Achieving harmony through creative Gospel Song

by Margaret

It is said that a vacation or a journey is not about the destination, but rather the trip itself. So too can that be said about art-making and creativity. It's not so much about the finished product, but more about the process of trying to get there. I sing creatively in an interracial gospel choir. We learn our songs in the African-American tradition, by hearing the notes played on a piano and repeating the melody and the words over and over section by section until we know our parts. We rehearse weekly and we perform at various venues at least twice a month. Singing creatively for me and learning the music in this way is meditative and expressive as well as therapeutic. The healing has come in for me by being part of a joyful group that is dedicated to our mission and that is full of people who genuinely care for one another. Through the creative expression of gospel song, we bring a spiritual harmony to our rehearsals and to our audiences. And because we are composed of people from many diverse backgrounds and ethnicity, we show our audiences that harmony can come from the hard working efforts of individuals who come together creatively in song.