Me and Julio Down by the School Yard
When you’re growing up “classical” (meaning every person who spends time playing classical music), you have to take time to hang out with other people who are doing the same. “Iron sharpens Iron,” so I hear. Hanging out with a good group of friends that are into the same music/instrument as you–tend to not only make for great memories, but you make each other better players as well.
For example, I will never forget the time in high school, I was playing with a particular youth symphony. We were poorly playing a Schubert Symphony–I think the strings were playing in the key of “W” minor. That key in particular is the key that will get any conductor to start screaming “WHY ME—I SHOULD HAVE STAYED IN BERLIN, BUT I NOOOO, I INSISTED IN MOVING TO TEXAS.” See, after a bufu practice like that, you need the comraderie—-good friends that understand.
So, I encourage each one of you to reach out, make some friends, learn a little–and have a lot of fun!
