Music on the Lawn: An Insider's View
by Lily Fradkin
Beads of sweat💦 form on my face while I think of what is yet to come. I am just sitting in the class📕 rehearsing over and over in my head for music on the lawn. 🎶I can't focus on the day's lesson and during the independent work I just can't do my work without singing the song in my head. 🎵It's like I'm in a trance. For everyone in my class, today was just another day for an exciting performance. But for me, deep inside, was a big bundle of nerves.
Then the sound I had been dreading all day came. Ringgggggggg!🔔 Went to the lunch bell. Deep inside I felt a bit of an overwhelming flow. I have exactly 30 minutes⏰ till what would be the hardest thing I could ever think of… going on stage ! 🏟️
I was playing at recess⚽ totally not thinking about the time when I saw my parents👫 and everything snapped in place. It was like 12:15 and the thing started at 12:20!
I have to run!!!!!!! I thought as I ran as fast as my little legs could take me 👟💨.
“OH God” I thought to myself. I lined up with my class and I must have rushed them so much because my teacher was telling me to slow down. 🛑
“Slow down!”
What do you mean slow down?! I thought to myself. I am going to be late!!!!!!!!!!! ⌚I was going to perform for music on the lawn! It wasn't my first time doing something like this, but I was still scared.
As I spotted my parents in the crowd, I started to contemplate my decision. What if I mess up or fall and everyone laughs! 😱Or what if I forget my lines.🎼 I start to panic but a soft tone settles me down.
“You got this,” yelled my parents.
“Go Lily!”🤸 Yelled my teacher. I watch the first person go up. 1️⃣And then the next,2️⃣ and the next.🔢
Finally I hear them call my name. 💓My heart is racing as I step on stage. I hear cheering as I try to focus in on the song to see where to start.
Here it comes. I thought to myself.💭 And I am off. It's even more beautiful 🦋 than I remembered. As I hit the high 🎙️note, the crowd clapped so loud. I was overjoyed that everyone loved my performance.
When I sat back down, my parents came over to me and congratulated me and then gave me a doughnut !🍩
Later on after the last person went up to perform, I got a rose!🌹
The next day was all county chorus auditions and I was going to sing the same song. The song was “How Far I'll Go” from Moana. 🪕I practiced about 100 times until I got the song just right. The day arrived and I was honestly so nervous. I waited for my turn to perform and walked into the room.🚶I thought that my audition was great but we would have to wait and see. The results came in and I didn't… Believe that I made it! ✅ I was so excited.
The moral of my story is: Never give up on your dreams because you can always do it.