Who am I? A singer, songwriter, jazz musician, a daughter, sister, wife, mother, a friend… A person’s life accommodates many roles.
When I wake up in the morning, with all the everyday worries and joys, it can sometimes be difficult to believe that in the evening I’ll be standing on stage, in the limelight, in front of an audience. People expect something beautiful, fabulous and bright in their lives, but honesty and sincerity are even more important than that. Even painful things can be beautiful; sadness can elevate us from everyday bustle, awaken us so that we can see the present moment and its eternity. Happiness lies in the moments, happy and sad alike – those moments when we feel alive.
Music gives us this opportunity – to look inside ourselves, to immerse ourselves into our own essence, the here and now. There may be a hall full of listeners, but when the music starts, everybody is at once alone with the music. The best moment for the performer is when you suddenly feel that regardless of being alone, the music suddenly brings us together in the same cognitive space. At this moment the listener already knows when a note ends and the next one begins, because music has encompassed both the audience and performers alike in its force field.
Those moments – this common language, common awareness – touch our hearts, showing us the magical land we all believed in as children, but which we tend to forget as grown-ups. Child-like faith, joy from small things, curiosity and adventurousness – all this would help us even as grown-ups. Sure, there are people for whom every day is full of new discoveries and joys, but even the most exciting of professions include a certain amount of recurring activities, and in time that can become a tedious routine.
All this is necessary. Even the work of the musician must include a routine – practicing every day, improving technique, expanding theoretical knowledge, arranging the songs, rehearsing with the band. It is necessary and even this type of work is a pleasant routine when the worker has their sights set on a goal that motivates them. Musicians can be happy that they have such a magical goal – music.
And what if the musician gets tired? We all get tired sometimes and would like to do something else, something different… But if you have given yourself once to music, you’ll never escape its calling. It is a profession that follows you everywhere, never falling behind even for a single step – because it is within you, in your heart. Whether it be night or day, inspiration can strike you anywhere and in any shape or form, and a musician is never really on holiday. This is because a holiday is also a way to gather inspiration, for example from nature or conversations with friends. And sometimes everything can be completely the other way around – as a parent, making music can actually be a holiday for me.
