The minute I made a maybe-20-second decision to join my school’s choir in sixth grade, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. Picture this- You are are at a new school, 12 years old, and you just moved in with your long-lost babysitter and her children. You want to find something you love and identify with, so you join choir. I won’t lie, my middle school choir teachers were not the best. 

I came into BW’s mixed choir, having no idea what was going on. I knew that notes went up and down, but not much about them. Choir has given me more than just easy grades, no more P.E, it gave me a home. Before I get into too much, I have to say my teacher is so much better than the other ones I’ve had! JMO has helped me throughout this musical and personal journey.  Choir has given me somewhere I know I belong. And considerably I am not the only that has felt this way.

According to the Voice Council Magazine, being in a choir helps you fight cancer, and can enhance your immune system. A research study alongside a Choir in Frankfurt found that the choir group produced antibodies that help fight off excess bad bacteria. And singing reduces stress, endorphins, and produces positive emotions, referred to as the “high” some singers experienced after singing. I myself have experienced this “high.” These feelings, for me, come after we sing a note perfectly, and it sounds angelic. I really can’t describe this feeling, it just causes me to smile.

Not to mention the bonds you create with these people you sing with. These bonds are created because you have to trust each other, watch each other, and coordinate and cooperate with each other’s voices. According to Artist Works, singing helps facilitate stronger respiratory muscles. Because you are slowly learning to “control” your breathing and lungs, you in turn would also have stronger respiratory muscles. According to Kent EDU, a Humanist study shared results that students who participated in music classes received higher scores on standardized tests than those who were not involved in music at all.

I can really relate to this because before choir I didn’t have much self-discipline or confidence. Other benefits I have noticed personally were so many more friends and people that are like you. Choir is something that has truly helped me blossom as a human, and a strong young woman. Back then I used to be shy, reserved, and only had a few friends. Now four years later, I have many different groups of friends, and I am very confident with myself, my abilities,  and my faults.

I chose this topic because I know it is something I can truly understand and vouch for and that has really helped me. I know choir is something I would love to continue beyond high school. I love the choir as a whole, the people in it, and how much fun I have with it, and I hope others can find something as essential as this for themselves.