Musical Notes

Or should they be pitches?

I heard of the new Pope at the beginnig of a class today. The teacher said, "We have a new Pope!" With a name like Mary Sullivan, I could venture to guess that she is a Catholic of some degree of devoutness.

I asked a few questions:

Me: So who is it?
Teacher: Cardinal Ratzinger.
Me: So what's his Pope name?
Teacher: Benedict...the Sixteenth?

So the following thoughts came to my mind.

Hmmm...am I going to get a gig out of this?

and

Ratzinger? They've just elected a hardline conservative who wants to roll back Vatican II? Oh, crap the American church is going to be in trouble.

I quickly planed for a doomsday scenario in which I'd bolt for the Episcopal Church in my head, filed it away and hope I never need to do that.

I got a call, and got the gig. I'll be singing for the Dicocesan Thanksgiving Mass for Pope Benedict XVI. This will mark the third time I've sang for the Bishop of Oakland.

As to the other thing, I'm not going to think about anymore.

Despite my recent struggles today was a good day. My consistancy in my top is getting better and better with each passing week. I'm going to work harder now and prove the naysayers wrong. I am more than certain that the fabled "next level" is an eventuality for me, I just have to work hard.

In Renee Fleming's book she described the journey from student musician to sucessful professional musician as a swim across the cold English Channel from England to France. I believe my toes touched the water last Friday and I got scared. It's time for me to dive in.