Hello students, choir members, friends and followers,
Building Chorus Studio, during a pandemic, will not be easy. I'm pretty sure it'll be interesting though BAHAHAahahahaha...(laughter fades to a meek whimper). So I'm going to journal the process here...my experience, the struggles, the celebrations and whatever else comes up. This will be a casual column of typos and grammatical errors, and hopefully, some insights on singing, performance, commitment, leadership, entrepreneurship, and mental illness (specifically, anxiety, contamination OCD and depression).
I'd like to bring you along for the journey of creating Chorus Studio because the truth of it is, we are building this together. Without our students, choir members and supporters, there would be no Chorus Studio and no community. I'm not writing this to sell you lessons, classes or choir registrations. I trust you will purchase our services if you need or want them. I'm writing this selfishly as a form of therapy to relieve some of the pressures of growing a small business. I'm writing this selflessly to include, acknowledge and appreciate our community members.
It has been exactly 2 weeks since we announced Chorus Studio to the public! The weeks leading up to our launch are a blur. I was juggling teaching private lessons, directing a virtual choir for the very first time, building the Chorus Studio website, teacher training, creating curriculum, team management, balancing friendship and business with Rachel, being a somewhat decent wife and mothering my 2 children (they're cats). I was also preparing to resign from a position I held for 15 years at my previous studio, and mustering up the courage to make a huge change and talk honestly with my mentor of over 19 years.
I'm grateful to my students who probably sensed that I wasn't fully present at times during their lessons but forgave me anyway.
Although there was a significant amount of grief involved with leaving my previous studio, I feel so much better now. The prospect of creating Chorus Studio has been gnawing at me for years and it feels good to finally take the first steps. I finally feel like I'm being true to myself and flowing with, instead of resisting, the gentle energy nudging me forward.
Registrations are slowly trickling in. Although we are definitely operating at a loss right now, it feels right to invest in this project. There's something special here. Rachel and I are pouring our life savings into building Chorus Studio because there is something deep within us that knows that this is good. There is good here. We've had the privilege of witnessing so many singers, beginner and experienced, come out of their shell. By watering the garden with kindness, encouragement, faith, education, and hard work, our community has grown some beautiful ass plants. And by plants, I mean performers.
Our teaching team is FIRE. They are so smart, humble and hungry to contribute to their students. They're caring and funny too. We spent last Sunday evening together, working from 8:00 PM to 11:30 PM. I had already taught a full day before that and my brain was fried. Even so, after our teacher session, I felt revitalized. These are people who give you energy just with their presence. I can't wait to witness all the lives they will improve through their teaching in the years to come.
That's it for Diary 1. Thanks for coming along for the ride.
