Last week I had the privilege of watching an old friend of mine headline a show at The Masonic Temple’s Chapel. My friend is Eryn Allen Kane, native Metro Detroiter and current Chicago resident. Eryn has traveled and performed all over the world, working with artists such as Chance the Rapper and Prince.

The Detroit performance on November 23rd was one of the final shows left to wrap up Eryn’s first tour. The show was powerful for me in many ways, not only was I witnessing this powerhouse voice come out of this tiny energetic woman, but I reminisced on my three year experience as a Mosaic Youth Theatre singer. It was during those years that I not only met Eryn and many, many other incredible people, but I sang alongside these incredibly talented people.

Mosaic Youth Theatre started in 1992 to address gaps in Metro Detroit arts education. It now serves hundreds of youth from over 50 different schools in the Metro Detroit area. I was a member of the Mosaic Ensemble from 2004-2007, spending at least 10 hours a week at rehearsal, countless weekends performing with the main ensemble and the Next Stage program, and taking time off school and work to go on 10 day tours around the country, performing at various colleges and community events.

Mosaic was intense. Attendance at rehearsals (three nights a week) was strictly enforced, report cards must be submitted at the end of every semester and meet the GPA requirements, tour selection was based on knowledge of the music and your attendance and GPA scores, and rehearsal time was meant for rehearsal. No slacking off.

If you entered the room late, you must wait until the end of the song or warm up and apologize to the group. If you showed up to a performance with a wrinkled shirt or stained dress, you sat in the audience. If you were picked out to sight read on the spot and you didn’t know your part, you did wall sits while rehearsing.

It was hard and there were times I wanted to quit. But I am so grateful for my experience in Mosaic. Not only did I make some amazing lifelong friends, but I was challenged constantly, and that has shaped who I am today. It went so much deeper than the music. This program was designed to empower young people to rise to the occasion and work hard for what they wanted to accomplish.

Watching Eryn on that stage last week reminded me of what we can achieve when we possess integrity, respect the people we rely on, and work our asses off.