Last night I attended a meeting with a group of writers. The newest writer had inquired about my classical music training and asked "where does it fit in?". Obviously, it doesn't fit in to my current profession.....or does it?
She is a lover of music and we briefly discussed the cut throat world of auditioning for symphony orchestras and even auditions to get into Julliard. As far as auditioning for a symphony orchestra, you pretty much have to wait until someone dies before a spot becomes available. So, that means either teach privately, teach at a university or sell shoes. I knew professors that did all three. I remember seeing one of our professors working at Beall's department store selling shoes. When he saw my face, he blushed and looked away. I wanted to scream to all the women and men trying on shoes, "This man is a gifted French Horn player in the symphony!!! Could you give him a little respect?"
Then there was the time I auditioned at Juilliard at 17. I remember walking through the halls and some tenors had their ear to the door listening to the young man inside sing his aria for the Juilliard panel. He missed his high "C", and the guys outside burst into applause and cheered.
Why were they cheering? One less person to compete against for a spot in one of the most prestigious music schools in the world.
All those experiences and more made me the writer that I am today. So, I don't look at my college major and musical background as a "wrong turn". It provided me with some fabulous experiences and it taught me more than the mechanics of music ever did.
More Musings Later-
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