I’m A Musician Too! - Staying Involved As A Performer
I recently joined a small college band on a secondary (more like seven-dary) instrument. It was advertised as a chance to build skill on a secondary instrument for local band directors. I jumped at the opportunity to practice those skills and to stay involved as a performer.
We sometimes forget that we are musicians too. Much of band directing is school paperwork, schedule making, assessment writing, lesson giving and putting out fires. It’s hard to remember back in the day when we fell in love with band. We sure as heck didn’t fall in love with all the busywork. We fell in love with music. The way it made us feel. The way we affected others with it. We fell in love with being a musician.
As I was sitting in rehearsal last week, I remembered. I remembered what it was like to just play. At one point, in between my TERRIBLE clarinet playing, I stopped to just watch and listen. The beautiful sounds from behind me (who happened to be a former student), and watching the band director rehearse. The feeling of calm and joy, knowing that it wasn’t MY worry to get the ensemble to sound great. It wasn’t MY job to make sure the trombones played that A natural. It wasn’t MY job to figure out why that suspended cymbal part wasn’t being played. I just worried about me. Clarinet #8.
Find an ensemble. Play. Fall in love with band again.
By Stephanie Williamson
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