Kathryn Miller ‘19

The annual Twilight concert always falls on what seems like the busiest week of the semester, when stress and papers are piling up. That week, the last thing I want to do is dedicate my weekend to a concert. Yet somehow, that mindset had completely faded away by the time I walked off the stage in Bailey Hall, replaced by a poignant rush of pride and sense of connection. Looking back on my last Twilight concert as a member of the Chorus, it was the most special concert I've had in my time with the group.

We started off the weekend with a 3 hour rehearsal in Bailey Hall on Friday night. I was running over all the things I had to do before Monday, with music the furthest thing from mind. Suddenly, Robert was introducing the composer of this year's commissioned piece, and Melissa Dunphy was just about the coolest person I've ever met. She approached us with so much energy and genuine excitement, and I felt inspired just by being near her. When she heard us sing her piece for the first time, I expected her to have several suggestions for us; instead, she thanked us for capturing the essence of the piece.

"It Isn't A Dream" is one of my favorite pieces I've been able to sing at Cornell, and it was an honor to sing it for Melissa and the audience at our Twilight Concert. Thank you, Melissa, for bringing such a wonderful piece to life and giving us the opportunity to introduce it to the world. I'm so proud of the Chorus for doing justice to this piece, and I can't wait for other treble choirs to get to sing it too. Although I wear the white flower of a senior for this year's concerts, I'm still, at heart, that freshman awed to be singing with such talented people, and I grow more grateful every day for everything the Chorus has given me.