Wax On, Wax Off
Maestro Robert Nance speaks at the 25th anniversary gala in August 2022, a 1997 photo of himself behind him. (Photo: Rod Ovitt)
It’s that time of year when many of us wax nostalgic. What does this mean? I asked myself, as any good Lutheran would, then looked it up and found:
“Wax was a common word that was gradually replaced by ‘grow.’ So you could ‘wax’ a lot of things. Wax poetic, for example, or wax lyrical, or wax idiotic. So when you wax nostalgic, you grow nostalgic for the old days.” (https://whatthefluffy.wordpress.com/)
Most people indulge in an end-of-year look back, whether personal or professional, external or intrinsic, fond or sad. The calendar is a fixed marker of time, and in an uncertain world the fact that the year is ending and, like it or not, another is set to begin, can have a comfortable familiarity. Other folks across the globe are out there reflecting right along with you.
Allow me to wax lyrical, then, about the past year at Heartland Sings, since lyrical is a more fitting word for us than most. We had our usual full schedule of staged concerts, voice lessons, singers workshops, in-classroom education programs, community outreach events, and video shoots, not to mention 30+ live outdoor performances with our mobile ART-V™ unit over the summer.
It's what lurks behind the scenes, however, that makes it a pleasure to work for this organization. There is a spirit of professionalism that defines everything we do. We support each other’s endeavors and respect each other’s talents. There are no divas around here, despite the number of extremely talented performers that abound. Everyone chips in when there is work to be done, and we can count on each other's help when needed.
Waxing poetic, I can attest that this attitude starts with the captain of our ship, Maestro Robert Nance. Never was that descriptor more fitting, as maestro (from the Italian) is an honorific title of respect reserved for an artistic master; someone with the highest musical skills. It also means teacher, which he considers one of his highest callings. Certainly he teaches music in all of its facets, but he also teaches by example how to treat others well, how to serve, how to collaborate, how to be diplomatic, and how to experience joy in everyday circumstances. He is also incredibly able to be in the moment with whatever is at hand, despite having one of the fullest schedules imaginable.
In a year full of memorable moments, around here we can wax nostalgic about our 25th anniversary gala in August. It was marvelous to see so many singers, donors, and friends gather to celebrate a storied past and look ahead to a bright future for Heartland Sings. Likewise, we will always remember 2022 as the year the lights went out at Spirit of Christmas. Our goal was to make an enduring memory at those concerts, and none of us will ever forget when a power failure occurred mid-performance on December 17. (Bob taught us in that moment how to remain unflappable when circumstances get chaotic.)
You may be glad to put this year behind you if it was a difficult one, or tuck 2022 into your mental scrapbook if it was a banner one. I want to thank my captain for keeping me on board, and my colleagues for being such terrific people whenever it’s time for all hands on deck.
Now I’ll end before I start waxing idiotic.
