Christina Lee '18

It’s concert week! I sit here writing this mere hours from dress rehearsal. The composer of our commissioning project, Christine Donkin, is here with the Chorus on campus, and we are just about to wrap up a crazy week.

I’m a weathered Twilight veteran. I’ve been around this block three times before, yet each week leading up to this concert never ceases to surprise me. This year in particular I was stunned by how quickly we have been able to pull a full concert together in such a small amount of time. Before this week, there were several pieces that I was worried about. Did I know the notes? What were the dynamics? How the heck was I ever going to learn those Xhosa lyrics?

However, over the course of this week, I have become much more comfortable with what the composers have written on the page, or, in some cases, what the Chorus has learned by rote. The notes have become more ingrained in my brain, making expressive technique easier to come by. Through normal rehearsal time and an extra rehearsal on Monday, plus more time in small groups, I have gained the confidence to feel fully prepared for the concert.

I am really excited to show the Cornell community what the Chorus has been working on since late August. As I always seem to say, the semester has flown by. Suddenly, it’s almost November! We’ve made so much progress in terms of group cohesion and musicianship. Through events like Retreat and Homecoming, I feel as though I’ve gotten to know the new members of the Chorus much better. I am so excited for them to experience their first Chorus concert on campus. As a group, we have also learned to work together in various ways. Through sectionals, small consorts, and mixed rehearsals, we have gotten to know each other’s voices better. I’m excited to see our progress come to fruition tomorrow night.