What is it about getting older as a musician? I think I generally used to enjoy faster tempos and my focus used to be on playing in tune with a clear or appropriate sound and making sure I followed everything that the composer wrote in their score. I think I essentially worked on “recycling” or just “recreating”a piece.

But as we get older why do we seem to grow a deeper and more personal understanding of the music we are working on, performing and/or teaching?

What is it about the younger generation- at least in the US with the highest level students wanting to show off their incredible technical skills by playing as fast as humanly possible, making every moment really count in a most dramatic way? Is it not okay anymore to play or hear a piece of music in a simpler, possibly slower tempo when you can actually hear and feel all of the notes, phrases, harmonies and intervals and without using gimmicks such as making excessive dynamic and color changes to impress the audience? Is it actually necessary to do all that to make sure the audience understands the piece better?

And what does it really mean to be an artist as opposed to an excellent musician? Do we have to reach a certain age to become a real artist? And if being an artist means that one can perform or teach at a level that actually changes the molecules around in a room and can reach deeply into someone’s soul- then is it enough to use one’s highly skilled technique together with a creative imagination as we perform or teach? Then what is it about older musicians/artists that think there is this huge need to help younger musicians who just don’t “get it” yet?

Could it be that younger musicians still feel the need to prove to themselves that they’re doing okay because they’ve scheduled themselves every minute of the day and week? But then can one really be an artist if one never takes time to reflect, read great literature, look at great art, or watch great plays or movies that make them actually feel emotions other than being buzzed on coffee?