Last Sunday, I played at church and re-learned an important lesson. As an accompanist, I have a responsibility to serve the atmosphere that I am co-creating.

• If I am accompanying singers, I am responsible for making it easier to come in with their parts.

• If playing underneath a speaker, I am responsible for using music to complement their spoken words.

• If I am in a band, I am responsible for not getting in the way of other musicians. I give space for their parts to be heard.

You are more effective when you know who you are doing the work for, their needs, and the problem they need you to solve. Because if you can't know what they need, how can you possibly serve them?