Children's Choir/stake conference report

Yesterday was our Stake Conference and the "big day" for the children's choir that I was asked to lead. As I said before, I felt totally overwhelmed and unqualified to lead this choir, but I said yes anyway. We practiced with the kids once a week for the past month and the work and worry paid off -- THEY DID GREAT!

It caused me way more stress than it should have, and I felt nauseous over it several times - but it is done and it went well. I think the stress affected my immune system, because I woke up Sunday Morning with a nasty head cold! I took some Musinex, loaded my bag with tissues, and right before I left home I drank a hot honey/lemon tea with a healthy amount of cayenne pepper. (my preferred remedy for sore throat) I survived - but today I have been totally miserable! stuffy and achy and exhausted

The children all wore white; they looked like a choir of angels up there - and the sound matched! We ended up with about 120'ish kids. Even with the choir seats filled, at our final practice on Saturday, I got a little worried about them being loud enough once the tabernacle was filled - especially on the lower level. During the practice, the adults that were helping reported back to me that they could hear the kids okay on the balcony, since the sound naturally goes up, but it was harder to hear them down on main floor.

Tonight I was talking with my next door neighbor (and in a different conversation the neighbor across the street) and they each made a comment (unsolicited) about how well the choir did. I jumped right on it and asked where they had been sitting. I was THRILLED to find out that they were sitting in the back on the bottom level. HOORAY! They said they could hear the kids AND understand the words they were singing AND they heard both parts on the sections were the kids divided!!!! HOORAY HOORAY HOORAY!

There was one little glitch in particular ... while we were singing the closing song, I looked over and saw this little girl, CLIMBING on the railing...and sliding down it until she got to the seats in front of her, then scooting back up and doing it again. There was nothing I could do - and since we were singing, all the leaders were watching ME - not looking around at the kids - so none of them saw her. I just said a quick "please don't let her fall... it's a good 10 feet..." then went back to concentrating on leading the choir. She didn't fall - so it's all good. (I'd LOVE to know what her mom thought while all this was going on...)

Another fun element to the day was when the stake music chairman called me earlier during the week and asked if I would conduct the intermediate hymn as well. I said that would be fine, but since he didn't mention the opening hymn, I thought I should clarify.
me - "Will I be leading the opening hymn as well?"
him - "the choir is singing the opening hymn."
me - "um, no, we are singing prelude and then a song after the business portion of the meeting..."
him - "no, my understanding is that you are singing prelude that will take the place of the opening hymn."
me (thinking - "are you kidding me? that doesn't make sense at all! PRElude beans BEFORE the meeting. it does not take the place of the opening hymn.") I said, "I'm not sure that's accurate. My understanding was....blah blah blah... Would you please check on that and confirm it for me, then let me know?"

SUNDAY MORNING he called me back and confirmed that there would be an opening hymn and would I please lead it. Turns out the song was "Guide Us O Thou Great Jehovah" hymn 84. I looked it up. oh great - it has a tricky fermata. You know... everyone sings "lead us til the savior comes" -hold soprano while alto and men sing a slower tempo - "savior comes..." then the fermata, then bring everyone back in.) The problem is that I don't do the leading with two hands thing very well. I had been practicing leading the choir number for a month - and I still sometimes (often) had my hands going the wrong way when the kids were singing two different things at the same time...) I had been practicing enough that Tim had starting laughing at me, since it seemed that every time he turned around I was leading some song - I tell you - it was crazy, I couldn't sleep at night. I'd find myself lying there in bed leading the songs, trying to get my two hands to work right.

I am so relieved that it is over and done with, and I am grateful for the experience. I am so thankful for the support that I received from so many people. I could NOT have done it without them. Examples -
my visiting teacher, Rebecca M. sings with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, AND she was a music teacher in the local elementary school for years, AND she now teaches occasional classes at BYU - teaching other people how to direct children's choirs and teach music to children. SHE has all that experience and knowledge - yet they asked ME to do it. She was so supportive. She came to every practice - not to take over, but to be there as a support to me. She was available all along the way to answer questions I had, to help conduct breakout groups when I decided I wanted them to sing the song in two parts. she answered any questions I had, but was always so careful to make sure I was in charge, and that she was back up.

My friend Jenny S. was there the day we first tried working out a seating chart. It turned into a chaotic disaster, and I needed to start running through the songs so I just handed Jenny the seating chart and said, "will you please just write down a rough idea of what ward is sitting where." From that moment forward, I didn't have anything to do with the seating - except making "executive decisions" when needed. She totally handled it. and did it perfectly.

I was touched by the looks of support that I got from all the other leaders that were there. (we asked each ward to send 1 adult per 6 - 7 children) Even when my hands would go the wrong way, I sang the wrong words, got my verses mixed up, forgot cutoffs, etc... I never once felt anyone thinking "what is she doing up there. She doesn't have a clue what she's doing." I only saw understanding smiles, and 100% support. THANK YOU!!! (none of them actually read this blog, but I am very thankful and want to express it.

I am totally worn out, and need to sleep, but I had to be up late processing the last batch of Salsa I bottled tonight, and I wanted to take the time to record this. I recognize that this is way more information than any of you are really interested in, but it's my JOURNAL blog - so you get the details...