Legacy

Why does one become a classical musician? Of course, a valid and popular answer would be because we love our music. But what does loving something ethereal like music actually entail? We dedicate our lives or a large part of our lives to music, to expanding our knowledge and abilities, to make a livelihood doing something we enjoy, and to share our passion with others. I believe a large part of being a musician is sharing our music with others. Most musicians these days do this by participating in orchestras, bands, small ensembles, and performing recitals. We see this at universities, conservatories, school functions, churches, and the stage. We contract for gigs through the churches and schools in our communities. Some musicians learn to compose and arrange, adding their published work as supplemental income. Some musicians become part of a teaching studio or open there own. Whatever light you cast on a musical career, it reveals itself as a community oriented profession. If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? If a musician executes the most beautiful and touching performance of their lives and no one is there to hear it,it might as well be silence. We as musicians need to be heard. At some point in our lives and careers, we begin to want to give back to our communities, to know that what we do will obtain some measure of immortality through our listeners, pupils, and performers of our pieces. What better way to do this then by serving our communities in a way that will make a lasting difference. In today's world of music, this sometimes seems impossible for a classical musician. Orchestras are a dying breed. Classical music is not considered popular. Why bother? Why even care? After all we can just perform ridiculously complicated recitals at schools of cutting edge material. Isn't that how we become famous as a classical musician? That is what most professional musicians do on recordings we listen to isn't it? I strongly disagree with this mentality and I have seen it far too much in younger generations. We as musicians need to be heard by our community. We have the power to breach barriers that most politicians would be envious of. We can inspire hope, cheer people up when they are sad, make them weep when they have forgotten how to... Music has power and it is a gift that is meant to keep giving. There are people out there that need music in their lives more then ever. The elderly at nursing homes whose family has forgotten them and time has left behind. We can provide entertainment and bring a piece of the real world back to them. We can perform for the children of tomorrow, opening their minds to a whole new world, breaching the walls of the close minded boxes that society tends to place them in. We can bring hope, moral support, courage, a piece of home, and peace to soldiers in battlefields. Music can touch people and bring them light when they are in their darkest hour. I believe it is our duty as musicians to bring this light to dark places, to give hope back to the hopeless, to bring courage to the lost, to bring the world back to the forgotten...This is our legacy. This is the way we may achieve a measure of immortality. It all sounds good in theory. But how may one maintain a livelihood doing services for their community? It is my goal to find funding to be able to make a living performing services for those in need of our music, and to execute an entertaining and marketable program for a variety of audiences.