For those of you who may be expecting a lawyer joke, this article might be a bit of a disappointment. If you’re interested in that kind of thing – and hey, who doesn’t like a good joke? – please feel free to leave one as a comment. That said, the topic du jour is Part-Time Musicians who just happen to practice law as a day job. Couldn’t see that one coming, could you?!?!
The LA Lawyers Philharmonic
This article tells of the Los Angeles Lawyers Philharmonic Orchestra, the only orchestra in the USA known to comprise solely attorneys. Whether as judge, prosecutor, or defense attorney, being a legal profession can produce a lot of stress…and playing an instrument can help relieve that stress by focusing the mind (and body) on a creative activity far different from one’s “daily duties”. What better creative activity than music?
Below are two videos of LA Lawyers Phil performances for your enjoyment. Bravo!
Whatever your profession, music offers an outlet for talents you may not be able to fully express in your “day job”. Don’t be afraid to share your talents! By doing so, you make the world a far richer place for all of us.
There are as many stories of why a person becomes a Part-Time Musician (PTM) as there are PTMs. Very few of us will share every element of Maya’s story, but there is a lesson – and inspiration – for all.
Maya Shankar, Scientist
Young Maya Shankar played at a very high level, studying with Itzhak Perlman in preparation for a career as a professional violinist. In 2002, a sudden playing injury took the violin from her very talented studied hands and forced her to seek a new path. While music had been her primary focus to that point, she took the life lessons she had learned from studying music and applied them to great success elsewhere…eventually becoming a cognitive scientist. This article from our friends at Violinist.com provides the details.
Fast forward seven years. Oxford University PhD candidate Maya Shankar was invited to attend the Academy of Achievement Summit in Cape Town, South Africa. Two weeks later, she received a phone call. Since her biographical information included her history as a violinist, and since Joshua Bell was also to be honored at the Summit, the organizers asked if she would be willing to perform with Mr. Bell while there. What else could she do?
Careful to practice only 15 minutes a day to avoid reinjuring herself, Maya worked to polish her well-refined but long-dormant skills. The performance went beautifully, and she rediscovered the music that was still within her…and found more of an emotional connection with it than she had ever had before.
While it is unlikely in the extreme that Ms. Shankar will ever be able – or even desire – to play professionally, she has gained a great deal over the years from her music. We also can gain a great deal from her example:
Sometimes “the end of the world” is simply a strong push in a new direction. Go with it.
Sometimes, it isn’t even the end. Sometimes, you can go back…at least in some capacity.
You’re going to put in the time somewhere to get to any given skill level – no shortcuts. This can be viewed as a problem or a challenge laced with rich, periodic rewards.
The payoffs are always there. Sometimes they are small; sometimes they are large. But it is worth any time you may invest in yourself to learn/play your instrument.
I wish you all the best as you continue to grow in your music, in whatever way you can.
Keep playing,
Mark
For more information, including a wonderful video interview of Maya Shankar describing this experience, please see this article at FromTheTop.org. The video is only 5 1/2 minutes long, but it’s well worth the visit!
It’s very difficult to categorize exactly what is meant by the term “Part-Time Musician”. Let’s take a look at one example and you’ll see what I mean.
This article about trumpet great Marcus Belgrave demonstrates in grand fashion that PTMs can’t be pigeonholed. Mr. Belgrave has played professionally, taught, mentored, and given of himself in more ways than can be listed. While the likelihood of me reaching the stature of Mr. Belgrave is slightly less than my being struck by lightning – say, two dozen times :-O – it doesn’t stop me from being encouraged by the example of someone who dedicated much of his time to other pursuits, yet is still regarded as a music-making giant.
The moral of the story: don’t underestimate the power (or dedication) of a “Part-Time Musician”! Hats off to Marcus Belgrave for his lifetime of achievements.
Former nurse and now-schoolteacher Debra Cave was looking for something to supercharge her fourth-grade students’ learning. Instead of just repeating the material and hoping for the best, she spent two months watching the Disney Channel(TM), composed and recorded “science songs”, and began singing them in the classroom – to rave reviews!
This article tells the rest of the story. For those of us who passed our high school Speech class recitation of the Preamble to the US Constitution by singing the Schoolhouse Rock version in our heads (adding the phrase “of the United States” that the jingle version inexplicably omitted), this serves as no surprise. Frankly, I can sing many of the Schoolhouse Rock jingles to this day…but we’ll address that in a future article.
Ms. Cave’s resultant DVDs have been purchased and used in schools across the country, at every level from elementary to high school. Simply put, learning music helps us learn…everything.
As Part-Time Musicians (PTMs), many times we are guilty of focusing only upon playing an instrument…but the voice is also an instrument, one that is nearly universal. Hats off to Debra Cave and all of the other PTMs who “play” the most natural instrument of all…and share their gift with others.
This news article features two PTMs: one high school graduating senior and one 83 years-young senior. Guess which is the student? Do you want to change your answer?
The teacher, 18 year-old Jordan Thomas, is a harp virtuoso perparing to study at Peabody for a career in music. For the moment, though, he is a PTM; his “day job” is studying, learning, practicing, and teaching.
His student, Audrey Johnson Thornton, will always be a PTM – and happily so. Her explanation? “At my age,” she figures, “I should do what I want.”
So should we all, and so do we all. That is why we PTMs play: because we want to play.
That said, the topic du jour is Part-Time Musicians who just happen to practice law as a day job. Couldn’t see that one coming, could you?!?!
News, Orchestra | Mark December 30, 2009 | 
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