A phrase one hears from time to time among instrumentalists, but especially singers, is their desire to “be a vessel” when performing. As a composer, I have my own version of this sentiment, too, but wondered what it really means. First of all, behind this idea is a certain psychology that goes with performing or creating music, especially in public. Part of that is the same vulnerability that any lecturer or actor feels when walking out in front of a crowd of people to speak words.
It is true that one must gain the confidence to make any kind of public presentation, but I will not go into that here, other than to say that I count among the most valuable components of my own elementary education, back in the dark ages, that I was made to memorize poems like “Hiawatha” and “Jabberwocky” and the “Gettysburg Address” and stand, terrified, in front of the class alone and recite them. We thought it was great, once we had accomplished it.
