Once in a while, you have to cancel your weekly rehearsal to accommodate the needs of your students or yourself. It can be unplanned (illness) or planned (show week for the school musical).
In the end, a canceled weekly rehearsal is a chance to take a moment to reflect. Even if it’s because you’re extra busy with a musical dress rehearsal, take a few minutes to notice how it feels different without your regular rehearsal. Encourage your students to do the same.
- In what ways are your mood, perspective, general outlook, etc. affected by this change in your week?
- What do you miss most? Enhance that in your rehearsals.
- What are you happy to not do? Minimize that in future rehearsals!
- Are you glad it’s gone? Then it’s time to reconsider the basic foundation of your ensemble.
- Do you miss it all week? Then reflect that with joy in every rehearsal you do get to have.
It’s a privilege to get to make music with your ensemble, and sometimes the best way to recognize that is to miss a week, and then simply notice.