It's not healthy to reminisce too much, but today has been a day when I looked back to the time in late 2003 when I was shadowing the KS, shortly before I sang my first concert, on 5 February 2004. One of the concerts I witnessed was in the Leiszhalle in Hamburg - tonight's venue. I distinctly remember being blown away by the group on that evening - each time they walked off to rapturous applause from the packed house, I was willing them to return and perform more encores. That is the effect a great performance can have. The group was on top of its game on that November evening, and I was desperate to join and be part of that line-up. I never forgot that feeling, and wanted to make sure that "my" audiences would be inspired by that same feeling of euphoria. The group was called back for six encores that night, and could have done even more.Amazingly, in the exact same venue, I felt that feeling again this evening - but from the stage, rather than the audience. OK, so we sang only five encores as opposed to six, but even so, it was a concert where I felt the audience was completely on our side from the first note. I think we performed well, and I felt totally comfortable in the midst of the sound. Sure, there were things I know we could do better, but I'll take those small imperfections for the overall feel. That's a good lesson for all ensembles - it's great to be perfect, but if you aren't moving people (including yourself), a performance can still feel flat and uninspired. As Billy Joel said, "it's all about soul."We're often asked what the secret of a good performance is, and the truth is that it's hard to put your finger on it. One thing that I often say is that to create a good sound you need to know how it "feels" as opposed to how it "sounds." When you're in the middle of a KS sound, you don't really hear what's going on as much as feel how you're creating the balance and blend. If you can commit that feeling to memory and then re-create it, corporately, then you're onto a winner. Add in the audience energy, and you have a special night on your hands.In some ways, it felt like coming full circle for me. Here I was, 12 years later, in David's last season with the group, and able to be part of a performance that felt as electric as the one I'd attended before I'd properly joined the group. My time in the group has flown by, and next season I will be the "old man" of the group. Nights like this one give me perspective - which is a valuable tool in ensuring we keep up the standards, out of respect for our audiences as well as for those who have gone before.
It's not healthy to reminisce too much, but today has been a day when I looked back to the time in late 2003 when I was shadowing the KS, shortly before I sang my first concert, on 5 February 2004. One of the concerts I witnessed was in the Leiszhalle in Hamburg - tonight's venue. I distinctly remember being blown away by the group on that evening - each time they walked off to rapturous applause from the packed house, I was willing them to return and perform more encores. That is the effect a great performance can have. The group was on top of its game on that November evening, and I was desperate to join and be part of that line-up. I never forgot that feeling, and wanted to make sure that "my" audiences would be inspired by that same feeling of euphoria. The group was called back for six encores that night, and could have done even more.Amazingly, in the exact same venue, I felt that feeling again this evening - but from the stage, rather than the audience. OK, so we sang only five encores as opposed to six, but even so, it was a concert where I felt the audience was completely on our side from the first note. I think we performed well, and I felt totally comfortable in the midst of the sound. Sure, there were things I know we could do better, but I'll take those small imperfections for the overall feel. That's a good lesson for all ensembles - it's great to be perfect, but if you aren't moving people (including yourself), a performance can still feel flat and uninspired. As Billy Joel said, "it's all about soul."We're often asked what the secret of a good performance is, and the truth is that it's hard to put your finger on it. One thing that I often say is that to create a good sound you need to know how it "feels" as opposed to how it "sounds." When you're in the middle of a KS sound, you don't really hear what's going on as much as feel how you're creating the balance and blend. If you can commit that feeling to memory and then re-create it, corporately, then you're onto a winner. Add in the audience energy, and you have a special night on your hands.In some ways, it felt like coming full circle for me. Here I was, 12 years later, in David's last season with the group, and able to be part of a performance that felt as electric as the one I'd attended before I'd properly joined the group. My time in the group has flown by, and next season I will be the "old man" of the group. Nights like this one give me perspective - which is a valuable tool in ensuring we keep up the standards, out of respect for our audiences as well as for those who have gone before.
