Despite being out of high school for over ten years, 32-year-old alto Clair Ava is still hurt over never being able to sing any of the melodies in high school choir.
“As an alto, I was always holding down the middle, never flying any higher than that,” Clair said. “It still hurts 12 years later.”
Clair has been in therapy since she was 22 to help process her feelings of anger around never getting to sing “On my Own” or “Climb Every Mountain” without it sounding kind of weird.
“I never got to hit a high note, well, mostly because I couldn’t,” Clair said. “It’s just so painful to watch a soprano live your dream.”
Clair still has nightmares about singing a range of three notes over the course of a seven-minute a capella version of “Can You Feel The Love Tonight”.
“You know how some people have dreams that they’re in high school and they forgot there was an exam that day?” Clair said. “In my dream, I’m just singing the same three notes, over and over again, for all eternity.”
To help process her trauma, Clair is starting a choir just for other altos, except they don’t sing — they just complain about sopranos.
“I just want altos across the world to know their voices matter,” Clair explained. “Just because your range is mid, doesn’t mean you are!”
