A Soloist of Voices

The spotted hawk swoops by and accuses me,
he complains of my gab and my loitering. 

I too am not a bit tamed,I too am untranslatable,
I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world.
–Walt Whitman, "Song of Myself"

What is it to be a soloist? It is a time when the attention of others turns to us – it is our moment to shine. It is a call to be articulate and sincere. It is a time when success or failure can over-inflate or crush our notions of self-worth; and it is a time to set such notions aside.

The suit of Voices embodies attributes of all the other suits. The push of the diaphragm, the contours of the mouth recall Brass and it’s creative fire. The vocal cords vibrate like the watery, emotional Strings; split down the middle like a double reed, they sing with air like the pensive Woodwinds. The voice as a whole gains its character, indeed can only manifest, in the vessel, the drum, of the body. 

The voice is a bridge between the inner and outer worlds: it communicates, expresses, prays. For all this, the suit of Voices is greater still than the sum of its parts: it speaks of who we are beyond thought, feeling, body, and movement; it sings the song of the Self.

What is it to be a Soloist of Voices? It is a time to express our innermost knowing, our most sacred desires, no holds barred; it is a time to be. It can be a lonely time, not everyone will encourage, support, allow... but oh sweet Lord, the ones who will, the ones who will.