I'm introduced as a Summer Schooler and get an enthusiastic reception from the audience. People are getting to know me as a "regular".
After my song, some of the performers comment that my singing has improved a lot. I'm not offended. I know it's true; I was very raw when I first sang there, one year earlier.
But why has there been such marked improvement? At the Summer School there was not much emphasis on vocal technique; there was so much else to learn. Maybe I've gained a bit more confidence on stage?
But probably, it has to do with singing more. For a whole week I immersed myself in music. I practised in the lead-up, we all sang a lot during the week, and I performed three songs on stage.
By way of analogy, I'm reminded of the day my daughter opened the envelope containing her final school exam results. When she drew out the certificate and read her score (which was quite good), her first words were "Wow, Mum, what if I'd really worked hard?"
In a similar vein, I now ask myself "What if I practised more often?"
Until now, other things have got in the way and taken priority. But my children are older now. I could probably carve out some time for myself.
I make a decision. I'm going to start practising regularly. I will make every effort to sing at least something on most days. Even ten minutes would be better than nothing. And often, when you decide to spend ten minutes on a task, you end up doing it for twenty or thirty minutes.
Could a little bit of practice make a big difference?
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