Finding Inspiration
In a millennial moment, I wrote three entries in late spring, but they remained in my ‘Drafts’ folder because I forgot that they had to be manually moved over and uploaded to the blog (I had to take a break from writing in the summer due to schedule overload). So I’m uploading them one at a time…enjoy the reads!
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Years ago, when I was in high school, and even during undergrad studies, I was under the belief that daily practice would be what would carry me through as a musician. While it’s necessary to keep your technique sharp and performance-ready, it’s hardly enough to develop creatively. I learned that the majority of creative growth happens in every day life.
One of my interests outside music is architecture. I sometimes (ok, many times) make decisions on places to visit based on its history, since history and architecture commonly go hand in hand. Something about the structured skeleton of a building’s parallel to a musical work’s frame…and the creative details that fill the space between those rigid lines. A perfect harmony of structure and creativity.
I spend a lot of time in New England. I lived in Boston for a few years, but I’m still active career-wise up the East Coast from NYC/Long Island. And Providence has been a central location: for work, as a stop to/from work (coffee with old college friends is always a good idea!), a quieter place to overnight if I was in the area for multiple days. It’s rich in history, and it is also architecture heaven for me. Favorite view: Benefit Street. Aptly named “Mile of History” for having a large collection of original colonial houses and buildings. Right across the water from downtown, in the Brown U part of the city’s East Side and within a 5-minute walk of several fantastic coffee shops with plenty of seating to also get some work done (and blog!). I’ve walked up and down the length of this street during the day, at sunset, twilight…it’s quiet, you can take a beautiful photo down one of the cross-streets that descends towards the water at a steeper incline than a black diamond ski slope. At the right intersection, you can catch sight of the Rhode Island State House. After sunset, the lamp posts that line the street on both sides light up like candles. It’s like the beginning of the end of the day. Most shops close by 8pm, even restaurant kitchens don’t go past 10pm.
Traffic is mild at the worst of times, and foot traffic is at a minimum with the occasional tourists or students heading home from class. So, naturally I can take in the atmosphere and building designs at a leisurely pace. Coming from the fast pace of NYC, slowing down is a luxury, so I enjoy it to its fullest when I get the chance.
Interestingly, it’s when my creative thoughts are at their peak. An interesting idea crosses my mind without me forcing myself to ‘come up with something.’ A melody will somehow untangle itself into something musically coherent. If it’s new, it’ll become a piece of personal composition. If it’s something I’m already working on for a performance, it’ll put me steps ahead playing-wise than if I’d stayed in a practice room for hours. Sometimes, it gives me an idea for a new project, or it’ll serve as inspiration for teaching. Maybe the basis of an upcoming lecture.
The takeaway is, find something you can enjoy in a way that’s not just relaxing, but also lets you think, that allows for quiet moments in a life that’s full of distractions, and gives way to inspiration for your future.
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