Sometimes you have an experience so wonderful that you know it can never be equalled or bettered. Or, at least, you're pretty sure it's the Best Ever.
What do you do after that?
Especially when you've got a tendency to see the glass half empty. And an overdeveloped talent for harsh comparison. Do you decide to opt out of repeats because they are guaranteed to disappoint?
I say not. Do it again!
Last year I was privileged to sing in an amazing performance of the Brahms Requiem in Carnegie Hall. This isn't unique - there were nearly 200 of us! But by every measure a chorus singer can use, it was a supreme peak experience.
This year I was also privileged to be invited to sing (almost) the same music with a couple of suburban community choirs. After sorting a few logistics questions, I leapt at the opportunity.
It was not New York. By a wide margin. By turns, that difference was painful, frustrating, funny. I also discovered the difference was also irrelevant. So what, if this time round the experience is not going to be equal or better than last time?
That "can't match the peak" experience had its own unique and valuable qualities. I had a chance to sing again with some old friends, to build some new friendships, to see the challenges of the music resolved in a different way. It was a privilege. I was singing the Brahms Requiem for the 3rd time in 3 years! We never know when these chances will come again
And when we clambered up the scaffolding in one venue, and squeezed into the church pews in another, we were all motivated with the same love of the music, love of the audience, love of the conductor, love of each other as collaborators in creating the beautiful fleeting magic that is live music.
It's ALWAYS a Peak Experience if you do it with passion and joy
