12 Months of 2014: 2 Oratorio Performances

Less than a month and a half after February's wrenched ribcage, I was singing two performances of an oratorio one Sunday evening.  It was not easy for me to learn the music even with a practice tape, a friend's borrowed electronic piano, and a month and a half of rehearsal because I was so rusty I think the flakes were visible (and because it's hard music for someone not formally trained).  And because I can be kind of stupid sometimes, I also decided to actually audition for some of the solo and small group parts, even though it had been years at that point since I had really auditioned for anything.  

I ended up with a part in a quartet.  Neither of our performances were flawless, but I decided not to dwell on the imperfections when a co-worker I didn't know had been at the performances stopped me at work the next week to tell me he thought it was beautiful.  And it was.  Our Elijah had been a professional performer, and, even though he was a bass, I have never heard a human being sing so loudly without any microphone support.  And his diction was so clear.  It was amazing.  

The choir was over 90-voices strong, and there were these moments of gloriousness I can't describe.  And an awful lot of pain.  I ended up having to sit with the disabled, elderly ladies in the front row, which was not my favorite thing ever (the front row being a place I have avoided for a long time).  Only ibuprofen and the grace of God got me through it, and I'm glad they did.