Tour Wrap Up
Tour stories to wrap up some of my tour experiences.
I don't feel like I can move forward until I wrap up my thoughts and experiences about the East Coast Tour. I'll try and keep it short but detailed. The one thing I want to say about my tour experience (and everyone's tour experience is different) is that I was much busier than I thought I would be.
To begin with I volunteered to help and I was placed on three different committees for tour.
- Tour Video Committee
- Health Committee (Mental Health)
- Social Media Committee
I was also asked to be followed by KSL-News for a documentary about tour. I am only one of many people they are following. This was great fun and the two people from KSL were super kind and easy going. It was nice to talk to non-choir folks too during tour. I didn't see them very much during tour but it was always nice to touch base with them.
What surprised me the most was how involved I would be with the Health Committee. Nothing major but some questions and discussions here and there about different topics. Also the opportunity to administer, etc. I'm so grateful I had consecrated oil in my suitcase. What a great experience for me.
I was happy to serve and I felt like I was being helpful during tour. I am absolutely grateful I could serve on these committees.
Beginning of Tour
I began tour with some trepidation and hesitation. It has been a while since I traveled on my own with a large group of people. I was unsure about how this would work and how I would be able to adjust but things went well.
As with any large group of people there tends to be the formation of groups of friends and tour was no different. There were people who shared a lot of common interests and they would hang out together. Absolutely normal. Happens in school, work and even in Wards and Stakes.
Since I was young I have always avoided groups and so I made a conscious effort to sit by people I did not know and mingle with random people in order to take advantage of this time. I'm grateful that I did. I feel like I was able to really get a good mixture of knowing not only choir members but staff and orchestra. I love the orchestra folks. I learned so much about the life of musicians and how difficult it can be. Wow.
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| Dressing Room Signs. We did get to know each other. |
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| The "Other" Basses. I really got to know these amazing musicians and it was great to become friends. |
For example, the first night of tour my roommate and I were able to meet and talk to the President's Own Band on the steps of the nations capital. We performed with them last September and it was a neat experience.
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| The President's Own Band playing at the Capital Building in Washington, DC. They were amazing. |
On the last day of tour I participated with the social media team and we filmed a "Man on the Street" segment asking random strangers about their knowledge of the choir. So much fun! (I don't know if we are ever going to see that footage as it was random and actually really short but I hope so. I had fun interacting with people on the street.) Interesting note, one of the guys I interviewed during that segment accepted tickets to the Boston concert and attended. He sent messages thanking the social media team that he could come and that he enjoyed himself. Totally awesome.
Social Media
Anyone can see what I was doing on tour because I kept pretty active on Twitter. I purposely did not flood my Facebook or Instagram accounts with tour items. I tried to be more selective in sharing items on those platforms. Twitter, however, is such a great platform for sharing multiple things everyday that I just knew it was what I wanted to use. Obviously there is more on twitter than anywhere else. You can look through those posts by visiting my twitter account at: @skinikini1
I also used Social Media to record the things that people were not sharing. This included creating some fashion posts about others in the choir organization. Just some random fun things.
I was most excited to share with others in choir how to share items and to see so many choir members jumping onto social media. Yeah! I hope this is the beginning of a larger push to help share the choir's message with a larger audience throughout the world.
It was also neat to meet (face-to-face) people that I have followed on instagram or on twitter. Especially our Sesame Street friends.
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| The voice behind Abby Cadabby from Sesame Street |
Surrounded but still alone
Even though I was hardly ever alone and I was with people who shared the same beliefs and interests there were some very profound moments where I felt completely alone. No one was at fault. I was homesick. I was having so many wonderful experiences and I was not able to share them with some of the people I love most. That was a hard thing for me to experience and it made me grateful for my family.
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| So many people traveling together. |
I did share this sentiment with a friend during tour and it was great to have a good friend.
I'm also grateful for my roommate. He was the perfect roommate for me. We could talk, share and laugh together and we became better friends than before. He helped me keep my sanity throughout the tour.
What I would do differently
The only thing I would do differently is I would have taken the chance to talk to Mack Wilberg when I had it. Major fail on my part. Let me explain. When we were flying back to Salt Lake City from Boston Mack Wilberg and I were in line to go through TSA together. I was right behind him. Part of me wanted to say something but I froze up. I know, it's so weird. I'm a very social person and I can usually talk to anyone but for some reason I could not strike up a conversation with him. This has happened before when I met President Monson for the first time. I just have so much respect I just don't know what to say.
What is funny is that Mack Wilberg and I do share some things in common. For example, we had the same piano teacher, we both lived in central-eastern Utah, my interest and almost obsession with the music and life of Alberto Ginastera, friendships and reactions I received from ACDA via social media, music in general or anything really. Sitting here now I think there are a million things that I would have loved to ask and share but in that moment I froze. I have learned my lesson though. If the opportunity presents itself I should at least say, "hello." Saying 'hello' is better than nothing. Lesson learned.
Other than that, I don't know if I could or would change anything else. Everything happened the way that it should have and I'm grateful to have had this experience.
Final Thoughts
Tour changed me for the better in every way. I am more grateful for the people in my life because I missed them. I bonded closer to others in the choir which was a great blessing for me. I had opportunities to serve others in ways I never would have imagined. I felt the hand of the Lord in my life more and more as the days progressed.Funny ending story. During an interview with KSL in Central Park I told them that the most sung song on tour is.... "Happy Birthday." With so many people in the choir there is bound to be a few people who celebrate a birthday during tour. We also have people who have spouses, children or other family members with birthdays and they ask for choir members to sing while they film it or during a phone call. I heard "Happy Birthday" three or more times a day.
On the flight home I shared with the interviewer from KSL my secret on her Facebook status. On the very last day of tour, it was my actual birthday. It was hard to keep it in so I had to share it with someone that I was getting away without having that song sung to me. Finally, one day of tour where I didn't have to hear that song.
Well, Ken, the cameraman came to the airport for a final "reaction" shot for the documentary and by some strange coincidence Ken let those choir members at the baggage claim know that it was my birthday. So my final song of tour was none other than the dreaded, "Happy Birthday" song. I tried to be sneaky but I lost. I should have just kept my mouth shut. Darn. I look back at it though and just laugh.
Tour was a great experience with surprises and blessings in all forms. I'm so grateful for this blessing in my life.
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| After returning home from tour we drove downtown and picked my mom up from her mission and went to dinner together to celebrate my birthday. We went to the Lion House. Strange to come home from tour and go to Temple Square but it was a great way to celebrate the day. After all, the Tabernacle is like a second home. |
