Enough

The music is enough, or it should be if you are a musician. I have been reflecting over the competition experience a bit in the last few days. Okay, truthfully, I couldn't sleep last night and this is a summary of what I was thinking about until about 2am...

As a musician, I spent most of my formative years trying to please the other musicians around me. I am a pleaser, I know that... I needed to do it good enough. I needed to always be better. The equation here is not totally wrong for me now. I understand that I do need to continually strive for excellence, continually try to improve myself, my knowledge, and my skills. However, I do not do all of that because of others. I do it because I have been given a blessing by God and I am obligated to use and share my talents. The music and the intersection it provides between performer, composer, audience and source is worthy of this attention and diligence.

Charles' wonderful quote about the Artist Experience resounds in my mind over and over again.

“Artists are interested in expressing the human condition. They are interested in all of life. As an art form, classical music explores every facet of the human condition: pain, passions, conflict, disappointments, as well as love, joy, peace, self-control, and much more. As music gives a broad picture of human experience, it provides a tremendous gift to the church. It shows something of the need for God in daily life outside the church’s walls. It also speaks of the presence of God wherever we find ourselves.”
The Artists’ Perspective--Dr. Charles Hulin IV

As I drove into work this morning, I was amazed at the beauty of simple songs which I had long ago stopped listening too. My interest in musical study has been renewed in the past months, my confidence restored. I pray that I may maintain this sense of purpose and that the music will be enough.

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Psalm 8 (New International Version)

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.

From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?

You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet:
all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!