Music in the balance

I find myself fully distracted from music these days by the grind of the day job (which is really a day, evening, and night job – shift work!). I suppose there are seasons in life, and each is different. It makes me wonder about so many others who are in a similar situation, hoping to find time for the music that they love but compelled to do other things.

I dare say that most musicians are not able to play music full time. And those who do may find themselves struggling to make ends meet. There is often a trade-off, and the need to make choices to strike the right balance. I know an excellent organist and sometime choir director whose music time is limited because of the need to provide for his family. And I could name a host of other musicians who have come to terms with the music/money balance in their own ways.

In some respects I could say that my current situation is intentional. I have often said I would be happy to alternate between well-paid technical work and lesser-paid creative endeavors. In fact, that seems to be happening. The first half of 2009 was taken up with music – forming a band, rehearsal, and performances. My five-piece band played 50’s music in a large festival, and through the spring and summer I found myself performing for birthdays, weddings – even political events. And now, since July, I am back on the technical side, working round the clock monitoring and troubleshooting your mobile phone connections.

I suppose I could look on the bright side. How many people have such opportunities to use both sides of the brain in their work like I do? I look forward to more opportunities for music performance in 2010 and beyond. And I will continue to find the right balance, and to strive for those wonderful experiences when my audience and I are for a moment transported, and the temporal art of music transcends the more mundane aspects of our lives.