So last night I went to an orchestra concert for the first time in years. It was totally surreal. I am so thankful, looking back, for the opportunity my parents gave me way back when to learn an instrument and be involved in such an amazing thing. I also thought about a few other things...
My parents were amazing. They really dealt out a lot of cash for me to take private lessons, play in contests, quartets, three different orchestras at the same time, uniforms, music, strings, upkeep, etc. What I got in return is priceless and I am so thankful they realized the value of their investment back when I was just eleven years old.
My parents also almost never missed concerts. Considering we had them all the time for twelve or thirteen years that is pretty amazing. I remember them always sitting as close as possible and videotaping every single one I ever played in. They were amazingly supportive.
You can't go back. I realized last night, watching them play, that the orchestras I remember will never exist again. All my friends, old conductors, even my ability to play those things are all either gone or have diminished. Its a little sad because I love playing in a full orchestra almost more than doing anything else on earth. There's no way to describe the feeling of playing a symphony in perfect unison with sixty other people. One that I think of in particular is Jupiter from Holst's The Planets. Some rare, indescribably joyful and beautiful feeling rises up within you during the main theme that makes you want to cry and kiss and scream and never stop playing it all at the same time.
I am really looking forward to getting out of grad school because I am definitely going to try and find another orchestra to play in. You can't go back, but you can go ahead.
2 comments:
That's a good post Erin. Very inspiring. You'll have to make sure your kids get to play an instrument. However, if they're like me, they'll just show up for their performance with their flute but without practicing and pretend to play as you, their parent, sits in the crowd and watches. My piano years didn't go much better either. I'm sure your children will inherit the "musical" gene from you though so it will all work out. :)
When we were kids (and we were still Catholics then), my youngest brother Ed and I were members of a small chapel choir inside a public hospital. The harmony of the voices and instruments adds up to the religious atmosphere inside the chapel. But it's not from our spirit and our hearts. We praise GOD for making HIMSELF known to us and changing our notion about worship. The message of the songs and its application to our lives means a lot to GOD. I get excited when I think and envision about the Grand Worship in Heaven which is composed of all nations, tribes and tounges worshipping JESUS. This will truly be "A Beautiful Thing" to behold and experience.
:David
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