Even though life is even WAY crazier than usual these days with what’s happening with our planet and world affairs (!) there seems to be one wonderful constant in my work as a viola professor at Shenandoah Conservatory.
A student walks into my studio looking super stressed or really sad. We talk for a bit about what’s bothering them and then we start working. We experiment with different solutions to solve various problems and suddenly one of the suggestions works great! What? Is that a smile on their face? A sense of finding a small victory to overcome a bumpy shift? By the time the hour lesson is over there is nothing greater than seeing the student leave the room with a smile and a feeling of hope and even inspiration to keep on working. And maybe realize that life is not all bad? 🙂
Is this what the challenge of learning, practicing and progressing on something like a musical instrument is all about? To focus and center so intensely on our work that we naturally tune out all the negative energy around us? Well, maybe that’s not ALL it’s about, but it sure does feel healthy and gives us just a bit more power, clarity, and positive direction in our lives…not to mention hope.
