NATS Adjudications

This last week has been EXTREMELY busy musically! I adjudicated the Huff competition for Payson High School one night and NATS adjudications were this weekend. I was busy getting my students ready and calling and collecting donations from hair salons for the winners for the competition. That was a major task! But it got done and then I had the opportunity to help adjudicate the NATS Friday and Saturday. It was so wonderful and TERRIBLE at the same time! I LOVE to adjudicate! Specifically beginning and intermediate students. And it was so wonderful to hear all these students that had put so much effort into preparing for these auditions! And the FINALS! I had a musical FEAST (including the dessert)! I was in HEAVEN listening to all these fabulous singers!

At the same time....the TERRIBLE: it is so hard in the music profession not to compare yourself to other people, how good a teacher you are, how much experience you've had, how much education you've had, how well your students have done, how well you sing, plus all the contraversy that occurs in the field. I have soooooo much to learn! I want to learn MORE! I want to feel more confident in that which I do! I would love to feel equal to the others instead of insignificant and insecure. I realize that everyone there almost has the same sentiments- on different levels.

However, and this is a BIG HOWEVER. I have to say that EVERYONE (except one person) in this NATS chapter has opened their arms and accepted me warmly- those with PH.D's, those who sing professionally, those who have many MANY more years of experience teaching. They have been wonderful!!!! And, putting my personal insecurities aside, they have made me feel their equal. THANK YOU! (that's for you Kathy, Ruth, Janilyn, Cynthia, Kenna, Jeanice, Arden, Diane, Georgia, Joanie, Helen, Michelle Scott, .....who'd I miss?)

Also, being immersed like that for the weekend awakens my grand desires to be more involved, more educated and in the profession more full time.

All my students- you were awesome guys!!!!! I hope you felt it was a good experience as much as I did! You're going to LOVE the comments from the judges! AND MELANIE!!!! Let's not forget to thank our pianist next time we see her! She was FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I learned a few lessons: don't sit in on your students performances (I think I was more nervous then my students.......!) and recommend that your students come to the finals. Seriously. They were sooooooo inspiring!

I really hope in the future that we can have more experiences of this sort and learn and grow from them!