As a music teacher, I get asked this question often by my students. The general public has a stereotype of what a musician looks like, acts like, and “does” for a living. When asked, “What do you do for a living?” and my short reply is “I’m a professional musician,” I can see their faces and their minds immediately reverting to their stereotype of a starving artist with often ditzy behaviour. 99 times out of a hundred I have to explain further, then their expression turns into surprise and smiles. It is as if they have never actually encountered someone who is not super famous who actually makes a pretty decent living as a musician. But what exactly is a “musician?”
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A musician’s life is not the easiest one, but it sure can be the most fun! I get to go places and do things people can only dream about, and I get paid to do it! It is not uncommon to receive a phone call and have to be somewhere within a few hours to perform without even having had the chance to practice the music. Or when you’re on a gig, realize someone didn’t learn something and you have to cover that part instantly during the show. Yes, years of training and practicing prepare you to be able to perform in those moments, but it’s the mental preparation for the constant element of surprise that seems to be the item you can never learn or teach. It just has to be there.
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