Fluting again (hopefully).

On Tuesday evening, while I was busy being glued to the election coverage, the choir director from back home (it shall always be home) sent me an email inviting me “and my flute” to come back to participate in our churches Christmas Eve Cantata.

I have many years of that cantata under my belt now. At first I was only in the Senior Bell Choir and so our norm was just playing a prelude. Then I was playing an additional prelude on flute as well. By high school I’d joined the Senior Singing Choir and so sang alto/second soprano in the Cantata. The choir director was also beginning to use me as the go-to for accompaniment so I’d jump over to flute for specific parts. For a year or two of college I still predominately sang as well as doing a bit of fluting for the cantata, I think it may have been assisted by a lack of altos. However most recently I’ve been kicked out of singing and left with a whole book of the C accompaniment parts. And let me tell you some of that stuff is actually tricky.

But anyways I’m torn about playing this year. The thing of it is that I love playing, have always played, and would be happy to continue. But I haven’t lived in, around, or near that zip code for a year and a half now, and that’s not even counting the three college years when I was really only half there anyways.

I guess I feel like maybe I should be moving on. It’s tricky.

Interestingly enough yesterday I was perusing Craigslist, because it provides a rather endless source of entertainment for me. But I saw posting under musicians for “Concert Band Musicians.” Holy crap.

If you are familiar with the musicians page on Craigslist you’ll know that 90% of the stuff is people wanting to be rock stars or something close. Concert Band’s don’t so much fit in that category.

There it was, a shining light in my night sky. It beckoned me, and I clicked. My heart raced as I saw a listing of instruments. It started with low brass, damn, then a 3rd trumpet, gah, 2nd clarinet, warmer, French horn, gosh darn it there are too many flute players in the world!, and lastly, miracle of all miracles, flute. Break out the Hallelujah chorus, or maybe the finale of Beethoven’s 9th – it’s better.

I spent the next hour or two pouring over an eloquently written email about how I’d played before but haven’t found anywhere here. My college experience. And most of all how I treasured the 6 years I’d spent with my old community band. I could’ve brought a tear to your eye with my description of the joys of providing music to people. Yes, I’m a dork.

I also dusted off my “musical resume” which actually makes me look pretty durn good. Rock on being the only flute major in my year in college. That’s definitely probably cheating, but hey I did do it all. And actually I was pretty good 2 years ago.

A response was received this afternoon. The director was impressed (crap shes a flute player, which I knew from the website, and I’m going to have to live up to something) and I am to call her. She has some kind of crazy hours and so now I’ve got to sort them out. Then if I can convince the phone not to eat me I shall call.

:-)