Classical musicians are cover artists. We play the scores of composers from long ago, and we get to put our own spin on the music. But what about creating our own from scratch? It's not always easy to start off. Compare it to writing in your own native language (English for the sake of the …
I Lived
Inspired by the Daily Post's daily prompt, Retrospective. Looking back isn't always easy. A lot of you are probably thinking of cringey moments from high school or college when you should've done something differently, but you can't; the moment's passed. Until recently, I'd been pretty good about not letting myself regret mistakes or big decisions. …
The Mage’s Song, One: Silver Night
Some say that magic is a metaphor. That magic can only be felt when listening to music or when falling in love. It’s something deep that seems it should be anything but natural, but it happens every single day. I cannot attest to falling in love, but I know how playing the violin makes me …
Book Reviews: Jane Eyre
This is another book that helped shape me. In some ways, Jane is the typical heroine: she grows up in hardship and develops a strength that can only be grown from that kind of upbringing. Then a mysterious man who also needs healing crosses paths with her, and they complement each other. She saves him, …
Truth Under the Stage Lights
Stage lights possess magical qualities. Under their glare, performers sweat and burn while pretending not to. They to act like they’re the best at the talent they represent, whether it be acting, dancing, or music-ing. The tricky part of dealing with stage lights is that they always reveal the truth. In a small city’s largest …
Positivity
Negativity is something we're all warned against. We're told to be optimists, to see opportunities where others don't, but we're not always taught how. Turns out, it has a lot to do with discipline (something I need to work on). Lately, I've been obsessing over many different kinds of Ted Talks. From neuroscience, to music …
Christmas Music
Most musicians who've been at it for a long time come to tolerate the long Christmas season. What audiences don't realize is that while they might get tired of all the Christmas Carols from November and December, musicians start practicing them back as early as August. That's how much time it takes to make something …
Hello There!
This is the first post on a shiny new blog! It is my goal to post something, anything at least once a week, probably on Fridays. This blog is mostly to keep me accountable regarding my practicing and also share the many thoughts that plague this writer and musician's brain. I'll try to keep it …