(The live recording of The MOVE, November 2011)
New experiences are scary, but always necessary to keep moving forward in life. This I am finding out first-hand.
It has officially been one month since my last blog post; however, the break in between writings has been packed with a fist-full of musical firsts for me! It's been exhilarating! It's been terrifying.
The first new experience for me was directing my first ever Choral MPA (shorthand for Music Performance Assessment) at the beginning of this month. It was a scary experience stepping onto a large stage with 60 of my high school choral students and conducting six pieces of classical music. I took a conducting class in college, but only because I was required to for my major (secretly knowing I would never use it in the future-ha!). Then several weeks ago, I found myself dusting off the old skill and employing it with all the vigor I could conjure up, while secretly hoping my backside didn't appear overly large to the audience. The experience was so scary to me because I had never conducted choirs before in front of professional classically-trained vocalists. But, I have to give props to the my students who got me through the emotionally-charged day and sang very well in the process. And now I can say I've done it and I know what to expect for next year; that is half the battle!
The other very exciting experience was the release of a cd project from my church entitled The MOVE. This was a project that unexpectedly fell into my lap back in November when I was asked to be the vocal coach for the project. I readily agreed, and soon found myself not only coaching, but also getting to be a part of the live recording and the studio overdubs. It was an experience of a lifetime; one I'm so glad I said "yes" to. The most amazing part was holding the finished cd product in my hand several days ago and seeing my name in print for the first time on a cd sleeve. I will unashamedly admit I hope it's the first of many professional albums I get to work on. The MOVE should be available soon on iTunes. I will be sure to cite that information as soon as I have it.
So even though the new experiences have been scary, I can honestly say that I'm a better musician because of them. I also appreciate the fact that music is such an integral part of my existence. I'm so blessed to get to do what I love on a daily basis.
Here's to the new experiences that shape us and grow our lives in unexpected ways!