Day 158 -- Debut with Master Singers

Tonight I sang in my first concert with the Central Texas Master Singers.  And I don't have a stinking' photo to prove it!  Yesterday on my way home from Haskell, I got a text from the director asking me if I would sing with them tonight and saying that I could use my music, which is something they don't usually ever allow.  He said he was going to allow me and a guy who sings bass to use our music tonight so I said that I would do it.  The rest of the way home, I listened to practice mp3's of the music on the program just to get acquainted with them because I had only ever read through 3 of the 17 on the list.  But, of course, since I was driving, I couldn't very well look at the music to see what the words were or when the altos actually were supposed to sing or "oooh" or whatever except for what I could distinguish from the recordings I had.  So today, from the time I got out of bed, I was singing those songs with the music and a recording, trying to learn at a least a little of them.  Had to stop in the middle of my rehearsal to go to a fundraiser for CASA over in Killeen, and then came home and practiced some more until time to leave.  Had to be there at 4:00 for a run-through of the music with the director and choir, and then concert at 6:00.  Only a small group of people were there for an audience so that made me feel more comfortable, but it was still awkward to sing with music while everyone else was singing by memory.  But it was a good experience to do it with a small group.  The director changed up the order of some of the songs, and so I did those by memory to the best of my ability--I confess I sometimes just moved by mouth so I wouldn't blurt out something I shouldn't!  Everyone as very gracious about the two of us using music but it was kind of awkward, and hard to keep an eye on the music and director--so I am more motivated than ever to get these songs memorized!