Remember Why You Got into This Music Thing in the First Place

When we face challenges, when being an artist or musician or teacher or freelancer is hard, we should remember why we went down this road in the first place.  When the world around us seems frazzled (I’m writing this on election day…) I think it is important to look back and remember what captivated us about music – what made us want to pursue this art and share it with the world.  That can help renew us, restore us, and help us carry on.  For me, it was playing saxophone in concert bands, especially in high school, and encountering music that really moved me.  It stirred something within me on an emotional level that I couldn’t explain, but that was transformational.  Here is one of those pieces – every time I listen to it, I am reminded why I went down this path: