BS: Can you ever leave music?

Subject: Can you ever leave music?
From: Big Show
Date: 23 Jul 00 - 04:53 PM

While attending an Honors Choral Ensemble camp at Florida State University, my Musicianship teacher, a man who lived in Brazil, but was born in Germany, started a discussion with us about music. He talked about musicians and such, and about how he worked in one of the largest banks in his country, and made a lot of money, but quit in just a year and a half. Everyone thought him crazy, even his parents. He left his job at the bank to do music, and learn as much as he could. One thing he said really stood out in my mind. He said "You can never leave music"... he said no matter how hard he tried, we could never give it up. While in school, there were so many times when I tried to get out of chorus. However, there's always been something there that's kept me there. Music is almost a mystery to me. When I was in 10th grade, my choir was invited to Carnegie Hall to sing, and we'd be in a big mass choir with other Florida schools, and then our choir was one of two feature choirs. The other school was Andrew Dreyfoos School Of The Arts, and of course, we, little West Orange High School were a bit humbled by the idea we'd be featured with a School Of The Arts. Before we left, the principle of my school stated: "When you walk into Carnegie Hall, no one will know the name West Orange... But when you walk out, they'll never forget it." That never got to me until I attended FSU summer camps and met another Chad, who was a black bass.. he called me his arch nemesis as a joke, because I was Chad too, but I was a white tenor. On the last day of camp, he told me our 2 schools were rivals, its just that my school never knew it. He said his chorus hated ours because we "were good". I came to find out that this kid was from Andrew Dreyfoos School Of The Arts, and it was his choir that was also the feature choir in Carnegie two years before. However, our schools were so much the same in our ambitions. In fact, their Advanced Women's group is called "Belle Chanson", and ours is called "Bel Canto", and both translate into "Beautiful Music". Strange, huh? We will also see this choir again this October when we both go to University of Florida to participate in a little exchange concert. Pretty weird, huh? It reminded me of what my principle had said about us walking out and everyone remembering our name. Is the power of music this great? Do you think you could ever leave it?

--"The Big Show" Chad

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: kendall
Date: 23 Jul 00 - 04:56 PM

I could never leave music..right now, I'm concerned that it might leave me.

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: Callie
Date: 23 Jul 00 - 07:12 PM

I've tried to leave it. Studied something other than music on leaving school, even though I got into a good music course.

Worked in non-music areas for years.

Through my life it has re-emerged, refusing to 'go away'.

I've given in now. The music comes first. And since making that decision, all sorts of opportunities have presented themselves.

It's not all rosy - sometimes it's just sheer hard work! But nothing else comes close.

Leave music? No.

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: GUEST,Banjo Johnny
Date: 23 Jul 00 - 09:20 PM

Leave music? I've done it dozens of times.

A man was shoveling up behind the elephants in the circus parade. A lady said to him, "Oh, you poor man, had you no opportunity to receive an education?" -- "Oh, yes, I have a doctorate in finance." -- "Well, then, why don't you become an executive?" -- "What?! And quit show business??!"

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 03:45 AM

I could never leave it. I'm fortunate in having a job which includes some music, though most of the music I do is after work. I started into traditional music when I was in my early thirties, and it's hard to imagine what life was like before then. It feels like it's always been in my bones. Music is such a vital expression of who we are - those of us who play and sing - that once we discovered that passion for it, it's too much a part of us to ever let go. It would be like a major part of us dying.

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: The Shambles
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 04:06 AM

Early on, I made a choice between full-time music and raising a family. I thought it important, to make the family the priority.

I do not now regret that decision. Now that the children are grown, it has been possible to devote more time and energy to making music. The re-adjustment has not been without it's problems however.

During that period, it was not ever possible to leave music entirely. Or more accurately, for the music to leave me. It was always in my head. I would hear music and automatically analyse it. Think of how it could be improved, what the instruments were and all of those things. I possibly did not realise the full extent of this at the time but when I did open the gates, it all came flooding back.

So I think the answer to the question for me, is NO.

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: Bagpuss
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 07:25 AM

Kendall - If you love music, set it free. If it comes back to you, it is yours....

