On the vocal front, I took a day of rest yesterday, and sang much better in my lesson today. Feeling good again... like that new French piece (the mysterious one, remember?) might actually make it onto my list in the end. This singing business is hard!
I have to say, when I got into this job I expected it to be difficult. I expected to slave away over my technique, and to push myself further than I had before. I had not expected it to be quite THIS difficult, though! In other careers, you slave away and learn and study your craft for 4, perhaps 6 years before you get practical application. And that practical application tends to be very rewarding, after 6 years of study... financially and otherwise. Think about MBA graduates for instance, or stock brokers. Certainly, once you're done training you slave away over practicing your field... but at least you're out there DOING, rather than still LEARNING how to do.
As an opera singer, I've been studying for 7 years now (8, maybe?), and I'm just beginning. I'm still a "baby bass", and can't even begin to look at the meat of my repertoire yet. I have high notes, but getting them to a place that is worthy of presenting in front of an audience will take years more effort. I don't get to really practice my craft for another 10 years yet!
This was in my mind yesterday, as I thought about the alternative. I'm a capable guy; I didn't have to pick such a difficult career. At any moment I could drop this whole music gig, move to the city of my choice anywhere in the world, and work in computers for the rest of my life. I could make a nice income to support my wife and a family, and have my evenings and weekends to myself (as much as anyone does). This image contrasts nicely with the music world, where every moment not spent practicing is a moment someone else gets an advantage on you. Where you must eat, breathe, and sleep your music if you want to create great art.
And that's where it ends for me. Because, no matter how easy and comfortable a conventional life might be, I do want to create great art. I do want to do something really exceptional with my life. And you can't achieve that with just 7 or 8 years of training.
So it's back to the grindstone with me. You all who are already out there doing can have it. I've got more training to do.
