​Oh my god I have missed performing
The exhaustion of rehearsals
The learning of the notes
The drilling

Sitzprobe with the orchestra
Is there anything better than live music?
And singing in a room with 100 people?
What it took to get here this time
Two years of not being allowed to do this
Then rehearsals, all socially distanced and mandatory mask wearing and making sure every one is vaccinated
And a PCR test
And a rapid test
And emails back and forth and QR codes

And here we are at Carnegie Hall
And all the bells on earth shall ring!
And all the souls on earth shall sing!
Alleluia!

To sing Bernstein
The Chichester Psalms with its complex rhythms and time signatures and clashing harmonies and sumptuous beauty
And Bernstein's daughters are in the room!
Legacy, remembering
Passing the torch
Yisahak!

And Take 6 are extraordinary with a lightness of touch and a joy from over thirty years together
And Mikaela Bennet is stunning with that crystal soprano ringing across the hall
And when the Northwell Health Nurse Choir come onto the stage in their bright blue scrubs
My heart is in my throat
You will be found
Remembering all the nurses who looked after me seven years ago
Brought me lunch on a decorated tray with candy because they knew
I was sad I was missing out on Halloween
Thinking about what these smiling lovely people have been through in the past two years

Hark the herald angels SING!
Bless Harold
And feel so thankful that you are here.
Amen.