Earlier this summer I participated in a conference where the opening session included a wonderful welcome to “Motown” by the choir from the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Earlier this summer I participated in a conference where the opening session included a wonderful welcome to “Motown” by the choir from the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences. It got me thinking about my own experience as a performer (yep – I’m a band nerd) and what that meant to my life and career.
Like most of my fellow band members in high school and college, I wasn’t destined for a career in music or music education. We all had our own separate passions and interests, different classes and majors, and varied beliefs and traditions.
But every weekend during football season, we all worked together to provide an entertaining experience for the halftime crowd.
No matter what was happening that day, all that mattered when we stepped onto the field was giving our absolute best as individuals so that the entire ensemble was successful. And during the 10 minutes we performed (and to be honest, for the hours of sweaty rehearsals during the week) that mutual interest in music and the joy it can bring to others was what united us.
I sometimes think that if everyone had been in band (or choir, like our team member Liana) the world would be a much nicer place. Or maybe if everyone had to figure out how to work across all the different segments of a supply chain, perhaps we’d all be a little more tolerant of our differences. After all, it’s our individual skills and areas of expertise that allow us to work together to deliver for our customers, clients or communities in need – or to make beautiful music.
Thanks for being a part of the ALAN ensemble.