I had never heard MUSE sing when I walked into my audition. I had sung in choirs all through Elementary, Junior High, High School and college and I couldn't bear to think of my life without singing in a choir.

A friend told me about MUSE and I decided to take a look at the Web site. When I saw the mission statement – “musical excellence and social change” – it was like someone had stolen my own personal mission statement. But I was skeptical that a community choir could really live up to such an ambitious challenge. Since joining MUSE, though, my assumption has been proven wrong over and over again. My cynicism has been eliminated. And the choir has proven to be so much more than the mission statement promised. As I stood beside my sisters on Saturday for the 25th Anniversary concert, I began to realize all that MUSE really is.

I realized that MUSE is more than musical excellence. It is more than bringing new music to the table. It is more than being diverse in our repertoire, more than bringing new light to old music and singing it with skill.

I found that MUSE is more than social change. It is more than expressing our concerns and hopes for society, making the world better for those who follow, embracing the differences in our city. It's even more than bringing to the forefront issues that are too often hidden and ignored.

I came to understand that MUSE is about people. It’s about people who embody and embrace those qualities that have made MUSE successful for the past 25 years. It's about the community we build every Monday night in our rehearsals. It’s about the legacy we have left, the diversity of our singers, the volunteers who make what we do possible, the audience that supports our existence. It’s about the chills I get when we sing together, about our infectious laughter and the tears we shed when our music overcomes us.
It’s about the love and care that we feel for each other.

MUSE is the factor that links us and brings to life the concepts of "musical excellence" and "social change."

On Saturday, I experienced a range of emotions. I laughed when the survey results were read. I got chills when we sang Hay Una Mujer. I cried when we sang Emma. But mostly, I felt honored. I was honored to stand with my MUSE sisters and the Alum who have worked tirelessly my entire life to make MUSE what it is. I was honored to be a part of something so important.

I joined MUSE because I couldn't bear to think of my life without singing with other people. And I will continue to sing because I can’t imagine my life without musical excellence, social change and everything in between. That is MUSE.

Maria Kitsinis