two hands skimmin' over keys, that's fine

Last month when my home teachers came to visit, they asked if there was anything going on in my life besides online seminary. I said, "Nope, not a thing."

Well, I lied.

Not sure if the lie came because I was not wanting them to have to stay any longer than needful while I explained the other stuff I'm doing, or if I just didn't want to brag, but somehow I "forgot" something that's been a big part of my life for the last little while:

I am a professional accompanist.

A few months ago one of my piano teacher's students contacted me about an audition she wanted to do in October. She had 8 pieces she wanted me to learn, and they were pretty difficult. I actually practiced them (which is saying a lot). We rehearsed together several times. We sounded pretty good. Two weeks ago was the recording (and it was fine! I wish I'd had the energy to be more positive about it at the time, but it was like two and a half hours at a recording studio and I was drained). The end of that.

Then I had another chance to utilize my skills this past weekend, when the choir teacher called and asked if I could accompany his three choirs at a concert on Tuesday. I played the songs through a couple times. On all the hard ones I panicked and skipped and got lost, and we had to work to figure out where we were, which is always a fun thing to do in a concert. I regret now that I didn't take the time to practice them more, not only because I messed up and more familiarity would've prevented that, but because now I have nothing to do. The time I previously spent going "Oh, I should play through the pieces now" is now spent going "Well, I can see what's happened on Facebook in the last ten minutes."

I guess I do still have Concert choir (the children kind, not the university kind). But I don't have very much patience there because there are kids there that drive me absolutely bonkers. Plus the songs are so easy I can play them with my eyes closed, and I've not bothered to practice them.

The auditioning student has one more thing she wants to audition for next week, just one piece. After that, I don't know what I'll do.

Anyone want an accompanist?

"Boy at the Piano"