“It doesn’t feel real,” she tells me, eyes wide and body shaking slightly, as I smile and offer encouraging words. She’s about to take the stage at Lincoln Center.

As a concert producer for over 30 years in NYC, it never gets old for me to be just as excited as our performers right before their New York debut. Amateur and pre-professional singers from all over the world seek out their own personal Everest: performing in the legendary venues of Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, following in the actual footsteps of Leonard Bernstein, the Beatles, and Tchaikovsky.

But tonight, this 16-year-old helped me press pause. As my usual words of advice delivered, “Breathe. Be in the NOW, you’ll be great!”, Gratitude surprised me as it swirled around me. The long line of choral singers visiting from all over the world, standing behind her, joined in with nods, acknowledging the wonder of that exquisite moment. We all paused and took a collective breath. It was the imagination, preparation and anticipation that brought us together to this very magical “NYC moment.”

There is magic in honoring an occasion like this, which envelops us in a sense of surrealism. It’s the very reason I moved to NYC in my twenties, seeking that same essence that continues to delight and surprise me as it dances around my daily routine. NYC is like no other stage in the world. And that feeling can strike you anywhere and anytime, no matter how long you’ve lived here. This 55-year-old can promise a wondrous 16-year-old just discovering it for the first time, as I remind myself of its existence.