It's not healthy to reminisce too much, but today has been a day when I looked back to the time in late 2003 when I was shadowing the KS, shortly before I sang my first concert, on 5 February 2004. One of the concerts I witnessed was in the Leiszhalle in Hamburg - tonight's venue. I distinctly remember being blown away by the group on that evening - each time they walked off to rapturous applause from the packed house, I was willing them to return and perform more encores. That is the effect a great performance can have. The group was on top of its game on that November evening, and I was desperate to join and be part of that line-up. I never forgot that feeling, and wanted to make sure that "my" audiences would be inspired by that same feeling of euphoria. The group was called back for six encores that night, and could have done even more.Amazingly, in the exact same venue, I felt that feeling again this evening - but from the stage, rather than the audience. OK, so we sang only five encores as opposed to six, but even so, it was a concert where I felt the audience was completely on our side from the first note. I think we performed well, and I felt totally comfortable in the midst of the sound. Sure, there were things I know we could do better, but I'll take those small imperfections for the overall feel. That's a good lesson for all ensembles - it's great to be perfect, but if you aren't moving people (including yourself), a performance can still feel flat and uninspired. As Billy Joel said, "it's all about soul."We're often asked what the secret of a good performance is, and the truth is that it's hard to put your finger on it. One thing that I often say is that to create a good sound you need to know how it "feels" as opposed to how it "sounds." When you're in the middle of a KS sound, you don't really hear what's going on as much as feel how you're creating the balance and blend. If you can commit that feeling to memory and then re-create it, corporately, then you're onto a winner. Add in the audience energy, and you have a special night on your hands.In some ways, it felt like coming full circle for me. Here I was, 12 years later, in David's last season with the group, and able to be part of a performance that felt as electric as the one I'd attended before I'd properly joined the group. My time in the group has flown by, and next season I will be the "old man" of the group. Nights like this one give me perspective - which is a valuable tool in ensuring we keep up the standards, out of respect for our audiences as well as for those who have gone before.
It's not healthy to reminisce too much, but today has been a day when I looked back to the time in late 2003 when I was shadowing the KS, shortly before I sang my first concert, on 5 February 2004. One of the concerts I witnessed was in the Leiszhalle in Hamburg - tonight's venue. I distinctly remember being blown away by the group on that evening - each time they walked off to rapturous applause from the packed house, I was willing them to return and perform more encores. That is the effect a great performance can have. The group was on top of its game on that November evening, and I was desperate to join and be part of that line-up. I never forgot that feeling, and wanted to make sure that "my" audiences would be inspired by that same feeling of euphoria. The group was called back for six encores that night, and could have done even more.Amazingly, in the exact same venue, I felt that feeling again this evening - but from the stage, rather than the audience. OK, so we sang only five encores as opposed to six, but even so, it was a concert where I felt the audience was completely on our side from the first note. I think we performed well, and I felt totally comfortable in the midst of the sound. Sure, there were things I know we could do better, but I'll take those small imperfections for the overall feel. That's a good lesson for all ensembles - it's great to be perfect, but if you aren't moving people (including yourself), a performance can still feel flat and uninspired. As Billy Joel said, "it's all about soul."We're often asked what the secret of a good performance is, and the truth is that it's hard to put your finger on it. One thing that I often say is that to create a good sound you need to know how it "feels" as opposed to how it "sounds." When you're in the middle of a KS sound, you don't really hear what's going on as much as feel how you're creating the balance and blend. If you can commit that feeling to memory and then re-create it, corporately, then you're onto a winner. Add in the audience energy, and you have a special night on your hands.In some ways, it felt like coming full circle for me. Here I was, 12 years later, in David's last season with the group, and able to be part of a performance that felt as electric as the one I'd attended before I'd properly joined the group. My time in the group has flown by, and next season I will be the "old man" of the group. Nights like this one give me perspective - which is a valuable tool in ensuring we keep up the standards, out of respect for our audiences as well as for those who have gone before.
It's not healthy to reminisce too much, but today has been a day when I looked back to the time in late 2003 when I was shadowing the KS, shortly before I sang my first concert, on 5 February 2004. One of the concerts I witnessed was in the Leiszhalle in Hamburg - tonight's venue. I distinctly remember being blown away by the group on that evening - each time they walked off to rapturous applause from the packed house, I was willing them to return and perform more encores. That is the effect a great performance can have. The group was on top of its game on that November evening, and I was desperate to join and be part of that line-up. I never forgot that feeling, and wanted to make sure that "my" audiences would be inspired by that same feeling of euphoria. The group was called back for six encores that night, and could have done even more.Amazingly, in the exact same venue, I felt that feeling again this evening - but from the stage, rather than the audience. OK, so we sang only five encores as opposed to six, but even so, it was a concert where I felt the audience was completely on our side from the first note. I think we performed well, and I felt totally comfortable in the midst of the sound. Sure, there were things I know we could do better, but I'll take those small imperfections for the overall feel. That's a good lesson for all ensembles - it's great to be perfect, but if you aren't moving people (including yourself), a performance can still feel flat and uninspired. As Billy Joel said, "it's all about soul."We're often asked what the secret of a good performance is, and the truth is that it's hard to put your finger on it. One thing that I often say is that to create a good sound you need to know how it "feels" as opposed to how it "sounds." When you're in the middle of a KS sound, you don't really hear what's going on as much as feel how you're creating the balance and blend. If you can commit that feeling to memory and then re-create it, corporately, then you're onto a winner. Add in the audience energy, and you have a special night on your hands.In some ways, it felt like coming full circle for me. Here I was, 12 years later, in David's last season with the group, and able to be part of a performance that felt as electric as the one I'd attended before I'd properly joined the group. My time in the group has flown by, and next season I will be the "old man" of the group. Nights like this one give me perspective - which is a valuable tool in ensuring we keep up the standards, out of respect for our audiences as well as for those who have gone before.
