Can I tell you about something very exciting that happened to me recently? In a session for an upcoming action movie, we sang through this giant stack of music, and at one point towards the end of the session, we had begun to out-sing the orchestra. So we started to sing everything a cappella! There were literally just a few minutes left in the session when we got to the last cue. We were excited to possibly make it through the entire stack of music, but the pressure was on! The contractor noticed in the soprano section had the word “solo,” so quickly paused to ask if that was a typo or if they really did just want one soprano to sing the line by herself. Pause in the story…

Normally when I’m singing in a choir for a movie, two things usually happen, I hide my face, so the vocal contractor doesn’t look at me to pick me for the solo. I hate the pressure and am usually not the best site-reader in the room and would hate to mess up in front of all my colleagues. The contractor usually never picks me anyway.

A sudden flash of panic went through me thinking she actually may pick me, so I quickly looked up at the part to see if I could even do it…. There it was… the same melodic pattern four times in a row… it was high and quick-paced with lots of words, but it wasn’t a-tonal and totally doable for me if she happened to look my way, which she did “Monique? Go ahead and do that please” she said… AHHHH

I’ve done solos in movies before when it was a small session, with music and low pressure, but this was intense. The starting tones were given on the piano, the clicks started, and the conductor began to wave his arms, and then the entry clicked. I open my mouth and give it my all. I did it, but was it good enough for the composer? His voice came back on the headphones, “great… let’s get our second pass, please”. AHHHH!!! One down, one to go! (we had been doubling our passes all day).

I looked up at the clock with seconds to go before the end of the session. I needed to nail it! Again, the pitches, the clicks, the conductors waving arms. My heart was beating, but I was determined to stay with the click and tight with the tenors who mimicked my line an octave lower. Again the composer’s voice came over the headphones. “Great session everyone. Well done. Have a great evening.”

WHEW!!!! It was so intense for me, but I was SO GRATEFUL!!!! So grateful to my friend. So grateful it was something I could do. So grateful for God preparing me all these years to be able to do this. So grateful I didn’t eat it in front of all my singer friends. I’ve needed a “win,” and this felt so good! GOD is so good!!!