“Be master of mind rather than mastered by mind.” Zen Proverb
Our fall concert is in a few days. As in past concert cycles around this time, I’m joking around; telling my choir I’m trying to get to my “Zen Place” and this cycle is no different. You may have a different term for it, but when I am perfectly calm, perfectly prepared and perfectly focused on the music it’s what I call my “Zen Place.” Something (programs, singers, instrumentalists, weather) always seems to conspire against me, having me struggling up the side of my own personal “Mount Fuji.” But I do eventually make it!
It is such a regular joke with my choir, they gave me a “Zen Place” basket after our last concert, filled with herbal teas and a lovely teapot with cozy, lemon cookies and bath salts with candles. I loved it and appreciate the sentiment. They know me so well; I get stressed the closer our concert gets and need to consciously calm down. During our rehearsal cycle I am calm and focused but the closer we get to our concert, am riled up quite easily. I always have the best of intentions to “Zen it” but something always happens to make me goofy. Once I step in front of my choir in concert, calmness takes over and I’m fine.
Aggie* tells me she is also stressed and babbling days before a concert. She directs a children’s chorus and puts on a happy face for the kids, but behind the scenes she is a mess. She worries about risers and programs and one of her soloists being ill (which is why she has two understudies for each solo) and whatever else can go wrong.
She didn’t always babble before concerts; it has only been the last five years or so when concert details started to fall between the cracks to the detriment of the chorus. It began when the board of her chorus decided to reduce the hours of their executive director. Of course, Aggie was expected to pick up the slack without further compensation. Aggie suggested board members pick up programs or move risers or even organize parent volunteers, but they weren’t having it. And the new executive director only works the number of hours required in her contract and no more, no matter what needs to be done the week of their concert. Aggie says she’ll move on in the spring. Since she is tired of feeling stressed right before a concert because no one wants to help, she’s leaving rather than continuing on.
Matthew* has a church job which he loves. And let’s face it; every week is a bit of a “concert” in the church music biz. He was also stressed every Sunday his choir sang until he realized he was expending energy on silly things that only mattered to one or two people. And decided he could “let it go” by organizing choir officers. From music librarian to a person who makes sure everyone is wearing the same liturgical color stole before they leave the choir room to someone in charge of choir parties and life-event gifts, it has worked well and has reduced his stress. Matthew thinks every church choir should have officers!
Joanbeth*learned the hard way what she needs to be calm without upsetting her chorus. Before one concert, the risers were crooked, the piano wasn’t in the correct place, there wasn’t a music stand to be found for her and no way could she move that stuff on the stage by herself. She was upset in front of her middle school chorus right before they were to go on and they didn’t sing well. Her supervisor told her after he would have rectified the stage set up if she had asked. All’s fine; she’s still in that district but knows to check, and double check again, stage requirements for her concerts. She’ll ask for help if she needs to and is calmer when she does.
I see plenty of warm baths with cups of herbal tea and candles in the next few days for me. Those yummy lemon cookies are long gone!
*Name Withheld
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