MUSIC: a happy short story
So, The Apple Worm Podcast is out and about and because of it I had a couple of ideas to talk about for today and chose one I have not talked about enough: Music.
I truly believe and practice in my life therapy through music. While running, writing out the blog, studying, in the car, when I'm happy, sad, angry... I must have music as much as possible in my life because it helps my mind to focus. Some of the most inspiring and flat out amazing people I have met and know to this day are musicians (well studied and/or self-taught). I could not be happier to tell you this story, its about being humble and shocked musically and in life in general.
I was 15 I think and went to a music camp in Michigan with a scholarship to study percussion with amazing teachers. All I knew was that I had to be there and lessons would be taught and I would live on campus for about a month and a half, I rehearsed the pieces I knew with my teacher back home A LOT of how high my nerves were to play in front of a large audience (there would be a concert at the end of the camp, just take a look at the image at the end of the post). When I arrived at the camp, I settled in and introduced myself with the rest of my roommates and found out there were "try outs" to figure out what seat you would be for the rest of the camp in terms of your section (strings, woodwind, brass, percussion). I almost broke down, I thought when I had auditioned to enter the camp there would be no more auditions, SPECIALLY in front of judges!
Oh well, I was glad I found out early enough to go study since the audition was next morning. I found an open classroom with a marimba (what I was most passionate about at the time) and started to rehearse. Out of nowhere the door opens and a beautiful pale skinny girl about my age walks in and stares at me: "you're new!" she said with a smile. I introduced myself in an almost scared manner and explained that I was from Costa Rica and was preparing for the auditions. "Awesome! We're gonna hang out together a lot!" she said loudly, still smiling. "Can I stay and hear what you are rehearsing?". She helped me out a lot with the piece I was going to perform and with my nerves, for what I felt was hours! (while it probably wasn't more than an hour).
After the audition I was COMPLETELY ASTONISHED to find out I was chosen as second seat of the percussion section of the camp! I called my parents as if I had won an Oscar or a Nobel prize, truly it meant the world to me to be rewarded for something I loved to do: play music. I finally saw the girl again and thanked her for helping me out, she smiled as always and said "can't wait to rehearse together". As you might have guessed by now... She was not just the first seat at the camp percussion section, she was the one of the top musician soloists in the freaking world!
She was kind and humble and always smiling and I will forever have an amazing memory of the summer we spent together learning with and from her everyday. I love when successful and talented people are themselves, not more, not less, not braggy... just themselves!
