Singer's Blog

Goodbye and thank you!

I have five families; my own little family, my in-laws, my mother’s family, my father’s family – and my Vocal Line family … The first couple of families are self explanatory. I haven't chosen them myself but I love them regardless and hope that they never change for fear that the foundation will crack. My Vocal Line family is one that I have chosen myself and it is the one family that has seen the most changes but also seen the most development. Still I have decided to say goodbye to my 5th family after a 15 year acquaintance. But why? It has been a long journey through music, friendships, experiences, identity, hard work, the feeling of inadequacy, the feeling of being impenetrable, pride, social networking, and success. And it was my safe haven when I moved to Aarhus, started at college, tried out different relationships, became a teacher, moved to Aalborg, found my husband, had my first child, and when I slowly grew up.

Everything in due time…and now the time has come where I feel that I need to focus on my other families. I do not want to become someone who looks at the future plans and think ”I hope there won't be too many rehearsal weekends” or ”to bad, I wish I could but I better say no so I won't miss my sons birthday” etc. Because who wants to put the brakes on future visions? Not I!

Vocal Line is very visionary and a ”choir on the rise” and that is exactly why we are so many who have made singing in Vocal Line our priority – even in the periods of our lives when it has been difficult to make it coincide with our everyday lives; family lives. It was there I had my biggest musical experiences, my biggest musical challenges, rhythmic and motor skill challenges, the honor of winning prizes as a part of the world's best choir, to travel around the world, experience that some of the world's best singers were interested in this very special way of arranging choir music, to be instructed by several different inspiring and lively conductors, to listen to Malene Rigtrup's colorful descriptions of her own wonderful arrangements, to sing Hallelujah again and again, and to still be touched by Jens' beautiful tone, to receive flowers from a secret admirer, to spill coffee on a 47.000 DKR photo album, to experience 'stripperpræsten', to sing background for Steffen Brandt and TV2 – Awesome!, to experience the energy in 'Bästa Vänner' that was intact after 750 performances, to go to a contest without Jens, to sing on New Year's Eve along with a million Danes, and a repeatedly pregnant friend for 4 years in a row, to listen to Morten Kjær's seductive and riveting voice, to party with 30 people in twin bedrooms in several hotels...It has been fun!

My own personal Vocal Line story should also include that I have been brought up on Jens' inspiring and sympathetic way of controlling a bunch of 'choir mad' people. When I was 11 years old I was listening to Aabenrocks choir practices where my mother was particularly active I decided that I wanted to do that as well. It was never Aabenrock, but Vocal Line was also a great way of living out my childhood dreams. Roughly at that time my baby brother came into the world. He was 11 years old when I started singing in Vocal Line, had Randy Crawford as his biggest idol and feared that his voice would ever change since his biggest dream was to be 2nd soprano in Vocal Line.

His voice did change, and he had to find another dream. However, suddenly at Vocal Line's two Christmas concerts last December he stood along side us singing four of his songs. That was a better fit for him than the girls 2nd soprano group. It was huge and ended my Vocal Line story in the most beautiful of ways, and that made sense.

With numerous concert experiences and many journeys, the concerts with my beloved baby brother, 5 CD's richer, and an unknown number of Vocal Line friends that always will put a smile on my face when I meet them again, I can say that not a single hour was wasted. I will miss saying 'I sing in Vocal Line', and feel people’s admiration and recognition when they think to themselves 'she must be very talented'. I will have to create a new identity where some other things describe my personality. I am sure I will succeed in time. As Joni Mitchell and a wise man continue to point out to me; "there'll be new dreams, maybe better dreams - and plenty".

Thank you for 15 wonderful years Vocal Line. You will always have a special place in my heart. I am looking forward to enjoying you from 'the other side' and continue to monitor your future success in the world. Because no one sounds quite like Vocal Line.

Og så sad en anden gammel Vocal-Liner her med tårer i øjnene på en helt almindelig onsdag aften - hvor nogle sikkert har haft en fantastisk korøver :-) - og tænkte, at det da vist ikke kunne siges smukkere. Den varme plet i hjertet - lige der sidder vocal Line også hos mig.....

Tak for dit smukke farvel, Trine. Jeg tror du får udtrykt det, som mange føler, når de forlader dette fantastiske kor. Jeg kan i hvert fald nikke genkende til meget af det - og det er altså 13 år siden jeg stoppede. Men du har helt ret: Når først Vocal Line har fået en plads i hjertet, så bliver det der for altid.