climbing mountains with a musical imagination
Are you hoping for a very creative and productive new year in the arts for 2020? I often linger around the heroes of the past for inspiration and wonder how did Bach and Beethoven do all this? All their troubles and trials I got to study at the conservatory through many music history classes. JS Bach struggled with being and orphan at age 10. Later in life he continued to go through ups and downs like losing a wife and many children and eventually his eyesight and when styles changed many of the musicians after him found a lighter style more appealing and he was forgotten a long time. Beethoven came at the end of patronage for composers and had to keep going with his music in spite of lonley times and the onset of deafness but he purposely chose life and music-making rather than sinking into a self-absorbed sorrow. We are blessed by what so many in the past left for us, we hum their tunes but should not forget it was their character and hope that made them press on. We will bravely go on day by day climbing up these musical mountains and exploring the territory that is ours alone to make it more beautiful and amazing in sound, and hopefully this, to the glory of God.
For this year I am developing a map to climb up this mountain with musical skills and performances of the classic works that we love as well as the ability to create new designs and sounds around the old standards. I am going to try to celebrate every achievement; an extra octave of scales, a new page memorized, ability to execute and explain complicated rhythms–Yes,I am gearing my listening to monthly playlists and performances to reflect new skills and abilities to connect and persevere one step at a time and I look forward to partnering with many new and continuing students on this journey up a musical mountain.
Doran Music Studio 