It's not healthy to reminisce too much, but today has been a day when I looked back to the time in late 2003 when I was shadowing the KS, shortly before I sang my first concert, on 5 February 2004. One of the concerts I witnessed was in the Leiszhalle in Hamburg - tonight's venue. I distinctly remember being blown away by the group on that evening - each time they walked off to rapturous applause from the packed house, I was willing them to return and perform more encores. That is the effect a great performance can have. The group was on top of its game on that November evening, and I was desperate to join and be part of that line-up. I never forgot that feeling, and wanted to make sure that "my" audiences would be inspired by that same feeling of euphoria. The group was called back for six encores that night, and could have done even more.Amazingly, in the exact same venue, I felt that feeling again this evening - but from the stage, rather than the audience. OK, so we sang only five encores as opposed to six, but even so, it was a concert where I felt the audience was completely on our side from the first note. I think we performed well, and I felt totally comfortable in the midst of the sound. Sure, there were things I know we could do better, but I'll take those small imperfections for the overall feel. That's a good lesson for all ensembles - it's great to be perfect, but if you aren't moving people (including yourself), a performance can still feel flat and uninspired. As Billy Joel said, "it's all about soul."We're often asked what the secret of a good performance is, and the truth is that it's hard to put your finger on it. One thing that I often say is that to create a good sound you need to know how it "feels" as opposed to how it "sounds." When you're in the middle of a KS sound, you don't really hear what's going on as much as feel how you're creating the balance and blend. If you can commit that feeling to memory and then re-create it, corporately, then you're onto a winner. Add in the audience energy, and you have a special night on your hands.In some ways, it felt like coming full circle for me. Here I was, 12 years later, in David's last season with the group, and able to be part of a performance that felt as electric as the one I'd attended before I'd properly joined the group. My time in the group has flown by, and next season I will be the "old man" of the group. Nights like this one give me perspective - which is a valuable tool in ensuring we keep up the standards, out of respect for our audiences as well as for those who have gone before.
It's not healthy to reminisce too much, but today has been a day when I looked back to the time in late 2003 when I was shadowing the KS, shortly before I sang my first concert, on 5 February 2004. One of the concerts I witnessed was in the Leiszhalle in Hamburg - tonight's venue. I distinctly remember being blown away by the group on that evening - each time they walked off to rapturous applause from the packed house, I was willing them to return and perform more encores. That is the effect a great performance can have. The group was on top of its game on that November evening, and I was desperate to join and be part of that line-up. I never forgot that feeling, and wanted to make sure that "my" audiences would be inspired by that same feeling of euphoria. The group was called back for six encores that night, and could have done even more.Amazingly, in the exact same venue, I felt that feeling again this evening - but from the stage, rather than the audience. OK, so we sang only five encores as opposed to six, but even so, it was a concert where I felt the audience was completely on our side from the first note. I think we performed well, and I felt totally comfortable in the midst of the sound. Sure, there were things I know we could do better, but I'll take those small imperfections for the overall feel. That's a good lesson for all ensembles - it's great to be perfect, but if you aren't moving people (including yourself), a performance can still feel flat and uninspired. As Billy Joel said, "it's all about soul."We're often asked what the secret of a good performance is, and the truth is that it's hard to put your finger on it. One thing that I often say is that to create a good sound you need to know how it "feels" as opposed to how it "sounds." When you're in the middle of a KS sound, you don't really hear what's going on as much as feel how you're creating the balance and blend. If you can commit that feeling to memory and then re-create it, corporately, then you're onto a winner. Add in the audience energy, and you have a special night on your hands.In some ways, it felt like coming full circle for me. Here I was, 12 years later, in David's last season with the group, and able to be part of a performance that felt as electric as the one I'd attended before I'd properly joined the group. My time in the group has flown by, and next season I will be the "old man" of the group. Nights like this one give me perspective - which is a valuable tool in ensuring we keep up the standards, out of respect for our audiences as well as for those who have gone before.
