Aujourd'hui, il pleut

Today, it's raining again. I don't dislike the rain. If everyday were sunny and beautiful, we wouldn't appreciate them. That being said, I wish it were one of those beautiful days. On days like today, I sit and read and do not want to go out into the rain. So here I sit, learning music and pondering life.

I spent some time today updating my blog and I added an inspirational quote from the Dean of the Music School at BoCo. When I first heard this speech, I was not inspired. I was nervous, in a big city, by myself, and probably too worried about catching the right train than listening to carefully to his speech. However, now that I read it again, I am inspired once more. I want to change the world with my music.

Some may say that this is unattainable. However, I believe I already have begun to achieve it. I tell myself each and every time I perform that there is one person in the audience who has never truly been touched by music. Never felt the power of expression that music allows us to explore. Never related to music in a way that allowed them to be in touch with who they really are and what their emotions are telling them. Music can do that, and this is what I hope to convey in my performing of it.

I do not think that music in its rawest form will change the world. Alas, the world of chordal structure, key signatures, and sonata form will not make the world put down their weapons and join hands with their neighbor. It is in the performance of it, in a passionate performance, that one can be touched by the melody; the way that it unfolds over a rich harmonic background and transforms to reveal a deeper sense of the emotions of humanity. It is in performance that I hope to inspire someone else to do something small for the betterment of themselves and potentially, of others. Perhaps giving their change to the homeless man on the street outside the theater, or calling a relative that they have not spoken to in a while to ask them how they are. In the rippling of such small gestures, I can change the world.

Perhaps, I am thinking too large and some may say that I should not set my goals so high. I disagree and would say to them that having high goals would be to say that I will be performing a leading role at the Met in 3 years. While I would love that, it is not realistic and I recognize that. Instead, I choose to set a goal that is more personal, much more introspective. In fact, it's something that I may never know that I actually achieve, but I will still try.

I encourage you all to attend live performances and to allow yourselves to be touched by music. Let it express emotions, that until that moment you were unable to express. Delight in that, and share that feeling with someone else.

Change the world. That's all I ask. :)