Music and the Musician's Life

Yet again I seem to be writing a blog post while being slightly intoxicated...perhaps this is just the norm for me now. 

This post is about a few things, but mainly about music. I’d like to think that I’m a somewhat accomplished musician, and I’ve worked hard at getting to the level that I’m at currently.

I’ve played countless shows, ranging from solo performances, to small ensembles, to full on orchestral masterpieces, and each one has their own little bit of wonder and magic to them. That being said there are still a select few performances that stick out in my mind as ones that I truly feel changed me as a performer. 

Tonight was one of those times. 

It’s tough saying goodbye to someone who has become such a regular part of your day to day life, and it’s only right that you should celebrate all you’ve had once they start to leave it. It was during this celebration that my good friend inadvertently gave me one of the best gifts they ever could. 

They gave me the gift of music all over again. 

I’ve been done with my music degree for about a year now, and I’ll admit I was a bit burnt out. Playing this show reminded me why I love being a musician. It’s not about the scales, the notes, or even the musicians on the stage. Music is about reinvigorating life. 

Playing this show tonight reignigted my love for my instrument. It reignited my desire to perform. It reignited my love for music. I’d become so tired of the endless work with so little payoff. I’d become so tired of the endless politics I had to play beyond just my audition. 

Tonight was just the opposite. Tonight was spontaneous. Tonight was music for the sake of music. Tonight was a celebration. 

I think that’s one of the most important things that a young musician has to realize. You can’t get too caught up in ever little thing that is going on. You have to once and a while take a step back and realize why you’re doing this. You have to remember why you loved playing your instrument (or singing for that matter) in the first place. 

Music is nothing without those with passion for it, and the passion to pass it on to others. So I just want to thank you to all those who have inspired that passion in me and many others. What you do is more valuable then you will ever realize. 

Siblings

I just recently got older. 

Yes I know each day, minute, second, I’m getting older, but I just hit the marker where I now say I’m actually a year older. For those of you who know me (which I’m assuming is pretty much everyone who reads this), you know I have a younger brother. We never went to the same school (he was in private schools I in public), and we (like most male siblings) would argue and fight a lot of the time when we were younger. 

After I’d been off at college for a while and came home for a break, we were talking and he said to me “Since you’ve gone to college you’ve become a lot cooler and easier to talk to”. I kind of shrugged this off at the time, but now that he’s in college too I see what he meant. 

When we were younger I would always tease him. I would always be irritated with the things that he did. Sibling rivalry was very much present. To this day I still call him “short man” or “little man” even though he’s now my height. Here’s the thing though, I think that for brothers (I can’t speak to sisters), the teasing and the like is just how we deal with our younger counterparts. 

There hasn’t been a single moment in my life that my brother’s been present for that I wouldn’t have gone after anyone who hurt or made fun of him. I’m not a violent person, but that’s just how I felt (and still feel) about him. 

He’s my younger brother.

He’s someone who I can’t imagine not having been a part of my life. He’s amazingly intelligent, caring, and is so like me in so many ways (thank you genetics). 

I don’t think I’ve ever explicitly told him that I would do anything for him, but somehow I think he knows. 

I’m sure he’ll read this posting. I’m sure at some point or another I’ll be made fun of by him (or possibly one of his friends who may also read this), but I think it’s something that has to be put out there. 

He’s my brother. He’s going to be around for all the things I go through in the future, and I for him. It’s just how life goes. 

Nothing can change the fact that he’s my little brother.