MTC Week #89 - The Ants Go Marching One by One. . .

I don't necessarily care for ants. Like all creatures, I'm sure there's a reason God created them--though I really don't know what that is. Despite not liking them, there ARE characteristics I admire about them. 

One of those is their enormous strength. 

Scientists have long stated and observed that ants can carry over 100 times their weight. 100 times! That would be like me carrying something that weighed 17,500 lbs. Impossible. But somehow, that ants do it. Some studies even suggest that certain species can lift up to 1000 times their weight (while their neck joints can withstand pressures up to 5,000 times greater than their body weight). However you slice and dice it, ants are very heavy lifters. 

Thursday night, our beloved conductor, Mack Wilberg, gave us a little talk about the topic of "heavy lifting." This was very timely, because in addition to preparing for our normal weekly broadcasts, the upcoming world-wide conference, and the annual Christmas Concert, we're starting work on a piece by Mahler (I don't even know what's it called, only that it's something like 80 pages and that we've been divided into two choir entities to cover the eight parts--which, incidentally, sometimes divide into more parts!). 

The temptation, Mack said, is there will be some of us who may not be excited about such a piece because of the work involved in learning it. There may be some of us who want to excuse ourselves from the concert that we'll be performing this piece at, not only because it's hard work learning the piece, but because it's taking 16 extra rehearsals to get it ready. 

He invited us not to give into that temptation. "Each of us need to do the heavy lifting," he said. 

And, indeed, we do. 

Along with ants being heavy lifters, they are also experts in team work. They each do their part to support their colony. Likewise, the team work mentality is an important part of this choir so that we can be successful in our mission. As we each do the heavy lifting, even in times when we're out of the glamour and spotlight, this piece by Mahler will sound extraordinary. And I suspect we'll learn a thing or two more about teamwork and becoming better musicians overall.

Choir members: let's lift!

Until next time, God be with you!