President's Club Banquet

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!! Today has been quite a week, but in a really good way! Thursday, however, was quite enjoyable. I went into Collegiate and we got a couple of new pieces. At the end of class I learned that we didn't have a pianist for the President's Club Banquet that we would be singing at later that evening. So, Brother Kempton asked if I would conduct the Singer's while he played piano. I nervously agreed and we practiced a few times before I had a rehearsal with Sister Ashby for the CES Fireside--which we'll be performing in tonight.

Later that evening my home teachers came over and I could feel my heart rise up into my throat as the nerves started to settle in. As I walked over to the Manwaring Center I remember shaking my arms a few times to get the nerves out . . . it didn't work very well. I could feel my arms and shoulders beginning to tense, I started to feel nauseous, but I knew that everything would be okay. As we practiced before hand, I felt my nerves getting the better of me and my whole body began to shake. But I remember thinking that I had to have a pleasant look on my face to help the Singer's feel the message of the songs. I don't know if anybody could see my body shake, but I most definitely felt it!

As we walked down I could feel my face begin to flush as the nerves moved up into my face (I know that sounds funny, but I really did feel "butterflies" in my head). I began to feel slightly dizzy and my throat began to be tight. When we arrived and went out to sing, I felt a release from some of the tension. We started to sing and I honestly don't remember much that happened whilst I was conducting! I remember that, towards the end of the last song I felt more confident and was much freer in my conducting. As we walked out, I felt a huge sigh of relief! Brother Kempton came up to me and asked how I was feeling. When I told him that I was nervous, but that I enjoyed it, he gave me a smile and simply said "Good." All of those feelings I had when I was nervous, oddly enough, gave me more energy to get through the performance. While we were singing, one by one, they began to diminish. It was quite a memorable experience for me. I learned about some things that I think I'm doing when I conduct, and I'm not. But, I also learned some things that I'm doing really well when I am conducting. All-in-all, it was a fantastic experience for me!