(Ch. 8 of my story of how I became deaf…)

Photo by: Scott Ableman

When I started 6th grade, with Mama’s encouragement, I formally joined my first Glee Club Chorus as an extracurricular activity. At the end of the year, I proudly performed all of the American anthems and took part in our school talent show. My chorus teachers were quick to point out that I had some musical talent, and they began to encourage me to take my vocal music more seriously…

As I entered Junior High, selecting Chorus as one of my electives was an easy choice. I quickly learned how much I loved belonging to a choir. It was important to identify with a peer group at that age, and I knew music was “cool” with just about everybody. It wasn’t long before my choir teachers started showing me off by giving me a solo note or two, and I began earning certificates of recognition for vocal music.

Photo by: Bill and Vicki Tracey

By the end of the 8th grade, I had earned my first trip to Honor Choir. This choir group was made up of the best of the vocal musicians from each Junior and Senior High School Choir throughout our county. Being chosen for Honor Choir meant we had the privilege of making a choral record album with this special choir group. This was a very inspirational experience for me, and I definitely knew I wanted more.

The summer before I entered high school, my brother, my sister and I, went to visit Grammie Lee for a week, while Mama and my soon-to-be new step-dad, planned their wedding. We would be moving in with a new step-brother and step-sister, one a year older, and one a year younger than I. This would be the last time the three of us kids were our own little trio. Mama wanted Grammie to be sure to know that even though Daddy was no longer in our lives, she and Grandpa still would be.

Photo by: Kevin Trotman

While passing the time at Grammie’s that summer, I began to pick up one of her guitars and plunk out a melody or two by ear. Before I knew it, inspired by some muse, I was writing my own little songs and entertaining us all after dinner each night. They weren’t very elaborate pieces, and sounded a lot like songs from other musicians, but they were a beginning. Before I left for home, Grammie decided to give me one of her guitars. I cried with joy that day and secretly promised myself I would use it to one day audition as a back-up singer for Barbara Streisand, or to write songs for John Denver and Olivia Newton John.

As we struggled to blend in with our new family, I often found my escape in our backyard. With guitar in hand and a glass of iced tea nearby, you could find me serenading the nectarine and walnut trees, or singing with the songbirds that perched on the telephone wires nearby. In the colder months, I escaped to the top stretch of the bunk beds that I shared with my little sister, singing along with my alarm clock radio while looking through my Teen magazines. I began singing everywhere and all the time, often receiving flack from both of my new siblings who weren’t used to my constant vocals.

Photo by: Kenneth Barrett

It’s funny when I think about how I also used to sing whenever I was in the shower back then. It was like Mama singing in the rain. I also sang in the sunshine as I sunbathed in my backyard. And, I loved rockin’ out to the latest tunes in Grammie Lee’s Volkswagen Bug, which became my first car. My voice was like a magic carpet that would transport me to different realms. It became a blissful escape from tumultuous family times, and I enjoyed the ride.

At the start of high school, I once again joined choir and remained enrolled my freshman through senior years. A few years later, as my brother made his way into high school, I recruited his beautiful baritone-bass voice into our choir, which always complimented the mezzo-soprano in mine. At home, he and I could often be found in our bathroom standing in front of the mirror swaying in metered time as we practiced our choral parts and experimented with crescendos and fortissimos. We favored the bathroom because it was the most acoustic room in the house with its porcelain tiles and chrome that echoed back our voices while we sang together in harmony.

Photos by: Billy Reed

Music became the center of my life in high school. It defined so much of who I was. Music, song and dance were a big part of my social world. I sang with my choir friends at break time, hung out with my band friends at lunch, and attended every school dance, winter formal, and spring prom that took place. I just couldn’t get enough. In addition to taking choir for one period each day, I began to give up my lunch period each school year so I could join the smaller vocal ensembles and chamber singer groups that met formally as a class with our choir director during our lunchtime. Our choir and ensemble groups occasionally went around serenading other classes for fun, which brought my voice to the attention of my peers and created new friends. I sang in each annual school musical and performed in every talent show. And, I could always be heard belting out our Alma Mater and Fight Song at various sporting events.

Photo by: Dale Miller

Each year in adjudicated choral festivals and competitions, in addition to performing with our school choir, I sang solos, and with trios, and in triple-trios, winning many outstanding ribbons and awards. Under the direction of our very talented choral conductor, Mr. Blackburn, our school choir, our girl’s ensembles, and our co-ed mixed ensembles earned a multitude of Superior ratings. I made more records with Honor Choirs, and became a talented, respected, and inspirational leader among my peers. My name was on many of the plaques hanging in our choir room, which was a constant reminder of my achievements. I tried to be humble, but the fact was, I was proud!

Photo by: “Lee”

In my senior year, I was awarded two of the highest recognitions. I was given a “Command Performance” for my solo rendition of a beautiful and mesmerizing ballad, a love song from the Opera of Samson & Delilah. Receiving a “Command Performance” meant that you were given the privilege of performing your vocal solo in front of a large audience in a specially reserved auditorium, rather than just privately for an adjudicator. The only performers in that special auditorium were those who had received this highest rating. It was an incredible feeling to finally achieve this experience, which I continually strove for. I was extremely proud of myself, as was my choir director, Mr. B.

The second award I received was the prestigious “National School Choral Award for Outstanding Vocal Music.” I was extremely honored to receive this latter award and looked forward to highlighting this and other musical awards in my scholarship applications for college.

Photo by: “Kris and Fred”

As I made my exit from high school, I inspired and captured the attention of my peers one last time as I sang solo at our Baccalaureate, and again with our girl’s ensemble at Graduation. With my head held high, I left school confident of my talents and proud of my achievements. I had hopes and dreams for my future.

Photo by: Billy Reed

Music was the torch I carried to light my journey, and I knew the way.

Photo by: Nicoleta C.

(Footnote: Don’t give up on the story yet. It has been important for me to share what life was like before I became deaf so that people understand the significant transition that occurred when I became deaf — a transformation I not only understand and accept, but also celebrate! Keep on reading! Coming next: Deaf or Death — The middle chapters and the story of the illness that took my hearing…)

Posted by LaRonda on Monday, July 16th, 2007 at 8:00 am.