I Guess We're Concert Ready?: The Shortest Retreat Ever & Flower Sunday
Since February, The Hive has been our cozy rehearsal space; we love it there. Every one in a while, however, some of us (especially the more senior members of the choir) become nostalgic for the Chapel, the place we used to call home.
This weekend we got to return to the Chapel for what may be the shortest retreat ever.
Choir Retreat is an annual occurrence during which we learn all of the music we must perform for Flower Sunday, which is somehow always the very next day. As you can imagine, it is an intense and fun few hours during which we rehearse new pieces and get to know each other through ice breakers, one being the Name Game.
"What is that?" you may ask.
It is a long, arduous ice breaker in which we go around our massive circle, introduce ourselves (name, year, pronouns, and--don't forget--fun fact!), and repeat all of our names in a Gregorian-esque chant in the hopes that we learn them... except for the diligent few who can recite each name in a lightning round for a prize consisting of choir swag, we never do. Luckily, we have the rest of the year to get to know each other.
After learning music and names, we performed at Flower Sunday, which took place in the evening this year rather than in the morning to which Wellesley is usually accustomed. This ceremony makes Wellesley the special, inclusive community that it is, and this year, the speakers were especially insightful, offering spiritual wisdom and candid anecdotes to encourage the college to have a healthy, supportive, and enjoyable school year.
We performed "The Call of the Flowers," "Astonishing," and--of course--the Wellesley College Alma Mater. Judging by the applause (and the compliments from President Johnson), our very brief retreat paid off.
This weekend we got to return to the Chapel for what may be the shortest retreat ever.
Choir Retreat is an annual occurrence during which we learn all of the music we must perform for Flower Sunday, which is somehow always the very next day. As you can imagine, it is an intense and fun few hours during which we rehearse new pieces and get to know each other through ice breakers, one being the Name Game.
"What is that?" you may ask.
It is a long, arduous ice breaker in which we go around our massive circle, introduce ourselves (name, year, pronouns, and--don't forget--fun fact!), and repeat all of our names in a Gregorian-esque chant in the hopes that we learn them... except for the diligent few who can recite each name in a lightning round for a prize consisting of choir swag, we never do. Luckily, we have the rest of the year to get to know each other.
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| The Wellesley College Choir at Flower Sunday |
We performed "The Call of the Flowers," "Astonishing," and--of course--the Wellesley College Alma Mater. Judging by the applause (and the compliments from President Johnson), our very brief retreat paid off.
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