Last night I got dragged to a concert. That's not usually a desirable thing, but this time I came from it absolutely soaring.
I was comfy in my T-shirt and basketball shorts with no make-up on just chillin' in my dorm, not to mention absolutely exhausted after this crazy week, when Bianca came in the room, told me to get dressed, and informed me I was going to a concert with her. I was not excited about the thought of doing this at all but, boy, am I glad I did it anyway. The band's name is j.wride and the "concert" was the band members playing their original songs at the audience's request in the Snow Garden Apartments clubhouse. I don't know a ton about them, but I know their music made me cry and I know I just found a new influence in my music writing. The singer/piano player of the band is named Jesse and from the minute he touched the keys I was absolutely hooked. I want to write music like that, where the piano part makes you feel like you are flying and brings tears to your eyes and emotions in your heart that you can't seem to pinpoint the reason for. The music literally made me cry.
I've never been one of those people that approaches "famous" people and gushes about how much I love them and asks questions and for autographs, things like that. It's just never been me. I really wanted to talk to Jesse, but like I said, that really has never been me. Basically I was terrified. With some prodding from Bianca I finally walked up to Jesse and took the dive.
Two things happened that I think will forever change my musical life. Jesse made me feel like I was on the same level as him and without a doubt a capable musician and music writer. He spoke to me with complete confidence in my writing abilities. To have someone at his level of music writing and performing who just barely met me treat me in that way turned a light on for me. I'm not "Emily, the girl who someday hopes to be a music composer", I AM "Emily, the music composer". This is it. This dream I have of writing music isn't some far away thing anymore, I'm living it now, it's who I am. Along with the way he treated me, Jesse also gave me a gem of advice for music writing. He told me he has only been playing the piano for 5 years, since he was 17, and played jazz on the saxophone before that, but he said that foundation of jazz had such an influence in his music writing style and strongly encouraged me to get my hands on some jazz music and start teaching myself more jazz, if nothing else. He told me it would be such a help in song writing.
I hate jazz. Ok, so maybe hate is a bit of a strong word. But I've never been a fan of it. The last few weeks though jazz has been on my mind, these little thoughts and feelings that I need to be listening to jazz, I need to develop a taste for it, I need to study it. I've been putting off those promptings because like I said before, I really don't like jazz all that much, and it just didn't seem important. Guess who is going to be trying to develop a love for jazz now? You go it, yours truly.
I think last night was a turning point for me in my music career. I don't think Jesse Wride will ever know what an influence those 5 minutes had on me but wow, I am so grateful for the way he treated me and his genuine personality and interest in what we were talking about, as well as his willingness to share his knowledge.
Oh, and I need to tell you about church today, ha, ha! So I'm the Ward Music chairperson. I lead and choose the music for sacrament meeting and I direct the ward choir. When the organist isn't there, I play the organ and my roommate usually leads the music. I went to choir practice today before church. We were performing my Mom's arrangement of I Am a Child of God for the family day in our singles ward. 45 minutes before church is supposed to start, I get a phone call and a text from my organ player and my piano player within 15 minutes of each other, each telling me they are sick and can't make it. Just picture what a delema this put me in. I'm the only other organ player in our ward so I had to be it but my roommate who usually leads when I can't was with her family and I had no possible way of asking her before church. I'm the only one who could possibly pull of playing the piano for the choir that short of notice and even that is a bit of a stretch but that leaves them leaderless and they need a leader... I have to say I love moments like this. I'm not even being sarcastic, I really do. They are what make life exciting, you know? ;) In the end I told the bishopric to put in the announcements that Nicole was leading the music and hoped she wouldn't kill me when she found out last minute. I called my mom who was on her way to Ephraim for the family day and informed her she was leading a singles ward choir today. :) So in the end we pulled it all off and my bishopric gave me huge smiles, but I was holding my breath right up to the end. You gotta love moments like that. :)
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