Lessons in Confidence and Perseverance: A SGVCC Story by Hannah Lin

When I began attending SGVCC in fourth grade, I had no clue that a single two hour choir class on Saturdays would become one of the most significant impacts on my life. As an elementary school kid, even with a starting piano background, I was unable to produce the same pitched sounds that I saw others around me easily achieving, and I felt discouraged. During my first annual concert, I recall feeling nervous and wanting to cry and give up. However, I was reminded of the endless hours Mr. and Mrs. Lin had put in to prepare for this occasion, and I felt an obligation to try my very best. After this, the yearly concerts became much easier, and the stage fright began to fade away, but I also began to understand the endless dedication and patience that my teachers had to possess to teach such mindless juvenile children. For that, I will be forever grateful, especially with the private lessons I later began to receive from Mr. Lin. His commitment to endlessly push each and every single one of his students with a cheerful attitude and eternal perseverance is one that I admired.

Being in choir has provided an aspect of consistency and enjoyment in my busy day-to-day life, and over the years, I found that I began to look forward to these Saturdays learning to sing. One of my more memorable experiences at SGVCC includes our Europe tour in 2016, which was not only my first time traveling without my parents, but my first time being in Europe. I recall the astonishment I held as we were blessed to be able to travel to several countries over two weeks, singing at different churches with different audiences, each more magical than the last. My favorite memory from that experience was our last performance, in which we performed with a college choir, and I can still remember the magical presence I felt as we sang our last note in perfect harmony. In that singular moment, it felt as if all our months of hard work had paid off, captivating the audience as they stared in awe. During this trip, I was also exposed to foreign cultures, music, even languages that I felt truly connected to through the language of music.

Furthermore, under the guidance and efforts of Mr. Lin, singing has become an enjoyable experience for me, something my shy eight-year-old self could never have even imagined. Being a part of SGVCC is one of the most beneficial decisions I have ever made, although it may not have been my choice in the beginning. However, I can now confidently say that it has shaped me into a better person and allowed me to branch out in many other areas of my life. It has opened up new doors in my future, exposed me to new perspectives, and provided me with experiences that I will never forget. I will be forever appreciative of every single one of my teachers who chose to dedicate both their time and effort into molding my young talent to become the person I am today.