xeryfyn's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here's to Song: 60th Anniversary Concert The day of the concert started off slowly, waking nearly in the afternoon. Nice to laze around with my family and feel unpressured to get up and do the millions of tasks that begged my attention. But get up we did, after realizing that I had very little time left to go and meet the girls and get a bit of pampering before the rush of the evening. The girl who did my hair was sensational. She french-braided my hair in an amazing display of dexterity and skill, weaving my normally slippery hair into inescapable braids that didnt move an inch all day and all night. The other girls had their hair swept into fabulous and fast(!) up-dos and I was a bit sorry that I hadnt the foresight to bring all my stuff with me to get ready at B's house with them but knowing that I also had to get on stage to rehearse and warm-up left me feeling a bit more comfortable with the way things went anyway. I went home and got all my ducks in a row, sorting out the tings I needed from the things hubby and Julia would need to survive the night. We discovered that our dinner plans with M&M would not pan out and settled on pizza delivery in the interests of time and money. Somehow, as time often does around here, it was time to go and, as usual in our household, running a bit behind. The traffic there was bunchy and I found myself growing more nervous, my palms sweating and my tummy feeling a bit in knots over some unknown rabble of emotions that stewed inside me. I rushed into warm-up, not really late by choir standards, and felt grateful for the stool that had been provided for me to sit throughout the concert. I looked out over the quiet hush of the empty concert hall, only minutes away from being filled with the love and emotion of thousands of past and present choristers and others who surround those choristers with love. It was a bit of a nostalgic feeling, knowing that it is to be my last time on that stage with that choir. The rustle of voices backstage as we practiced with an amazing 76 year old soloist only increased the feeling of excitement that bound me to the moment and sent my heart pounding, exhilerated and filled with indescribable joy. The first half rolled by rather quickly, despite speeches that were touching but lengthy and the sore spot on my back that seemed to be spreading a bit to my side. Sitting was nice, but there was music hitting the back of my head a bit and I know that I screwed up in more than one place. Nonetheless I felt the music in every part of me, felt the adoration from the crowd and, for the first time this year, felt truly connected to the people assembled with me on that brightly lit stage. I stumbled about during intermission, first trying to drink the perfect amount--enough to quench my thirst but not so much as to have a startling moment of needing to pee half way through the finale. I stopped into Jamie's dressing room to ask why he wasnt wearing his boutienniere in the first half, caught a glimpse of something off-putting in his face when I walked through the door but shrigged it off and left after a bit of mild chit chat. Very good thing indeed for just as intermission was about to end, I saw Sarah and E hurrying backstage in that barely uncontained secret excitement that they had buzzing about them. I was waved over but knowing that i had to perhaps chooise between going or peeing, I was instructed to go to the bathroom first. I caught up with them a moment later and the flush of Sarah's face, the brightness of her red-rimmed eyes should have clued me in. But I, alas, needed to be prompted by "Guess what happened just now for my birthday?" And then I knew. I knew with all the excitement that had been building all night, all day, all weekend. And I also knew that i couldnt say anything so I screamed "Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!" and gave her a huge hug, barely able to contain myself. Sure we got weird looks in the hall but, eh, it was concert night and really the mixed bag of emotins that everyone was feeling at various times could have meant anything. It was perfect and joyous and I was so glad for the opportunity to be there, to be one of the first to find out, to her it straight from teh horse's mouth, as it were. I was so glad for my decision to come back and sing this wonderful music, to hear my friend's wonderful news, to feel my baby kick inside me as I came back to the stage, ready for the wrap-up of emotions that this night had wrought. The second half started with Jamie's conducting and his barely contained glee, his glowing awarenesss of the spreading of the news like wildfire across the risers, and his obvious and affectionate wink towards Sarah as he lifted his hands to begin. It was perfection in motion and love unadulterated. It was unreal to be up there, front row seats to the magic of love. Gospel Mass captured all of the emotions in me that had nowhere else to go, weaving it into the material of the evening and cloaking in its warmth. It had been difficult, all year, to let go of my "ideal" Gospel Mass, of its associations with my first year of choir, of the terrible wonderful memories that year held, of the healing that took place within me when I first learned that piece. In fact, up until that last concert, I hadn't felt truly in touch with its awesome ability to move me. But that night, on that stage, it clicked. With all that was floating around me, I felt the familiar welling of tears, catch of song in my throat, lump of emotion in my voice. And, once again, I was home. 60 years of song, unbelievable engagement, memories crowding close to my heart and hugs from faces that had come from near and far to share in the glory of the evening. I leave that chapter of my life, giddy and filled with all the sentiment of our cheesy encore. "Here's to song, here's to time, here's to both with friends of mine. here's to friends who raise their voices high. Kings have riches widely lain, lords have land but then again, we have friends and song no wealth can buy..."
8:14 p.m. - 2004-03-10 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
||||||
|
||||||