Aggressive Front Bench

Dear Miss Grace Notes: I'm very angry and frustrated. I just got back from a convention after driving quite a distance. When I was called to lead, before I even got started, the front bench set a tempo and took my song away from me. Even though I don't have a lot of experience as a leader, I have my own ideas about leading and tempo. Shouldn't leaders always have the right to sing as they want? ----Robbed

Gentle Singer: Miss Grace Notes sincerely hopes that your anger has dissipated by now. She can assure you that the front bench meant no harm. She has seldom heard of the front bench intentionally "taking away" a leader's tempo. She offers the gentle reminder that when the front-row tenors (who do so much to hold a singing together) sense cluelessness in novice leaders, they will spring into action -- take matters into their own hands, so to speak. Many an inexperienced leader, perspiring and overwhelmed, has been grateful for their quick reading of hesitation.
   For this reason, Miss Grace Notes begs your forbearance for the hard-working front bench. If they misread your hesitation, you are free to stop your time or request "A little faster, please" or any other such measure to get the song sung the way you want to hear it. Miss Grace Notes hopes that you continue to sing for the love of it and hopes you can excuse a misread signal.

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