Last night, I performed my first concert of two for this week. Regardless of where I am, what I'm playing and how many people I'm playing to, I get butterflies and jitters. Good jitters. It's that element of the unknown again, popping up.
Standing backstage is nerve-racking, staring into the full length mirror with my headphones on, cranking Beyonce's Love On Top over and over. Yes it's my ritual. What better than a fiercely independent power woman singing a song with 5 key changes to gee me up?! :)
The lights dim, the MC is heard over the speakers, applause and I step out, embracing the blinding light. Then it's a 45 minute work-out of playing, chatting, story-telling and utterly being in the zone!
When I finally finish and half the house lights are up for my bow, I see faces for the first time. It's usually so dark I feel like I'm playing to a massive black hole. To my surprise, they're standing up.
It's a standing O! It's not like it hasn't happened before but it's always such a pleasant surprise.
Then having audience members come up to you afterwards, genuinely congratulating you, giving you words of encouragement.
'You've put craftsmanship and showmanship together ... Brilliant' through to 'not only is it virtuosic playing, you come across withconfidence and grace'.... My favorite is 'you are a steel magnolia'.
Some of these audiences are true poets and so lovely and I'm not writing out of ego or anything close to that but I am truly surprised at these comments, people going out of their way to tell me these things.
In the words of Lao Tzu:
That is exactly what I've been doing and will continue to do so.
I feel so blessed that playing piano can even be called a job because it's truly the icing on the cake!
With confidence and grace,
Van-Anh
Xoxo
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