Sometimes I feel envious for the infrastructural, social, and financial support afforded to sports. Our society is inarguably devised to encourage and celebrate athletics. I think about it all the more at times like this – with the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics simultaneously drawing so much attention towards world-class athletes and their remarkable achievements.
And that’s why I drove home tonight thinking how glad I was that music isn’t a sport. While I do wish my outstanding student musicians got more recognition, praise, and support (or even, that they were just protected from the unkind words student musicians so often hear), I am actually mostly thankful choir isn’t a sport.
Choir isn’t generally expected to compete and to win to bring pride to their school.
Choir students are able to explore many facets of their education without feeling completely beholden to their coaches.
Choir students don’t have to practice their art in front of strangers rooting against them.
Choir students don’t feel so much pressure to perform that they seriously consider performance enhancing drugs.
Choir students’ success doesn’t come down to a win or loss.
Choir students can keep practicing their passion for the entire lives: they don’t blow out their knees in high school, reach their peak performance at 16, or lack opportunities to continue doing it post-college.
There is much to recommend organized sports, and I am so glad they exist for those students who need sports to get them through the day, and who learn discipline and achievement and discover their own strength through their team. I’m just really, really glad that choir lives in a completely different world.