An essayappears in a post, on August 23 2019, on the classical music blog "Slipped Disc" of U.K. journalist Norman Lebrecht. It features words of wisdom penned by Brinton Smith, a cellist and music professor, on the eve of his retirement.
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The piece was written for the writer's students, but any young musician will benefit from reading it. Young musician such as Nobuyuki Tsujii.
It has been a decade since Nobu came to my attention, inspiring me with his compelling story and unique musicality, and enriching my life immeasurably.
I hope Nobu will have a chance to read this insightful piece, or maybe a Japanese translation of it. Nobu's blindness may shield him from the vanity that comes with sight, but not the corrosion of "fleeting fame" and "easy praises" mentioned in the essay. Nobu has had good fortune so far in a business that has its share of "harsh and humiliating aspects." With his down-to-earth personality and good support from family and mentors, Nobu has been on the right track. I sincerely hope that he will find his way to a full and meaningful life in music so that, to paraphrase Maestro Smith, "music will mean more to him at 60 than it did at 16, and that he will know the joy of humility, love and service to the most profound art in our world."
Below is the text of the piece by Brinton Smith, as it appears on the Slipped Disc Post [with some corrections and annotations]
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Image above, Cellist and Professor Brinton Smith, from his home page
RELATED ARTICLES
Slipped Disc Post, August 23 2019
Wikipedia page for Brinton Smith
Brinton Smith home page
The piece was written for the writer's students, but any young musician will benefit from reading it. Young musician such as Nobuyuki Tsujii.
It has been a decade since Nobu came to my attention, inspiring me with his compelling story and unique musicality, and enriching my life immeasurably.
I hope Nobu will have a chance to read this insightful piece, or maybe a Japanese translation of it. Nobu's blindness may shield him from the vanity that comes with sight, but not the corrosion of "fleeting fame" and "easy praises" mentioned in the essay. Nobu has had good fortune so far in a business that has its share of "harsh and humiliating aspects." With his down-to-earth personality and good support from family and mentors, Nobu has been on the right track. I sincerely hope that he will find his way to a full and meaningful life in music so that, to paraphrase Maestro Smith, "music will mean more to him at 60 than it did at 16, and that he will know the joy of humility, love and service to the most profound art in our world."
Below is the text of the piece by Brinton Smith, as it appears on the Slipped Disc Post [with some corrections and annotations]
I have been almost as lucky as you can be in this business. I’ve had countless disappointments of course -- some deserved, some not. That is the nature of the business. But I have a good job, a happy reputation, a balance between solo, chamber, orchestral playing and teaching, the good fortune to be friends and colleagues with some of the musicians I admire most in the world, and the respect of some of the peers that I care the most about. I’ve had the chance to travel, play concerts, enjoy the camaraderie and live some of the enviable life. I haven’t had everything, but I’ve had as much as I could dare ask for a life in music. I have been very lucky, and you will be very fortunate if you are as lucky as I have been.
And I’m telling you that even if you get all that – even if you get all that and more… it isn’t enough. It will ultimately feel hollow. In the end, concerts are just concerts, victories are fleeting, fame is shallow, and easy praise dulls the senses. Dark moments will come, and your life in music, no matter how successful, will be empty unless it is about something greater than your career. You must protect your belief that the music is part of something greater than yourself -- greater than any of us. You have to keep studying and improving and trying [to] understand more deeply. Believe in yourself, but believe also that you can do better -- not just in a technical sense, but more beauty, more insight, more heartbreak -- more music. As Mr. [Jascha] Heifetz [violinist] said “There is no top. There are always further heights to reach.” We have never before had so many musicians of amazing proficiency, and yet it is rare to hear someone make truly beautiful music.
Whatever you do, whatever comes of your life in music, no matter how celebrated or ignored your role is, you must know why you have chosen to spend your life on this. As you face the harsh and humiliating aspects of our industry you must protect your belief in yourself, and in music and what it means. We live in the world of the automatic standing ovation, where praise is lavish and indiscriminate, and criticism is suspect. But in your internal world you must believe in a right and a wrong way, and that it matters. Make your life about something more than your job, your reputation or your ego. Be an example of what a musician should be.The moments of greatest happiness for me have ultimately not been some career milestone, but the moments when I learned something new, when I got one step closer to the unattainable. Love the details, know that they matter even if they don’t change your career, and never stop learning. This is not an easy path, but it is the only way to a meaningful life in music. My wish for all of you is that music will mean more to you at 60 than it did at 16, and that you will know the joy of humility, love and service to the most profound art I know in our world.
And I’m telling you that even if you get all that – even if you get all that and more… it isn’t enough. It will ultimately feel hollow. In the end, concerts are just concerts, victories are fleeting, fame is shallow, and easy praise dulls the senses. Dark moments will come, and your life in music, no matter how successful, will be empty unless it is about something greater than your career. You must protect your belief that the music is part of something greater than yourself -- greater than any of us. You have to keep studying and improving and trying [to] understand more deeply. Believe in yourself, but believe also that you can do better -- not just in a technical sense, but more beauty, more insight, more heartbreak -- more music. As Mr. [Jascha] Heifetz [violinist] said “There is no top. There are always further heights to reach.” We have never before had so many musicians of amazing proficiency, and yet it is rare to hear someone make truly beautiful music.
Whatever you do, whatever comes of your life in music, no matter how celebrated or ignored your role is, you must know why you have chosen to spend your life on this. As you face the harsh and humiliating aspects of our industry you must protect your belief in yourself, and in music and what it means. We live in the world of the automatic standing ovation, where praise is lavish and indiscriminate, and criticism is suspect. But in your internal world you must believe in a right and a wrong way, and that it matters. Make your life about something more than your job, your reputation or your ego. Be an example of what a musician should be.The moments of greatest happiness for me have ultimately not been some career milestone, but the moments when I learned something new, when I got one step closer to the unattainable. Love the details, know that they matter even if they don’t change your career, and never stop learning. This is not an easy path, but it is the only way to a meaningful life in music. My wish for all of you is that music will mean more to you at 60 than it did at 16, and that you will know the joy of humility, love and service to the most profound art I know in our world.
Image above, Cellist and Professor Brinton Smith, from his home page
RELATED ARTICLES
Slipped Disc Post, August 23 2019
Wikipedia page for Brinton Smith
Brinton Smith home page