Hal: Why I Sing

It seems that I have always sung. Well, not in the womb but right after my exit of said location.  I remember sitting under the kitchen when I was very young (why I was under there I have no recollection) while my mother was cooking and singing whatever came into my head.  I always have some sort of music in my head.  In conversations with people the phrase of a song will come into my head as the perfect addition to the conversation.  I sing with songs while driving.  I have music running through my head as I ride any of my bikes.  Singing is just an ingrained part of me.

Singing has taken me many places physically.  It has taken me to England, France, Italy, Japan, Israel and a number of state side locations.  Seeing new locations and sharing beautiful music with people you aren’t acquainted with is a joy and a way of breaking down barriers that separate us from others. I think the most cherished reason I sing is because the combination of the human voice with words and music can touch people in ways no other form of music or art can.  It taps feelings we bury or ignore in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  It can also allow us to express feelings that we cannot find the words to describe.  Singing can also remind us of cherished memories and moments in time that we wish would have lasted forever, or at least a little longer that they did.

Singing has also brought me many of the most cherished relationships.  Singing together with a group binds you to those in that group in ways that no other activity can, especially when the music is as beautiful as is produced by the Utah Chamber Artists.  You may not see each other for a month or more and yet, when the group assembles again for another concert season, it is as if you just saw each other last week.

So why do I sing?  Because, as I stated earlier, it is so ingrained in me and is such a part of who I am that I cannot envision my life without singing as a part of it.