Some of you may have seen this picture; it’s made the rounds on Facebook again in recent months. While some of these things may not apply to you specifically, I think we can all agree that we could also come up with a few more of these!
I know I could add a few: trying to remember how many bridesmaids there are while figuring out how much to stretch ‘Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring’…. then straining your neck to see how far down the aisle (or not) the flower girl is….while turning the page to find the place to skip to…. watching the side aisle for the wedding coordinator, wondering if she really is going to cue you or if there’s some sort of hang up with the appearance of the bride, while playing and not losing your place, of course….while making sure the bridal processional music is ready to go, wondering if it was General 4 or 5 for that one…. You get the point. And you could probably all add your own.
We are all major multi-taskers; our instrument and responsibilities require that big-time. I’d bet that every organist you know can pat his or her head while making circles on their tummies. The frustration, of course, is that at times it appears that NO ONE gets that. No one except your colleagues appreciate or understand what goes into a musically seamless worship service or wedding. Another reason we need each other!
Andrea Handley
Andrea Handley, Dean