Luckily, singing is a skill just like everything else, and with a little practice and the right instruction, anyone can learn how to do it at least decently. Even more luckily, there's a program starting tonight offering voice lessons for free -- and not just one voice lesson, but six weeks of free voice lessons. At least if you're a guy (sorry, ladies).
That's because Sound of the Rockies is a barbershop group -- but marketing vice president Mike Davidson stresses that doesn't mean it's lame. "A lot of people have the perception that it's just for old people," he observes. In fact, Sound of the Rockies is legit -- the group routinely places highly at international competitions, and has been champion of the Rocky Mountain District Chorus eight times.
So why the free voice lessons? "It's kind of a recruiting thing," Davidson admits. "We did this last year, and we did get about 23 members that ended up singing with us."
Even so, Davidson stresses that there's no commitment to join the organization -- in fact, you're not even obligated to stay for the whole lesson. If you show up for the introduction from instructor Darin Drown and decide you're not interested, you can just go home.
If you do decide to stay, though, what you'll learn is what Davidson calls "basic fundamentals:" breath control, posture, vowel annunciation. And since the lessons are basic, you don't even have to come to every lesson to keep up. "You're not necessarily missing out if you don't make one," says Davidson -- and that applies to even the first one. Can't make it tonight? Show up next week. "Every single lesson is free," Davidson stresses.
The first of the six-week series of lessons starts tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Sound of the Rockies' rehearsal space, at 7691 South University Boulevard, near University and Dry Creek Road in Centennial. Go to the website to find more information or register for the class -- or, Davidson says, you can just show up.
Who knows, fellows? You might just end up like Susan Boyle.
