Musical Inspiration and Motivation: After the Nelson Symphony

After playing the first movement of Walton with the Nelson Symphony on Saturday night, I returned to Wellington on Sunday morning with a renewed sense of passion for the viola and motivation to practice and learn new music. (And also very tired, had an early flight, and forgot about Daylight Savings, so it was even earlier than anticipated!)

Having the chance to play solo with an amateur orchestra is a great privilege for aspiring young soloists. It's a great atmosphere, with a great audience, a lively and supportive young conductor, and fellow musicians who share the same goals as you do. There's a little article from the Nelson Mail here about the concert, the people, and the programme.

It's important for musicians to support each other like this, and remember that we do share the same goals and can help each other get there. It's easy to forget that life is not always about competing against one another - and for music especially, things so often are competitive. Orchestral auditions, getting into schools, and competitions themselves present situations where we have to pit ourselves against one another and try to be better than all of our colleagues to make a name for ourselves.

But sometimes the most inspiring situations are when musicians are united in one goal, and achieve it together. When it's not about winning or losing.

On Sunday afternoon I also got to attend a Wellington Chamber Orchestra concert (Delius, Bottesini, and Beethoven), which had the same atmosphere of amateur determination and genuine love of music, conducted by another young, aspiring conductor whose professional career is just beginning.

Professional musicians out there, do try to go see what the amateurs are up to and be reminded that although it is your profession, music isn't just a job. Don't stop going to concerts once you've made it into a professional career and don't stop being inspired to strive to do more, and better. For us, it's one of the things that makes life worth living.