T-SQL Tuesday #99 : Singing and Music

This month’s T-SQL Tuesday is hosted by Aaron Bertrand (b/t), and he offers as a topic what he calls Dealer’s Choice. We can either share something about which we’re passionate outside of the world of SQL Server or we can discuss a T-SQL bad habit. I’m choosing the former.

I’ll start with singing and music. I grew up in a musical family. My grandmother played organ at her church for decades. She started when she was in her teens and kept going for a long time. She also gave private piano and organ lessons. She directed children and adult choirs along the way. All of her children are musical in some way. My mom played cello and piano and sang soprano for quite some time. We lived next door to my grandmother in an old (1700’s) duplex home so I was over there regularly to play around on the piano, color, sneak a cookie or other treat, or just to visit. Along the way, I got free piano lessons until I eventually switched over to clarinet and saxophone.

I played clarinet as my primary through HS and added Alto Sax for our school’s jazz band. I never made the State band, though part of that was because I tended to not work as hard at my music as I should have. I had quite a bit of talent to handle first chair in our school band with little effort and was not very disciplined to practice harder for outside auditions. I knew music wasn’t going to be my career even then, but still enjoyed playing. Our band did pretty well at band competitions and it wasn’t until I left that I realized how many talented and gifted players we actually had in that small school. I miss playing in that band, but I don’t miss the q-tips we wore during marching season.

Once I got to college, I continued to play clarinet in the Wind Ensemble for fun. However, I was introduced to Barbershop style harmony during my time. One member dragged me along to a local chapter meeting and I was hooked. I love the tight harmonies, the a capella style, the “old songs” and the new ones done in that style. I hadn’t actually done much singing since about age 10, but found I had a pretty good voice for singing the “Lead” part (2nd Tenor) in Barbershop. That’s stuck ever since and I’ve joined a local chapter everywhere I’ve lived.  When I travel, I try to visit the local chapters to join them.

I currently sing with the Vocal Majority, a 160 voice men’s chorus in the DFW, TX area. We sing more than just Barbershop, branching out to show tunes, pop tunes, and other styles. The chorus has won the gold medal at the annual Barbershop Harmony Society conventions 12 times. I was there for 3 of those. You can see some of our videos on YouTube.

I’ve helped out by singing in pick-up quartets to deliver Valentines and currently help run the attendance app for meetings (developed by another member, but it runs on a SQL Server backend).

The bass is 5’26” – and has almost resorted to making cards to hand out with that information. He’s a great guy all around and enjoyed going into the high schools.  The number of students trying to snap selfies with him as he walked down the halls was pretty amusing.

During the week, I sing in my local church choir. I find that a great use of the skills and talents I’ve been given. I appreciate that we are encouraged to be worship leaders, not just performers or people singing on a stage. The church encourages musicians of all types and ages, and has a worship orchestra for members who want to play instruments. If I weren’t singing, I’d pull out my clarinet to join them. My oldest is able to sing along with the student choir. The little ones are encouraged to sing and play instruments from a young age. I’m glad that they get to enjoy that and are trained by people who love music.