;-)

Bagpuss

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: Peter T.
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 09:52 AM

It is not really a provocative question for this place, but as someone who has always been a listener and not much of a player, it is easy for non-musicians to give it up and do other things. It is impossible to get it out of your life, because music is everywhere, but it is certainly possible to get into a rhythm where you don't listen to it carefully or let in invade you. Then it will come back -- you get interested in Schubert or Bill Evans or you hear something on the radio -- and you dive into it again. But you can go for years without focussing on it: it goes into the background, part of life's pleasures. Maybe that separates the musician from the non -- the compulsiveness (a good compulsiveness).

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: Kim C
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 11:10 AM

It has been in my blood since I was a wee, wee lassie. So the answer is No. Nope. No way. Uh-uh. Never. Not a chance. It is the gift I was given to share.

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: Whistle Stop
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 12:40 PM

I'm like Shambles -- I scaled way back on the music when my kids were young and I felt I needed to focus on other things. I never left it entirely; played a few gigs here and there, wrote a few songs, played a lot in the quiet of my own home, including "bedtime songs" to go along with the bedtime stories I read to my kids. Over the past several years -- with my kids growing older, and my financial foundation becoming a little more solid -- I've come back to it, and am making up for lost time. Thankfully, the music didn't leave me, even when most of my attentions and efforts were devoted to other things; in fact, it helped me through a lot of rough times along the way.

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: Amergin
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 01:07 PM

Kendall, I don't think music will ever leave you, it may die down to nothing but a spark, but it will never totally abandon you...if worse comes to worse you'll find other ways to express it...

A little off the subject, but not too long ago I thought poetry had abandoned me. I could barely write a line or two, and after that would be staring at the page for over an hour....would get mad enough and tear that page up....came dangerously close to giving it up entirely.....but now I wonder if I could have done it as I am totally enthralled with the beauty of words...I am the slave....

Amergin

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: Jim the Bart
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 02:06 PM

Music never leaves. Performing sometimes gets put on hold, though. I used to retire from the music biz every few years, but I always ended up getting dragged back in. Somebody would call with a gig. Or I'd see someone perform on TV and think, "man, I can do better than that".

Making music and learning to make better music has always been my "under riding" obsession. Like a river that runs underneath the surface of my life. Occasionally, I have tried to make it the surface and the results haven't always been what I wanted. Trying to make a living playing music is a horrible thing. I find that you have to degrade the music to make it a salable commodity. You have to associate with people you don't like to sell it (and yourself). And once you've turned your "art" into a commodity, packaged it and dealt it to someone you've lost control of it. It belongs to someone else who can use it as they will. The only way to avoid that process is to say "No, this means too much to me." And to walk away. And then you're back to not making a living playing music.

You can leave music. You can make a concious effort to no longer have music in your life. Just the same way that you can make a concious effort not to breathe. The results are much the same.

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: Melani
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 02:32 PM

No. I've been compelled to try to make music all my life, even though it doesn't come easily to me. My family and friends have always characterized it as annoying, so it's been very hard for me to realize that sometimes I actually have an obligation to share it. The other day I was playing a pennywhistle while waiting at a river rafting landing stage to be picked up by the return bus. Another rafter came over and told me it sounded wonderful. I guess I must be improving.

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: Irish Rover
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 02:44 PM

I feel that I can't leave music, to me it is an addiction. but it surely did leave me!as I become older and more infermed it escapes me like a runaway child.

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 04:39 PM

I don't know, can you leave your heart out?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: GUEST,Mrr
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 05:12 PM

I do know that I can't exit a hearme if someone has started a song between my saying goodbye and clicking out!

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: GUEST,Mrr
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 05:12 PM

Also, my twins from a VERY young age refuse to allow me to turn the car off in the middle of a song. I have to wait till the end, then turn it off, or they howl.

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jul 00 - 05:29 PM

No, Never, Not possible, Don't want to even think about it. Might as well give up water. Feeds the soul and is my nurishment. Went through a dry spell once in my life without much of it....pure Hell! I love music can't say that about much else.

bflat

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: Edmund Flynn (inactive)
Date: 25 Jul 00 - 12:37 AM

Music never really left me, but I gave up the oppertunity to be schooled in it. Now that I have the time to enjoy it and to try to express my love for it musically, I don't have the basic knowledge I need to master the songs that I love ... to discover the chords that I need (as an example)...
In sum, I didn't pay my dues, and now regret it deeply.

Subject: RE: BS: Can you ever leave music?
From: GUEST,Ely
Date: 25 Jul 00 - 01:44 AM

I'd be miserable. I dream chord progressions. I had to give up my boyfriend when he didn't understand music. I'm not even very good at it but I think I'd lose my mind without it.