PMEA Regional Chorus Days 2/3

Sorry for the delay in posting.  I've spent most of my free time getting caught up on homework.

I came in Friday anxious.  This is not unlike most people.  They would be announcing who got into states that morning.  We started with rehearsal.  Every time somebody new came up to the stage during that rehearsal, everybody got their hopes up.  We got a lot done, but everybody was starting to get annoyed that they hadn't announced it yet.

Finally, at around 11:00, the announcement came.  They started with the Soprano 1s and went down.  The first leap of joy came when they announced that RH would be going as an Alto 1, which was needed after the disappointment of none of QV's three sopranos making it (though CK did).

Then came the tenor 1s.  I was the first one called.  I couldn't believe it.  This not only meant that I was going to states, but also that I had gotten first chair among tenor 1s!  I had had a better audition than anyone else I was sitting with at that moment!

Then came the disappointment of JR not getting in (after the last person they called had the same first name).  JD also made it, and he will be traveling with us.  RH, JD, RS (for orchestra), and I are going to be heading to states in about a month.  It's too good to be true.

The rest of rehearsal became a very interesting experience after that.  Now I had something to live up to.  More than once throughout the rehearsal, whenever I screwed up, I thought to myself, "They're probably thinking 'We lost to this guy?'" I realized that I was struggling to hit the A that I had hit so well in the audition.  If the auditions had been on the last day, I never would have advanced.

However, there were a few pieces where I kept getting good reactions from the rest of my section.  On "Singet dem Herrn", one of the other tenors complimented me on knowing the piece so well.  On the last day, after talking to the guy who was one spot out from advancing, he said he was hoping someone would drop out, but he didn't want it to be me.  Those were both uplifting.

And, the rehearsal started to really come along well.  All the work that I doubted would get done actually got done.  Dr. L started to get nicer and nicer as the pieces got better and better.  By the end of Friday, I was really excited.

When I got home, more good things happened.  First, I got a very nice reception from my family (I had texted them as soon as I found out), and you could tell they were pleased.  I found out that J and my dad would be able to make the concert, and then when we called Baba and Jedo to tell them the news, we invited them to the concert as well.  In addition, by text communication I learned that KR and KD would be attending as well.  It couldn't get any better.

The next day began with a run through and it couldn't have gone any better.  The banquet that followed was a lot better done than it had been at QV.  Before the concert, Dr. L had everyone come together, introduce themselves, and then we discussed some of our favorite pieces.  Then we lined up to take our places.

The concert went amazingly.  Everything was perfect.  The audience loved it, and were on their feet in 30 seconds at the end of it.  It felt so good to be up on that stage, doing one of the greatest performances of my life.  You have no idea.  Afterwards, I got congratulated by my family, KR KD and MC (who RH was dying to be introduced to), AF (who had also come), and various others.

I would like to take this moment to thank all who came, especially KR, KD and MC, who had to be among the only people in the entire audience who weren't family of one of the performers.  For those of you who weren't there, I completely understand you not being able to attend.

And then, today, Sunday, I blew out what was left of my voice in church choir.

-NM