Remember Why You Do This

Those were Bob Porco's words to us in his preconcert pep talk last night.

Remember why you struggle to master the Latin and the German and the Russian; and why you rehearse passages over and over and over again to learn the notes and hone the inflections and the dynamics; and why you give up precious time with your family and friends and drive home late at night; and why you spend money on the perfect long-sleeved white blouse and the perfect black calf-length performance skirt and gallons and gallons of gas. One reason only: you love the music. And not just this specific piece of music. You love music.

He said at various times during the rehearsals that he didn't care if we made mistakes or missed notes or sometimes had to make up words. He wanted us to be present. He wanted us to sing from our hearts. In Betsy's final remarks to us last night, she said we needed hearts of fire and brains of ice.

And, boy, did we have them last night. It was a stellar performance and a truly magnificent experience. I will never forget last night for the rest of my life.

First the weather. The one word I've learned about Ohio weather this time of year is "rain". As I've mentioned, eight years in the desert has given me a love for rain. But when fireworks are on the program, you don't want rain to also be on the program. Well, the weather gods were smiling yesterday. I can't remember the last day we had that was as glorious as yesterday. Sunny, scattered clouds, eighty degrees, light breezes, absolutely fabulous!

I left the house a little after noon and got to Blossom around 1:20, then found the rehearsal room at 1:30. Our warm-up started at 2:00, and rehearsal began on stage at 3:30. When we took our seats on stage and started into the first chords of Carmina Burana, I was just blown away. The resonance of the pavilion at Blossom makes the chords linger in the silence, and the many birds perched in the rafters burst into songs of joy at the glorious sound. To hear those birds singing over and around us—well, it just made my heart happy. And to again hear that incredible orchestra in front of us—the oboe, the flutes, the horns, the trumpets, all those cool percussionists, . . . . And the great soloists that Cleveland Orchestra contracted for this performance. And the sweet and innocent children's chorus. Oh, and the men of the Blossom Festival Chorus on the drinking songs. I spent every moment I wasn't singing just sitting there smiling.

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Hearing the birds from the rafters reminded me of one of my first dates with John—a summer double date to Wolf Trap. Midway through the first half of the concert a pigeon in the rafters pooped on my shoulder. I must have handled it gracefully. Eight years later John married me. :)
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The break between dress rehearsal and chorus call for performance was just long enough that I could grab my box lunch and, thanks to the magic of cell phones, find my family and neighbors John and Sherry at the top of the hill behind the pavilion. A young lady doing some marketing for Cleveland Orchestra came by asking us to fill out address cards, and Ridley proudly told her "My grandma is going to be on stage." It's the first time Ridley's ever been to one of my performances that she really got what it was all about.

Once I was seated on stage, I saw Tyler and Jaci and the babes take their seats and saw the adults pointing me out to the babes. Both babes were waving to me but, of course, I couldn't wave back. I was trying to pull my ear lobe, tilt my head, brush my cheek, and surreptitiously nod my head to let them know I could see them. Then I saw Ridley turn to the man next to her and tell him her grandma was on stage and point me out to him. I laughed.

Memorable moments throughout the concert:

• The soloists—fabulous!


• The spontaneous applause after a couple of the solos.


• The children's chorus—equally fabulous!


• The view from the stage of the large crowd in the pavilion and the packed lawn.


• Coming back after intermission, with the sky darkened, looking out to the lawn and seeing candles scattered throughout the audience. A precious site!


• The a capella opening of the 1812 Overture, which we have never nailed. We nailed it last night! When the chorus came in, in G Major, after our final G Major chord, our G Majors matched perfectly. Woo hoo!!!


• The cannons.


• Even before the music died down at the end of the 1812 Overture, the audience erupted—erupted—in applause and cheering. I have never heard that kind of appluase at the end of the concert. I have sung in, probably, between two hundred and three hundred concerts in my life, and I've never experienced that kind of applause. It was breathtaking.


• During the "curtain calls", the applause for the chorus. It was clear the chorus was the star of the evening. We don't sing for the applause. We sing for the love of the music. But how fun to hear that applause, to know that the audience appreciates what we do, how hard we work.


• And finally, sitting and watching the fireworks with my family and friends. After a year of being alone and lonely in Tucson, I'm home with my family.

I <3 MUSIC!