Ode to joy

And so my performance of Beethoven's 9th has come and gone.
Standing on those risers barely being able to breathe because of the thick, oxygen-free air in there, I tried to savour every second but didn't quite manage to.
Keefe Auditorium is not made to allow the artists on stage to see their audience (not when the lights are down in the auditorium anyway) so most of the time I sang to the conductor, Royston Nash, whose last performance with the Nashua Choir this was.
It is funny - out of all the performances I've had with choirs so far, there was always someone in the audience that came to see me. This one time, the ONE piece closest to my heart - nobody was there...
I still sang like there was no tomorrow and again, like Beethoven's Missa Solemnis proved to me all these months ago, I could hit all the high notes, even keep hitting them time and time and time again, as the 9th requires. I don't know what it is about being on stage and singing in front of an audience with an orchestra. It just seems to be the only environment that allows me to let my voice go. Strange. We got standing ovations immediately after the last note rang out. The audience was on their feet instantly and it was only then that I finally let my emotions get the better of me and the tears started flowing. Happy tears though - how can you not be happy after hearing (or singing) this piece? How can you not want to hug the world and tell everyone in the universe how happy you are at this particular moment?

There is something upsetting about the concert though - it was recorded. But we can't have a copy. Stupid rights issues with some of the orchestra members prevent us from ever being able to hear ourselves performing that masterful piece.
I don't know what the hell it is that seems such a big deal - what will I do with the performance? Sell it on Ebay??? *shaking head* This whole copyrights issue is going WAY too far, people need to take a chill pill.

Enough of my post-show ramblings - time for bed.