Life Inspired by Music

“Music is more than a form of art. It creates frequencies that are essential for a healthy mind. Everything in this world has vibration, energy. Anything that can raise your vibration increases your energy and well-being. When music is calibrated in your frequency, it has power and joy beyond this world.” ~ Maria Lehtman

Now it changes – Have you recognized ‘the last try’ moments in life? The one chance to create a specific memorable moment. This weekend I did. I have been singing ever since I was a child. It is a discipline, one that teaches proper posture, breathing techniques, use of vocal cords, body language, how to express yourself, and is one of my passions because it is such a joy to sing.

During my years, I have had an opportunity to sing in several choirs, join competitions, and also perform alone. Last year I joined a choir in Finland with a history spanning over 105 years: Kilven Kuoro. A very talented mixed choir with a conductor, Hanna Remes, I know well from previous choirs, and whom I utterly trust to lead the teams with great talent and discipline. Under her leadership, there is only one pitch and tone, and that is the right one. When voice is your primary instrument, you need a talented and competent leader. A leader who is not afraid of a challenge and is determined to make the choir perform better as a team than a set of solo players.

Another essential element of vocal music is the team spirit. Leaving judgment behind, being present, and providing value and kindship. When the choir has unity, it creates passion and beautiful music.

After joining the choir, I learned that we were heading for competition in June. Luckily it was in Finland: Tampere Vocal Music Festival (international) with 47 choirs attending. I knew it would be tough for my physique. I have not spent one night away from home in three years.  However, I thought what if…..this was my last competition, my last chance. I decided that I would lose nothing by signing up. Even so, the closer the date came, the more second thoughts I had. There were events in my family that took a toll on my energy. My husband did not give me a chance to stand down. He persisted. And while we traveled he was present 110% and assured I got the rest I needed in between rehearsals.

There are no words to describe how it feels when ca. 50 singers find a unified flow. Like a journalist creating the best article just before the deadline, our performance rose to another level when the competition mode kicked in. On stage, you feel alone, yet in the flow, you are melded into a team with a passion for singing. Everyone shares the moment.

My ‘last chance’ turned out to be a performance that earned the choir a gold label. It was the toughest competition so far in the history of the Tampere Vocal Music Festival. To gain a gold nomination is an excellent achievement against talented and often younger singers. My physique was utterly strained, but for that 15 minutes on stage, I did not even remember I was competing. I was thoroughly absorbed in singing and following the conductor. It was only the delightful applauds that woke me up from the zone we were all in.

It was worth to take that one last shot. My physique did give in at some point, but I gathered myself and continued. I will never regret taking the chance, although my nervous system still feels the ‘afterburn’. My health condition changes constantly. Like the lyrics in the song, we performed –  a beam of sunlight between the clouds creates a masterpiece – and then it all changes. To throw yourself into the game despite the pain – you need people you can trust. That is all that matters in the end. Trust. Passion. Will.

Video: One of the 3 compositions Kilven Kuoro performed. Modern Finnish music ‘ Nyt se muuttuu’ – free translation: “Now It Changes” (Erkki Nurminen) composed explicitly for the choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DFCVbhI1eA&app=desktop

Visiting Finland? Kilven Kuoro has the next performances 15th of August 2019. Click here

(This article is written from my personal view of the world and does not represent any official position for the mentioned parties.)

Sources: 

Tampere Vocal Music Festival I https://tamperemusicfestivals.fi/vocal/en/tampere-vocal-music-festival-begins/

Kilven Kuoro (Choir) I http://kilvenkuoro.fi/en/909-2/

Hanna Remes I The Choir Conductor I http://kilvenkuoro.fi/fi/kuorosta/kuoronjohtaja/

Kilven Kuoro I Gold I https://www.facebook.com/KilvenKuoro/photos/a.198700180176962/2328682760512016/?type=3

Chorus Review Results I https://tamperemusicfestivals.fi/vocal/en/results-of-the-chorus-review/