Guru Peoples

They say one of the biggest advantages a musician has is to set one's heart on a role, a chair, a program, and face the terrible disappointment when it doesn't come to light.  But then a musician is given the opportunity to bounce back, work harder, buckle down in those places most needed, and grow in spite (or because) of the set back.

"Not yet" she said.  She didn't say no.  She didn't say never.  She even said that I have potential.  I just need to buckle down.  And buckle down I will.

Conversations with l'autre this evening helped me over facing the disappointment of "not yet."  Able to share similar feelings of frustration and difficulties at this stage of learning.  Trying to find the joys in the small progress.  Finding the small progress.  Becoming our own best teacher.  It is a daunting task.

But even the best teachers often have a guru.  A guide.  A master or sage.  Perhaps this person is someone they know, perhaps it is a distant entity they look to for inspiration.  Goal: make "not yet" become "yes, we want you for our program!"  Path: Sound more authentically Irish.  Plan: Study THE Irish fiddle player.  He will probably never know, but I'm taking the next bit of time and making Tommy Peoples my fiddle guru.

Playlist: check
Videos: check
Lesson time: check

Ok, so the lesson isn't with Tommy, but with another great fiddle player, Randal Bays.  So I will be studying fiddle on a few different levels.  Tunes with Randal, tunes from Tommy, and intensive practicing and (hopefully!) self discovery.

When the world says, "Give up,"
Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."