Beginning Again
Tonight, for the first time in quite a while, I am not practicing. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. No more working on runs that have never been perfect enough, no more deciding between practicing for an extra half an hour or getting more sleep, no more figuring out where to breathe in a seemingly endless passage – not until tomorrow night, when I begin perfecting my college audition repertoire.
I am planning on going to college to become a music teacher, so these next couple of months will be filled with countless auditions and meetings with potential new flute teachers. I cannot wait until music will become the focus of my educational career and ultimately my profession. Sunday might have been the last time I perform a concerto with an orchestra (I hope not!), but it was certainly a step down my road to becoming a great musician.
“Are you sad it’s over?” was the number one question posed to me after the concert on Sunday. At that time I replied, “Yeah, it was an awesome experience.” Thinking back on it, I should have responded differently. A musician’s work is never really over. And, for me, Sunday was just the beginning.
–Kelly Herrmann
