Well, here it is. This is my new (though there is not actually an old one) blog for those (if any) who are interested. I decided to add this to my “things to do when I don’t have anything else to do” list mostly because I thought it might be a bit of a fun endeavor…we will see. The point of the matter is, I have a blog now and this is my first post to this crazy thing. Needless to say, here goes something:
This semester, I have decided to do something that, perhaps, a lot of college students don’t do as they pursue their degrees on any level: doing something, without obligation or pressure or requirement, that is completely enjoyable, fun, and just-for-the-heck-of-it. Now I know that a lot of you might say that your degrees are exactly what you want to do and that everything about your classes are so much fun and everything about them is enjoyable. However, I ask you this: are you taking it for credit? do you need these classes to graduate? If not, did some sort of force (friends, teachers, advisors, parents) make you take these classes or do this major or participate in these activities? If any of these questions were a yes for you, then I don’t think you really know what I am doing this semester. If it was a no to all of them, well I beg you to join me in this, so far easy, fight against the norm of doing what others want us to do. For you see, this semester I am doing just that. I am singing in the men’s ensemble at SBU just because I want to and because I know that it will be so much fun. Check this out:
Is it for credit?: No
Do I need it for any part of my major?: No
Did anyone really pressure me or make me feel guilty about doing/not doing this?: No
Is it incredibly enjoyable? ABSOLUTELY!
The best part about this ensemble is the fact that it came as a total shock and surprise to most of the guys in this group when I walked in this past Tuesday because I, the ICS/General Music major with emphasis in percussion, was now a part of something very few people imagined that I knew anything about. Truth be told, I don’t know much about choir and all of its ways, and in fact had to ask what exactly a “Bass I” part looked/sounded like. Nonetheless, I am doing this completely out of self-interest and desire to do something fun even while I am pushing through all of the hoops and tasks that I am required to do in other parts of college. I am here to say that it is SO MUCH FUN!
I guess I took a bit long on the intro to this post, but the explanation needed to be there for one to truly understand the point of my message. Now that I am in this ensemble I have found myself in a community, group, culture, and society that is completely different than I have ever seen before. I am not here to write about how lame or weird choir people are or point out any sort of oddity in their nature because the fact of the matter is that we are all equally strange whether musician, painter, writer, theologian, educator, athlete, driver, rider, reader, eater, or none of the above. What I want to point out is the fact that, especially in college, if we look for it, we can find ourselves in other-worldly cultures and never have to leave our own towns. Different languages, dialects, taboos, methodologies, beliefs, practices, rituals, and even symbols can be found by simply sitting in on another classes’ group discussions. Yes, we all speak English, go to the same school, even have similar majors, but if you really look for it, some strange things can discovered. So I challenge you all to go out and explore. Go and find your set of “men’s ensemble guys” and just enjoy. I look forward to being “in” on this group as a sort of “out”sider… get the point?
until the ends…
Jonathan
