As a pianist, I often get asked to accompany people at church.
Sometimes they are singing, other times they are playing a solo instrument…
But I’m asked to be their accompanist.
I love it— I truly think it’s so fun to accompany people!
Each time I am asked to do this, I put time and effort into learning the, sometimes very complicated, piano piece.
I follow the soloist with precision and rubato, and perform with the best emotion or Spirit that I can bring.
It’s a beautiful experience to create live music together and share it with others.
And… do you know who usually gets all the praise afterward?
The soloist.
I always feel a sting of jealousy or sadness when someone compliments them without mentioning me.
I know, it’s a manifestation of my pride, and the soloist is often extremely talented and worked very hard.
But I still just feel a bit… forgotten.
Now, there have been many times when the soloist or others have gone out of their way to make sure that I am recognized for my efforts.
It feels good to be acknowledged.
And it sure doesn’t feel great to be forgotten.
John wrote:
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him.” (Revelation 19:7)
Jesus deserves every honor, credit, and praise.
Anything that we do, we do because of Him.
We may know this…
But do we acknowledge this?
Do we show Him our gratitude for making everything possible?
Do we thank Him for being the essential “accompanist” for the performance we sometimes take all the credit for?
I’m working on getting better at noticing the other people around me who are often overlooked.
The ones who might feel forgotten, and who never hear “thank you”.
And while I do this with the people around me, I’m also trying to improve my recognition to Jesus.
All the praise, honor, and credit belong to Jesus!
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
6 Responses
Being a soloist for many years, I must admit that sometimes I haven’t acknowledged my accompanists other than to thank them afterwards, and often in practice, because I sing numbers from Handel and Mozart, to name some, and they aren’t exactly the easiest pieces to play. I’ve actually had some give me back the music because they can’t play it.
But lately, I have tried to make sure they know how appreciated they are, especially when I recognize that they are much more skilled than I am.
This is a wonderful reminder to me to be more thankful, to recognize and appreciate my Savior’s hand in all things. Thank you.
It sounds like you are very talented! I know your accompanists appreciate it when you recognize their efforts! <3
I agree with you 100%. The accompanist works really hard to learn to each piece. They usually have invested $100 to learn to play the piano or organ. It is hard to feel necessary and appreciated when no one seems to notice you. What really gets me when Im asked to play a piece in a day or two and the person asking says “it’s easy, I can play it” then they hand it to you and its full or key changes and runs and you know they can’t play!
It’s true, they do work so hard! I know you are always appreciated for your efforts!
I appreciate your comments. I find myself in similar circumstances. I have played the piano and organ for many years and along with that I pray, plan, and practice for these performances.
I am thankful for the opportunities that come my way but there are times that I feel somewhat unappreciated. I try super hard not to let it bother me.
Thanks for sharing and letting me express my feelings.
You are not alone, and I know you are appreciated!