On the eve of my last day of teaching, I have incredibly mixed emotions about the upcoming week. Excited is certainly one of those, and that is a no-brainer if you've talked to me in the last four months. On Sunday afternoon, I will hop on a few planes, and in the haze that is changing time zones, I'll end up around who knows when on Monday in Stuttgart, Germany. Along with 39 other vocalists and a handful of instrumentalists, we will be rehearsing and performing Bach's B-Minor Mass for three weeks with the JSB (Junges Stuttgarten Bach) Ensemble at the Internationale Bachackademie Stuttgart. All the musicians are between the ages of 18 and 30, that's where the "Junges" comes in. Obviously I am so excited to embark on such a journey physically, mentally, and spiritually. And I hope these entries will allow me to bring you along for the ride.
While I am eager to begin, I also have some concerns. What if I forgot something in NC? Did I finish all the tasks that I have to do before I leave the country? Has the work I put into learning my music been enough? What if they find my preparation lacking? That worry certainly takes me back to the drive down to Eugene for my first summer at the Youth Choral Academy. Except, now I'm at the professional level and with half the number of singers. The pressure seems legitimate. My life for the next 48 hours will be ruled by lists. But even my worries are not eased, what if I forgot to write something on a list? Things will work themselves out, hopefully for the better. I need to bring the same wisdom I took each year on Ole choir tour: as long as I have myself, my music w/pencil, and my concert shoes, all will be well. That's why I'm going over there: to sing, learn, and share.
*For those of you who understand my blog title, you are as much of a singer geek as I am. If you don't know what it means, leave your best guess as a comment below.
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