My Hidden Gems Experience

As this year’s Hidden Gems show got underway – the audience laughing with our amusing MC’s and enjoying flawless performances – I was getting increasingly nervous for my first real performance at this event.

This is my sixth year as a proud member of our choir and yet I’m still scared of solo and independent singing. I’m not quite sure what I was thinking about when I volunteered to perform that night, but at that point, I was wishing I had just let the opportunity slip by!

Once I was up on stage, the performance zipped by quickly. I don’t even remember the actual singing. I just remember my knees shaking while I attempted to squeak out the high notes. Thankfully, the piece mainly called for me to look intently at my duet partner, Meagan Vivares (daughter of Senior School Art teacher Myles Vivares), so I was not as frightened by the audience as I might have been.

I can easily say that I would have never even considered performing without the coaching of the amazing musicians, teachers and parents during the many Hidden Gems camps leading up to the night. Stephanie Martin, Señora Seeley, Molly Johnson and countless other people behind the scenes prepared us well. Without them, the night would not have been anywhere close to what it was.

I feel a bit like I’m making an acceptance speech at the Oscars, but it’s so true that the continued support of the teachers, parents, Meagan and the sound engineers are what really made that night special.

Artists, musicians, poets and even bankers and lawyers are far from the best versions of themselves without a proper support system – a group helping them and watching their backs. That’s really what makes RSGC special. The unique support from teachers, classmates, parents, musicians and anyone involved in this community really gives us a chance to grow and improve. I think that’s the reason that, year after year, this school continues to develop well-rounded, mannered and thoughtful gentlemen. Georgians.