My goal is to be the best musician that I can be and to live up to the promises I made to myself to never compromise my love and joy for the music. Never turn people away because they disagree with you. Never dismiss the older generation. There is always something to learn. Have strong opinions but be flexible. Love what you do.
I hear a lot of “perfect playing.” I’m bored to death. Perfect recordings are false gods. Following trends in music leads musicians to ignore what is truly important in the music. Keeping an audience coming back to hear concerts is not about playing in tune or on time. Love, joy, intimacy, beauty, and innocence are the key elements in the music that keeps the audience returning. Stop trying to impress people. Instead, give them what they need in life through the music you play. There is no such thing as perfection, but there is such a thing as beauty. You want love and joy to last as long as possible… the faster you play, the more quickly it will end.
