Thank You for Your Support

Have you ever thought about the people who support music from behind the scenes? For every successful choir, band or orchestra, there are people who work as principals, pastors, board chairmen, guidance counselors, boosters and countless others, whose hard work and support make the music possible.

In an earlier post I mentioned Mr. Reyner, the principal of Enterprise High School, whose support enabled that school's chorus to sing twice at Presidential invitation. Mr. Reyner's own children had sung in the chorus, and he knew what it meant to the students, the school and the community. I've had the privilege to speak with Mr. Reyner a few times, and all those conversations revolved around his students and how he could support their efforts.

When I was a college teacher, I was the Director of Choral Activities at Troy University, where the choral director of 30 years had been made Director of the School of Music. It would have been easy and appropriate for him to stand back and watch to see whether I would succeed. But he took another path, forsaking his lunch hour and joining the choir, offering the support of his presence and daily help. No one could doubt his support when we took the stage. His presence made it possible to give the choir my imprint, and his administrative support made it possible to plan for a great future in the choral program.

Over the last few days I've had the chance to think about a person whose support enabled some of the greatest events in my career. In 1990 I accepted a position as a Minister of Music in a church in south Alabama. It was an unlikely place to make classical music happen, and there were many times that we would have probably stopped short, had it not been for the unflagging support of the pastor.

He believed in the value of what we were doing, and frequently assumed a position between me and the naysayers. He would field the complaints and support the funding so that I could do my work. But when the tide turned to support, and the compliments were coming, he would step out of the way and be sure they reached me.

I've been helping a group of his friends to set up a new home for that pastor and his wife. He is quite ill, and is moving to Birmingham to be near those friends and the excellent medical care afforded here. This weekend I unpacked their boxes of cds and videotapes, and set up their stereo. It was wonderful to see several tapes of our concerts and tours among their video mementos. I felt again the feeling I remember when we worked together, the feeling that he valued my work.

I realize that many people work a whole career without having supportive bosses. I'm fortunate to have had the supervisors under whom I've worked. And I plan to tell my former pastor sometime soon that I appreciate his support. In order for valuable work to take place, someone has to value it. Those who do are the heroes of our musical world. We'd be nowhere without them.