A little over a year ago, I received a call from a former student asking me to sub at the church where she is now the music director. It just happened to be Mother’s Day weekend and I had plans. I joked with her and said, “One of these days I’m going to say yes”. She had asked me to do other events over the years, and I was never available.
At the end of the month, she reached out again and this time I said yes. I hadn’t had a church position since high school. I hadn’t played an organ since Grad school. I was in uncharted and somewhat scary territory on all accounts.
The first weekend I was so nervous. You would have thought I was performing in Carnegie Hall. Nevertheless, I survived, thinking I had bitten off more than I was prepared for. Services were on a 100-year-old, beautiful pipe organ. I forgot what instrument the stops meant, what the pedals were for, and which pedals operated each manual. I was a hot mess.
Luckily, I was connected with a concert organist who knew the organ well. He helped set up the organ with saved stops, and with a few recommendations, I was off and running. I was slowly relearning what I did in grad school while finding the shortcuts and ‘cheats’ to sounding like I knew what I was doing. After a few weeks of playing, I began to feel better about playing the organ and even looked forward to it.
As it turns out, the sub position lasted the entire summer, and I even began to believe this was something I could do regularly. However, the job was filled with an outstanding organist, and I was offered another position at a different church. And, I said yes!
This September will be a year of playing the organ, taking lessons, and finding joy in commanding this amazing, massive, complicated instrument. I have felt the gamut of emotions on this journey, from feeling defeated, to being in awe of what I can do with the sounds and the use of my feet! I am not a concert organist, but I am steadily making progress and loving every minute. I now sightread pieces on a level I once struggled through just one year ago.
Anything is possible! I see that every time I agree to teach a student. I have students from ages 4-89. The adults return to piano study many times during retirement to keep their minds sharp, their coordination in check and enjoy playing. Young moms do it to invest in themselves and their enjoyment in addition to having a creative outlet. Children and teens study at the urging of parents and for their sense of accomplishment and fun.
I love what I do. I say this all of the time. I love sharing my gift and bringing joy to those around me. I am sharing this story with you because anything can come to fruition if you want it to. I didn’t necessarily know I wanted to be a church musician, it just fell into my lap. My advice next time you are challenged with a new opportunity is; Take the leap!
All you have to do is say “Yes”!
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