Embracing Challenge: My Solo Ensemble Journey

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About a month into my senior year we had to compete in a voice contest called solo and ensemble. I hadn’t even looked at the sheet music or listened to the track I had to sing until around December. Once I finally decided to look at it, I felt overwhelmed. I didn’t know how to practice music like that on my own. The title was “I wonder as I wander” and I definitely felt like that described how I was dealing with this situation. I decided to seek help from my choir director and ended up rehearsing twice a week during my lunches. Each rehearsal was a milestone for me, I hit the high note I couldn’t and got down the rhythms and breathing. The contest got closer and the closer it got, the more I wanted to back out. I gained some motivation from my mom who won all ones all four years she competed in high school. (One being the best you can get, five being the lowest) I decided that I needed to push myself so I did. I began practicing with my disc in the car and going to extra rehearsals. About a month before …show more content…

I look to my right and see my accompanist, Mr. T. I look straight ahead and see the judge, Mrs. Houston who happens to be a very well-known and prestigious choir director. Mrs. Houston looks at me and says “okay I am ready when you are”. I look at Mr. T and nod for him to begin playing. I sing the first line “I wonder as I wander” and my voice is shaking very noticeably. I continue singing and make it through the song and I think “man I just got myself a 4 rating”. I walk out of the room and everyone asks how I did but I just shrugged my shoulders. My friends and I are finally able to leave and since we are President and Vice president we text our choir director to get our scores before everyone else. The phone rings and the message says “Lauren: 1 Jaleen: 1 Josh: 2”. I screamed because I was so excited and I called my mom to tell her how proud of myself that I

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