I love the magic of a piece before we sight read it. But it can’t last.
Especially when it’s a new commission, the time between having the piece in hand and passing it out to students is particularly magical. First, because I’m the only person in the world who knows the piece. It’s a musical secret. And second, because the piece is perfect in my head before we sight read it. No wrong notes, no phrases awkwardly placed on the passagio, no struggles to learn and interpret.
But while that can be magical, it’s also pointless. The music only comes to life when we share it with an audience, and we only share it with an audience after we’ve sight read, rehearsed, struggled, and mastered the piece.
Tomorrow we leave the perfect behind and jump into the more rewarding magic-making of the rehearsal process. I’m excited to invite my students into this secret room of discovery.