I am always baffled by music's way of inspiring, heartening and enlivening people. As a singer I am perpetually surrounded by "Is," this is, those who are so Hell-bent on their own development and future success that they forget why, or even how, they got involved in singing in the first place.
Think about it- when was the last time you actually asked yourself, "Why am I doing this?" and used such a rhetorical inquisition with positive subtext?
This is not a soapbox rant, trying to fire emotions and instigate some sort of movement from my readers. The last couple of days I have been gently reminded about why I chose music instead of law or politics. Last night I was in North Scottsdale singing Andrea Bocelli songs at a wedding reception. The establishment was called Sassi, a Four Diamond Italian restaurant and lounge. The organization of this event was a little last-minute, there were technical complications and miscommunications... stressful. I like to keep my clients for these functions satisfied and ahead of the game so they can concentrate on other things, like family. Plus, this repertoire is not my favourite and I can be quite opinionated about its validity.
My opinions about its validity did not matter much to the bride and groom, their family and their friends at the reception. This was a wedding chock full of extraordinary stories.
I was not aiming for "you have a pretty voice" or "you did a good job." I do not need, nor want to hear that. Though I was promoting myself for potential work in the future, it was not the primary focus of my evening. What satisfied me more were comments like, "What you sang really moved me." Maybe it was me, maybe it was the wedding, but I am inclined to believe that it was more Andrea Bocelli's karaoke orchestrations. Either way, many people were apparently touched.
Stories: The bride's mother, from Australia, battled breast cancer and is nearly in the clear. She specifically requested Schubert's Ave Maria because of its optimism. Now with a full head of beautiful black hair, this wedding reception was to celebrate life and love- and her own victory. "I just wanted to see life through today. That's all I ever wanted. You helped make that happen in such a beautiful way, love." The groom belongs to a fraternity and many of his brothers were in attendance. One of them asked me to come sing for his mother, whose life has been plagued with death and economic struggle. "I want you to remember this," he decreed. "I heard 'Ave Maria' at the Vatican with their chapel choir singing. When you sang that, not only did it remind me of it, but I could not even move." A picture slideshow of the bride and groom had everyone reflecting, and laughing, while the Beatles served as its musical catalogue. Many were in real estate...and desperately pining for better days. Everyone, despite their hardships seemed to temporarily forget while they drank, sang and danced. As medieval as that may sound, it is true.
"Music's important role in the enrichment of the human spirit."
After I finished singing I was offered free wine, cake and dancing for the remainder of the evening. I was networked with many people in high finance to sing at their fancy parties in town and was also pitched to the family which runs one of the nation's largest wedding expos held here in Phoenix and Las Vegas (friends of the family). Despite all of that, I was moved by their passion for family, their grace, strength and beauty. And love for music, even though our tastes may be different.
Gerald would say, "In the end it's not about you." He is so right.
These folks, despite the fact that we had a rocky start to the business aspect, treated me like I was one of their own. It was an honour to be in such good company. Not bad looking bridesmaids, either! As one guest put it, "The hotter the bride, the hotter the wedding."
The day before I had coffee with the bride's father at the Scottsdale Hyatt resort, where he told me that is brother is famed New Zealand keyboardist Eddy Reiner. If you get around to reading this Eddy, your presence at the reception was sorely missed. It has reconnected me with Split Endz, however. Awesome.
We are blessed to do what we do, no matter what it is. A gentle reminder.
That is one heck of a music video.
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