I may not be playing huge festivals or going on long, extravagant tours yet, but sometimes being a musician brings about some pretty cool and unexpected opportunities. Aside from the normal radio and TV interviews, press, and regular gigging, some cool things have happened to me over the past year. The most memorable would be performing at a middle school, and performing at a wedding at a Fly In.
Playing for kids is always cool. They still have that "Sense of Wonder," where they are exploring and experiencing things for the first time. Life is exciting. Everything around them in nature seems to be magical, and music just gets them moving. They are able to dance without inhibition.
The kids I played for at the middle school are in the transitioning period from childhood to adulthood, where they are still excited about things, but are also beginning to develop critical thinking skills. A friend of mine is a middle school teacher, and he has an awesome way of tying things into his teaching curriculum, and making learning fun. He had me come play for his class. I played a few songs for them, one of which was "Wake Up." To me, this is one of my most deep and encoded songs lyrically. He asked them to listen and take down notes as to what they thought the song was about. In my head, I thought that this was a rather big challenge for middle school aged kids. But when it came time for them to read their thoughts, I was blown away! They were so introspective! They hit a lot of the main points of the song right on the head. A lot of times I wonder if people really listen to my lyrics, and if they "get" them. These kids totally did, and it completely made my day. It made me feel like what I'm doing as an artist is meaningful and does have the potential to make a positive change.
The second most memorable experience was far less enlightening, but oh so exciting! I recently played at a Fly In/wedding at Byrd's Adventure Center. The view there is breathtaking. I love the Mulberry. Usually when people ask you to play at weddings, your'e there for background music. You're there to look pretty, and make them look good too. But this was totally different. I entertained a welcoming, down-to-earth gathering of pilots. They listened, danced a bit, and bought CDs. But the best part was, the gyrocopter ride! I didn't know such a thing even existed. It's a small aviation vehicle with a spot for a pilot and a passenger. It resembles a helicopter, but maneuvers a bit differently. It's also open, so you can feel the wind on your skin, look over the side, and spread your arms out like wings, if you wish. When I first saw it in flight from the ground, I was pretty nervous to try it out myself. It went higher than a bird in the sky, and whipped and dipped around. I almost chickened out, but knew I would never forgive myself if I passed up the opportunity. It ended up being one of the most exhilarating sensations, and the view was just amazing. I've always imagined flying over the mountains, and have dreamed about it too. Never did I think my music would open me up to an opportunity like that! It makes me say what I envy people for saying on Facebook: #ilovemyjob
So, if you're a musician, be open to obscure opportunities to perform. You never know what kind of experience you'll end up having, who will be there, or what your performance could mean to someone in the audience. I guess this principle could apply to all facets of life. It stems from that old saying, "Say YES to life."If you do, you might just fly higher than a bird in the sky :P
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