We had practice tonight and welcomed back our awesome accompanist, Kristy, after her surgery. Yippee. We also had some of our amazingly talented singers who wanted to audition for the musical, My Fair Lady. I knew we would have them for only half an hour or so. So I decided we would sing the 8 songs we had lined up for our next concert during that half hour. Well, guess what? I learned something really important.
1. It worked - We had not sung together for a month and yet they sang even our newer pieces really well. We were all surprised at how well each song sounded. We knew more than we realized.
2. Surprise - The mere fact that we sang through each song and didn't stop to take it apart was a different way of practising for us. It really made the singers sharper and more aware. It was a surprise format and to most a surprise result. A couple of the pieces were actually done better than ever before. I don't know what the science behind that is, but it worked and doing that occasionally is a good idea apparently.
3. Accomplishment - When our auditioning members left, we went back and looked at the few spots that needed repair. There were a couple of timing areas, a few harmonic difficulties, and some entrance and cadence repairs we worked on. We finished with a great sense of accomplishment. There wasn't one of the songs we couldn't have presented then and there.
That sense of "well done" was pervasive. What started as a necessary way to use the time we would have with all singers present, ended up being a really great way to start after a long lay-off. What a super evening! Great singers, great effort, and the awesome Kristy. It just doesn't get better.
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