Carnegie Hall: March 29, 2015
A dividing line in the life of a performer is drawn
Carnegie Hall in New York. Its very name evokes respect and awe, among performers and concert audiences alike. It will take your breath away. As you can read about in my blog post, its majesty is better felt than told!
A life-changing experience
Standing on the storied old stage and looking out at 2,800 expectant concert goers in one of the world’s most prestigious venues is a dividing line in the history of any performer. It is a transformational experience, duly noted by a flood of emotions that well up seemingly out of nowhere, not only in the heat of performance but also during dress rehearsal — where before you, filling every one of the red cloth-covered seats, is history — and afterward, too, once you’ve climbed back up the staircase to your dressing room.
There is admiration of history and architecture, the way the grand auditorium’s multi-tier seating arrangement sweeps around you. There is a keen sense of destination and of destiny too, and in the midst of the storied opulence — no matter how politely stated — one is moved to acknowledge his own beginnings and the steps that led him to here.
Along with surges of elation and a sense of musical elevation comes a soaring joy, but also sobriety.
Just as later, while counting the performing currency having your name associated with Carnegie Hall affords you also find yourself counting the cost of tethering your creative self to enterprises of incompatible spirit and inappropriate temperament.
And change, while seemingly dramatic, is effortlessly executed, for removal of stumbling blocks and distractions is all that seems right in the interest of fulfilling your contract with the universe. Enterprises not deserving of the investment become abundantly evident.
I got to experience Carnegie Hall firsthand on March 29, 2015 as part of the Distinguished Concerts International New York presentation Total Vocal... READ BLOG