On Stage

I bitch and moan about the long rehearsal schedule for the Heartland Men’s Chorus; every Tuesday 3, sometimes 4, hours if you attend an optional sectional or lesson, for 6 to 8 weeks or so. I am not a social animal in large groups so I tend to keep to myself and chat with a few who I know. I attend to sing, not to get involved in all the drama and gossip. I see attending rehearsal as a duty and obligation to the cause. I do it because I want to be a better singer, and to work as part of the team to make glorious music.

It is all worth it for the outcome. The rush of being on stage. The curtain rising, the audience immediately bursting into cheers. They love us. Of course many have friends and family in the chorus. But they can be a critical audience too. The audience will tell us if the show was not what they expected. This is not a free concert, like the orchestra one I went to this summer and the friend-filled audience applauded a most ghastly affair. These folks pay good $ for a ticket. Cheapest is $15 for the nosebleed most are $25-30. The applause and admiration is genuine.

And we give them our all. It is always a thrill to see it all come together. Tough passages nailed, notes above reach ringing out clear and strong. We come together, the silliness and the pettiness disappear as we go about our mission to inspire, heal and transform.

Despite my “this is my last concert” mantra, I am sure I’ll do it again.