Part of my preparation to play my concerto this year included practicing compassion for my audience. If we truly feel compassion for someone, or a collection of someones, it is difficult to also be afraid of them. I wrote the following meditation for myself. I keep it in my flute case and read it as needed. Feel free to use it.
Someone in this room has recently lost a loved one, a parent, a spouse. Someone here has recently broken up or been divorced. Someone in this audience is struggling with cancer or caring for someone who is. Someone here recently fell in love, or bought their first house, or had their first child. Someone has an adult child who just got married, or went off to college. Someone here has recently become a grandparent. Someone in this room was recently injured or survived a scary moment. Someone here is sad or depressed and needs their spirit lifted, or is just tired and wants to be still with some music. Everyone in this room is here because they enjoy music. Just like me.
Adrian Dee, flutist, composer 