BEN HSU

ON Rediscovering the magic

I’d forgotten what concert days were like as a normal Pops member. Memories of my first time at the Michigan Theater had been overwritten by 8:30am board breakfasts at Afternoon Delight and anxiety over amplifying the piano to the music directors’ liking. The magic of our performances had simply vanished for me. At times, I felt like Dorothy, who’d peeked behind the emerald curtain to meet the Wizard of Oz, only to find just a regular person with his own quirks and flaws.

A majority of my time in Pops has been spent in roles that are fairly behind-the-scenes (Librarian, Personnel Director, Programs Director) – roles that are mostly invisible unless you really screw up. Over time, I began to feel jaded and burnt out by the responsibilities I held. I didn’t feel like anything I was doing actively contributed to the parts of the orchestra people actually enjoyed. How many people, at the end of the day, would just toss their sheet music and concert programs?

About halfway through the semester, it came time to watch videos and nominate someone for the “Spirit of Pops” award. I initially thought that this was an irritating extra step for the board outside of just nominating orchestra members. But, in their nomination videos, the nominees enthusiastically described their love for Pops and how the orchestra had shaped their lives. They were the kick in the teeth I needed to remember why I’d joined the orchestra and board in the first place.

As I found myself watching and re-watching these videos, I realized that I’d lost sight of what this orchestra is to so many people – a place for people to play music, be themselves, and find people like them. I forgot what this group meant to not only the people currently in the orchestra, but the people who have long since graduated and who continue to tune into our concerts and support us. As a board member, my role was not just to check whatever boxes are in my job description, but to also be the bedrock of the Pops community we all know and love. We’re in the business of giving others a space to make memories that they will treasure for a lifetime… even when it means taking a pie to the face.

When concert day came, like a fog had lifted, I felt the magic again. I felt the excitement of being in the historic Michigan Theater. I felt the lightning crackle in the Strauss and the tribal drum beats of the Avatar suite. As I walked Taylor and Tanya through amplifying the piano and synthesizer, I could only hope that they, and the rest of our incoming board members, knew what they were getting into. But I knew for certain that they would continue to spread the magic that is in the entire Pops family.

Ben Hsu recently graduated with a B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition, & Neuroscience and a minor in Music. In his spare time, he takes photos and listens to an ever-growing selection of podcasts.

6/1/19