On Mashing the Potatoes

As I hope your experiences support, the holidays are filled with parties, family dinners, and various musical opportunities, and with any group event comes a certain degree of collaboration. Sometimes these events can seem like chaos.  Turkeys are brined, stuffing is stuffed, salads are tossed, rolls are baked... all too much for one person.

In an ideal collaboration, each person has a job matched to his or her interests and abilities.  In times of chaos, we lose this strategy in the tornado of food and drink, and it is far too easy to feel abandoned on the sidelines as your unused brining prowess atrophies.  My point?  Jump in and offer your skills.

"Mom, sit down!  I'll mash the potatoes!"

Because my mashed potatoes are awesome.

To extend the metaphor, I encourage you to find a way to mash the potatoes in your musical ventures over the next year.

• With your solo repertoire: what is your opinion?  (Don't apologize.)
• With your chamber ensemble: do you have a particularly good ear for pitch?  concept of balance?  experience with the style?
• With your band or orchestra position: are you especially good with a certain auxiliary instrument?  at being a good principal?  second?

Reflect on your own strengths and offer them proudly.  Design posters, network, arrange music, coordinate schedules, lead rehearsals, program for your target audience, inspire invested performances, entertain.

I'll mash the potatoes.