A final concert is a chance to reflect on the journey of the year, and here’s the thought I keep having after last night’s Rockford Aces Concert.
It’s not where you start, it’s where you end up.
The 13 guys will tell you that their first rehearsal would not be an accurate predictor of last night. Even in April, when the earned a less-than-stellar rating at State Solo & Ensemble, you might not have predicted where they would be by June.
It’s not where you start, it’s where you end up.
Musical growth is no different than height: it happens in spurts. I told this group before the concert that I don’t think any edition of the Rockford Aces has grown further in the course of a year: determined, deliberate growth (in spurts) led to a really wonderful result.
Last night the Aces presented a two-hour concert and raised nearly $1,000 for the Rockford HS Choir program. They sang beautifully a wide range of pieces from contemporary pop tunes to choral folk arrangements, did comedy and more.
You don’t have to be the fastest out of the gate. You don’t have to be the first to succeed. You don’t have to have the most innate talent (whatever that means). You just have to show up, keep practicing consistently, and slowly, slowly move towards your destination.
It’s not where you start, it’s where you end up.