
A number of years ago I was facilitating auditions for a stage production I was directing. I young actress came into the room and apologetically announced she had misplaced her sheet music during the flight into town. I got up from the production table, calmly walked up to her, and began working with her to get grounded so she could give he best audition.
The accompanist, who I had met only hours earlier, asked what song the actress had prepared. When she gave him the title, he assured her he was familiar with that one. He then asked her what key she preferred; And upon identifying the desired key, the accompanist said, “I’ve got you covered.”
I asked the actress if she was good to go, thanked her for traveling from out of town to attend the auditions, and assured her she was beautifully supported. I returned to my seat at the production table and witnessed what I like to call “audition magic.”
The pianist was masterful. Not only did he play the song from memory and transpose the key on site; he followed, and lead, the actress through the song like they were dance partners. It was a stunning experience.
During our next 15 minute break I made a point of checking in with the accompanist, and expressed my appreciation for his willingness to support the audition so generously. He smiled. I then asked how he was able to play from memory and transpose on site like that, to which her replied, “You do this long enough the songs become mental and muscle memory.” When I asked where he is able to position himself in his head and his heart to connect so authentically with people, he looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and said, “I was going to ask you the same question.”
I reflect on that experience from time to time. More recently while writing my new book At-One-Ment: More Tools And Insights For Reclaiming Our Humanity. That experience is a metaphor for how the Universe works with us to support us in opening up to giving our best performance. Our part it choose the song we want to sing, select the key that best matches our intention, be willing to take a breath and get grounded, then allow the Universe to lead us through living our best life.