ENDA Episode 140→ The time when ENDA faced stage fright (Part 4)

After the last recital, I knew something had to change. I couldn’t keep approaching music the same way. It was time to evolve, to start annotating my music, using chord sheets, and learning how to speak the language of musicians more fluently.

It wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. I began to understand how to truly learn a song and, more importantly, how to play with others. Before, I’d rely on lyrics with little structure. Now, I was building proper chord sheets, aligning with musicians from all levels: conservatory grads, self-taught veterans, passionate mid-level players, etc. It opened up a whole new way of communicating.

There was even a recital where I played nothing but support instruments: tubular bells, mark tree, and glockenspiel. Accompanying the music instead of leading it. All of it, as a training for my next piano-voice duet.

And then… a new song arrived. Almost by accident.

While trying to learn a theme from an anime film, I downloaded an EP that came bundled with four other tracks (if you’ve read Episode 45, you know this isn’t new behavior). It was track three that caught me: a delicate piano ballad with a beautiful voice and one of the best piano  arrangements I’ve ever heard. The voice, the piano melody… it was the redemption song I didn’t know I was looking for.

The piece was accepted into the recital program, and rehearsals with a new singer began. This time, they went smoothly. With a chord sheet in hand and a better grasp of musical structure, I could keep tempo and stay grounded, no more blank-outs or rushed endings.

Then came performance day.

The intro started with a couple of hiccups; my nerves were still there, but I held focus. I gave the cue, and the singer came in. From that moment on, we flowed together. I was still nervous, yes, but not overwhelmed. This time, I knew I was playing the right notes. I could feel it. We landed the outro exactly as we rehearsed… and when the applause came, I finally felt like I’d earned it.

More songs came afterward, some on piano, others on supporting instruments, and each one felt smoother than the last. The stage fright wasn’t fully gone, but I was learning to carry it.

Except… one final challenge remained.

A song with four pianos… and a rhythm that seemed forged in the depths of chaos itself.

Curious already?

Well… that’s for another episode.

The journey continues…