You're Never Too Old...

I discovered an interesting documentary on Netflix called They Came To Play; it follows several amateur pianists from around the world as they prepare and compete in one of the only international competitions for amateur pianists over the age of 35.  This grabbed my attention for obvious reasons--I am pretty fascinated by and fixated over the possibilities of continually improving as a musician and being given the opportunity to share and display that at any age.


I will admit, when I was younger, I had selfish and shallow reasons for desiring to become a successful violinist.  I recall one time, when I was 12 years old, my parents brought me to the Cleveland Institute of Music to audition for Linda Cerone because we felt I needed a better teacher and CIM is an excellent school and had a great preparatory program.  After I played for her, she asked me why I wanted to become a violinist, and I couldn't think of a good answer and so I said, "because I think it would be fun to travel around the world and play"!  She said, "hmm."  And then recommended another teacher closer to our town for me to study with.  My parents were disappointed and asked me what I had said that made her decide she didn't want to teach me, and when I told them, they were even more upset.  Haha.  In the end, we took her advice and I ended up studying with Alan Bodman at the University of Akron for two years until I went off to the College Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati.  I learned a lot from him, although I feel I still didn't take as much advantage of his advice as I could have now that I'm a lot older and a little more introspective about my playing.

I guess the point of that story is that I think we all probably have had different reasons or desires that have propelled us in the direction of music that ultimately changed over time--either because of circumstances or because we simply became realistic and/or wiser.


Watching this documentary is kind of heartwarming because it's a great reminder of why music should be so important to us:  not for the glory, not for the fame or recognition, but for the music itself.  It is greater than us.  And that is something that transcends age, talent and circumstances.


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I realize that today is the day that most people around the country are dedicating to remembering 9/11.  I have nothing profound or interesting that's worth writing concerning this, but it goes without saying that no one has really forgotten.  It's kind of hard to.  A lot of people like to recount where they were or what they were doing exactly when it happened; I can't say I was doing anything interesting or in an interesting place.  I was doing what most kids about to start college were probably doing:  sleeping soundly in my bed only to be woken by my mom who burst into my room and dragged me over to the T.V.  Like everyone else, we stayed glued to the television all day.  A few days later, my parents drove me down to Cincinnati to start my freshman year of college.


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This next week, I will probably try to get in a few runs in anticipation of my first longest race to date--a 20K in Hocking Hills, OH.  This past Thursday, I ran 7.6 miles but haven't run since.
I think I might stay in today just because I feel like it.


Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday:)