"Singers and Musicians are some of the most driven, courageous people on the face of the Earth. They deal with more day-to-day rejection in one year than most people do in a lifetime. Every day, they face the financial challenge of living a freelance lifestyle, the disrespect of people who think they should get real jobs, and their own fear that they'll never work again. Every day, they have to ignore the possibility that the vision they have dedicated their lives to, is a pipe dream. With every note, they stretch themselves, emotionally and physically, risking criticism and judgment. With every passing year, many of them watch as the other people their age achieve the predictable milestones of normal life- the car, the family, the house, the nest egg. Why? Because musicians and singers are willing to give their entire lives to a moment - to that melody that lyric, that chord, or that interpretation that will stir the audience's soul. Singers and Musicians are beings who have tasted life's nectar in that crystal moment when they poured out their creative spirit and touched another's heart. In that instant, they were as close to magic, God, and perfection as anyone could ever be. And in their own hearts, they know that to dedicate oneself to that moment is worth a thousand lifetimes."
I frequently see people post on Facebook and Twitter, quotes like the one above. They are beautiful, inspiring words, no doubt about it, and it's nice to know that others understand and validate how hard it is to be a musician: the endless hours of practise for that moment of perfection on stage; the judgmental looks when you tell people you study music/ work as a musician. These words also reassure us as freelance musicians, that it's ok to live every day wondering when our next pay check is because as long as we have art and music in our lives, we are fulfilled. Very comforting indeed. However, does it glamorise this notion that we can, and should, suffer for our art?
Of course we can, and I know that if I had to, I could survive it, but what if I don't want to suffer for my art? Should I feel guilty that I'm not willing to give up on the 'predictable milestones of normal life' for the sake of music? And, if/when I do achieve these milestones does that make me a bad musician, or a successful one?
I love what I do, and I don't think there's anything out there in the world that I would rather do (or can do better), but the whole 'suffering for your art' thing is in my opinion, unhealthy and pretentious, not to mention exhausting. I don't believe for a moment that any deserving musician who works hard, has to suffer economically doing what they love. Am I being too naïve about this? Is this what the road ahead is going to look like? These are fears that every music student probably has. We may not ever earn six figure salaries, but I believe we can earn a comfortable amount, and goodness I really hope we do!
