Recently I served as MC for a concert featuring teenage musicians who had won a local orchestra’s concerto competition, an event I’ve been participating in for several years. These marvelous young instrumentalists are exceptionally talented and committed to their musical studies, and to seeking out additional opportunities to express themselves through their music. Beyond their school’s music programs, they also play in extracurricular youth ensembles, enter competitions (including some internationally), and take private music lessons with high level instructors. Most of these young people are also high achieving students, too, applying themselves to challenging subjects.
Because each young person is interviewed by me onstage before his or her performance with the orchestra, I make a point to meet with them ahead of time to get acquainted, prepare comfortable questions, and help them think about their answers so there are no surprises onstage. Every year I’m impressed not only by the skilled musicianship, but by the poise and maturity most of them possess as well. I often ask these young people if they plan to pursue music as a career and while many say yes, plenty tell me no.
This year, the top winner — a gifted violinist whose performance was particularly outstanding and whose demeanor was as relaxed and confident as a seasoned pro — told me with certainty that while music would always be an important part of his life, music would definitely NOT be his career path. He plans to pursue a career in medicine. Probing a little more, I asked him why. I pointed out that he spends hours a day practicing, enters significant competitions, and has invested himself wholeheartedly with considerable time and energy. Clearly he’s a natural as a musician and as a performer. Skilled, talented, and at ease in front of an audience. Why does he make such extraordinary commitment of time and energy when he knows so confidently that he does not plan for music to be his life’s work?
His answer was profound in its simplicity.
He compared his enthusiasm for music, and all his extracurricular activities as a musician, to his friends’ commitments to various sports activities. He pointed out that most of them never give a moment’s thought to being professional athletes, despite all the time they spend conditioning, practicing, and competing. They spend many hours outside of school, driving (or being driven by parents) to practice, meets, tournaments, and other sports-related activities, just as he spends many hours outside of school driving (or being driven by parents) to rehearsals, concerts, lessons, competitions, and other music-related activities.
His analogy was spot on. Studying music is intrinsically valuable — regardless of all the hoo-ha about classical music improving test scores, boosting IQ, etc. Music is an important complement to a full life, whether it’s casual study, or high-level, serious pursuit of musical activities. Those experiences need not be directly aimed at a career in music.
I know many accomplished professionals who pursued music seriously as young people, yet chose careers in medicine, law, and other fields. All of them were deeply committed to their music and considered it for their life’s work, often grappling mightily with the decision, yet eventually making a different choice. The young violinist busted that stereotype, and explained himself with such an illuminating comparison to his peers.
Such a wise teenager to put this into the proper perspective and explain it so powerfully. He articulated how and why the activities we choose — whether it’s music, sports, or whatever — all contribute to our becoming well-rounded adults and contributors to the greater good.
That young man is a marvelous violinist who will be a great doctor one day!