Dreading Starting Over

When the school year ends and I’ve just conducted our final performance, I can get a bit morose.

I think, “the next time I’m with my ensemble, we’ll be starting over.” All the capacity we’ve built, the trust, the group musical instincts, the repertoire – it’ll all be gone, and we’ll have to start anew.

That’s how I feel in May. In August, I’m excited to start over. I get a chance to revisit old music in new ways. I finally might teach that one phrase correctly the first time! I have new repertoire I’ve never done before and am anxious to try.

Most importantly, I have new students and a new ensemble. We get to go on a voyage of discovery together, with destinations unknown.

What an opportunity.