When a couple new people joined the ensemble, as they were working to get up to speed on a difficult piece, I pointed out that, “The fact that everyone else eventually got there is proof of concept. I know you can, too!”
Proof of Concept is a real-world example that something can be done. It’s usually used to describe prototypes of technological ideas. But when you’re singing an impossible New York Voices piece or a challenging brand-new composition, proof of concept can be hard to come by. When that’s the case, you can sometimes sink into the belief that it’s not possible.
That’s why Proof of Concept can be so useful to ensembles. Simply knowing that the people around you can do something can often be enough to help you discover that you can do it yourself.