Singing

I'm an alto, a part I always thought was just a poor man's soprano until my high school choir director gave the altos a talk about how we provide the yang to the soprano's ying, the dischord that makes the harmony that much sweeter. It takes a strong ear not to let a strong soprano knock you off key, or overpower you. Ever since then, I relish singing the cream-in-the-oreo part of alto. 

But I like being the support system, not the star. 

I WILL NOT sing alone in front of an audience. No way, no how. My mother is the solo performer in our family, not me. But I love singing with a group of other voices, or alone at home or in my car. One of my favorite songs to sing is O Divine Redeemer; it just plain has an awesome alto part. And for anyone who has ever felt troubled and alone, this song is a plea for mercy and comfort. It's quite beautiful. A lady I knew years ago asked me to sing the alto part as part of a four-voice performance. It remains one of my favorite singing experiences to this day. 

There are lots of versions floating around out there, but I like this one because it is not all about the soprano part.