me.
-Singing for me brings me and my friends and family together, and creates everlasting memories.
-Singing is just a release of your emotions whether you are feeling energetic, sad, or any other emotion you may be feeling at a particular time.
-Singing is like breathing to me and I am always confused by people who don't like to sing or don't like music because there is such joy and peace in being able to express yourself not just through speaking, but also through singing.
-It may sound a bit cliché, but I truly believe it. I sing because it takes me to a new place where I can forget all of my stress and pains. It calms me; it makes me smile; it relieves me.
-The main reason why I sing is because I love it! People underestimate the power to brighten someone’s day by hearing a beautiful singing voice: whether it’s in choir, in the car, in the shower, or walking down the streets. Music is beautiful!
-No matter how horrible a day is, how much pain I am in, or how stressed out I am, I can forget about it momentarily as I throw my entire self into a song.
-Singing is something that regardless of where I go will always travel with me. This skill I’ve been given doesn’t need to be packed away in a traveling case when I move from place to place, it stays inside of me like a secret waiting to be whispered to the world.
-Singing clears my head because I can let my voice and mind “soar.” Sometimes I sing when I am so broken down I just want to melt away. Singing lets me outpour some of the stresses in my life and (for lack of a better word,) my soul. It makes me feel good that something “beautiful” can come out of me.
-Not only has music been a family tradition but, in a way, I feel like music and singing has shown me so much about myself and who I want to be.
-It’s deeper than reading a book. It's kind of hard to explain. It's just that sometimes, when the setting is right and the music is happening, you get a feeling. It’s not the same feeling every time you sing, it depends on the song and the circumstances, but it’s so genuine and strong and just real. It’s deep!
-I sing because I love it and it is beautiful and simple. You need no instrument, you need no one; it's just you and the music. I sing because it helps me to forget what is sad and give me hope to see positive things in my life.
-Out of all these reasons I really think that it comes back to the first sentence and that is that I sing because I love to and it makes me feel good.
-I may not be the best singer, I may not ever have a solo, and I may not get any acknowledgment as a singer, but I love to sing and that’s all that matters.
-Singing is a privilege, and we choose to take choir every day. When it all comes down to it, we all love to sing or we wouldn’t sit in your class every day. I think what separates me from some of the other kids is that I value singing. It is my greatest hobby and my biggest accomplishment. I take pride in my voice and in my music skills.
-To me singing can be so much more emotional than say, playing piano, or French horn, or guitar. The fact that there is a written text allows you to convey so much more than when there is just music, even when that text is in a foreign language.
-Being a part of choir is no longer about having an easy A on my transcript or having a class with friends, but about the singing itself.
-I sing because it's one of the greatest natural things in life. Almost everyone can do it and no two voices sound the exact same. To me, singing is such a weird concept. The fact that something can come out of us that is so unique and beautiful is truly amazing.