It’s really easy to get caught up in the success and failures of your career.
It’s human nature to identify our worth with the ups and downs of what is immediately happening. Maybe you just performed a piece that didn’t go so well. The result of this has always been for me to feel like I don’t even belong in the percussion world. Or – on the opposite side of the universe – maybe you just composed a piece for your ensemble and they learned it quickly, efficiently and it sounds great. All of a sudden, you feel like you should be on top of the percussion writing world.
What’s important is for us to realize is that if you’re having these ups and downs, it just means that you’re passionate about what you do. Every career runs in to some hard times, and that’s only magnified in the arts fields. But, at the end of the day, we’re all fortunate to know precisely what we’re passionate about. Many people wake up and go to work on a job they don’t really care for because they don’t know what else to do. As percussionists, we couldn’t imagine doing anything else besides percussion. We’re lucky because of that.
Elizabeth sums this up much more elegantly than I do…
While summer should include some rest and relaxation it can also be a time, for those of us in academia especially, to get some big things done. My big project this summer is to learn Maki Isshi’s Concertante for a trip later this summer to Japan. I’ve always wanted to learn and perform this work and since I’m going to Japan I’m going to find a way to make it happen! If you want, check out the PATV below which addresses summer opportunities, and leave some thoughts for the DC community. Do you have any big projects that you want to complete this summer? Going to any percussion related seminars?
httpvh://youtu.be/_xgQOG1JWIU
** BTW: Openings are still available for the Longhorn Marimba Intensive! This year our guest artist is PAS Hall of Fame member, and marimba guru, Gordon Stout! Click the link above for registration and more information.
