My First Public Performance! For Music Majors Even!

[Retro Hound]

I work at a university library where I give instruction to various classes on how to use library databases and such. The Music Dept. asked me to come over and give a session to the music majors during recital hour when most all of them will be there. Shortly after that they asked if a student could do a 7 minute piece before I do my thing.

No problem for me, but it gives me an idea. After this student does her cello piece, I can do something with my guitar, just for fun and to make a connection. I decide to do Amazing Grace (notes not chords), cause it's real easy. About half open strings.

I take my LP and the Vox VT-30 set on Tweed 4x10 with reverb and chorus. Amazing Grace sounds amazing this way. Anyway, while I'm setting up my computer for the presentation, the performing students come in to warm up (she has a piano accompany) and they play this incredible, beautiful, moving piece. Elegie by Gabriel Faure. I am knocked out and suddenly get cold feet. "I'm an idiot" I say to myself. I pretty much decide not to go through with it even though the guitar and amp are sitting up on the stage. They play it again when the the recital hour starts and I'm knocked out again, thinking "I'm an idiot, how can I follow this?" Well, when I am introduced the teacher says something like "Mr. Lindsey will now play something for us." So, what can I do?

I played it perfectly! I was so nervous though, it took me a few minutes to quit stumbling over my words in my library presentation. It was fun and I'm glad I did it. After I played I said this was my first ever public performance, "and possibly my last," and they all went "Awwww!" It was cool.

[Eric***]

Cool story. I'm glad it had a happy ending. Congrats on breaking new ground!

I've found that with playing in front of people, I pretty much have to re-learn whatever I learned in private. In other words, for any new thing (first chorded song, first lead, first solo, etc.) there's "knowing it" for private performance, and "knowing it" for public performance; two different things. It's been weird like that for me.

[Algonquin]

Congrats Mr. Lindsey... Congrats!

[Brian Krashpad]

Tres cool!