Student Blog: Returning to Live Performance

Diners clang their glasses and devour their plates of food. Waiters weave through the crowds of people to take orders quickly. A stage sits at the front of the room, a woman tests the mic at the front. The show is about to begin.

This year I participated in an end-of-the-year final concert for my vocal teacher. The performance took place at the HardRock cafe in Pittsburgh where I sang a few musical theater pieces. Live performance returns once again and so do the on-stage jitters.

It's important to note that my first show at university was a Zoom performance play including a full set of audio equipment, a greenscreen, and computer recordings. These items were sent to me in the mail as my Spring semester was fully online.

There's a different element to live performance compared to recorded. As I await my set, I'm aware of the diners eating their meals. I'm aware that I'll have to adjust the mic stand because I'm short. I'm aware that my voice feels a little dry. I'm aware of everything that could possibly go wrong.

When everything went online there was a little relief to the fact that I could record things, but there was the fear of rewatching my recording and criticizing every mistake I made. Now, I recognize how much I missed that live performance feeling. The feeling that I don't know what will happen is kind of exhilarating, it raises the stakes. I missed the jitters.

Because when all is said and done, I like not knowing what will happen. I like suspense. I missed the live performance.

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