I love playing my instrument. I love it even more lately, since I've been improving and making progress in my playing. I even found myself more than once procrastinating on homework with practicing. Since when does that happen?! I assure you, almost never. But lately, it's been something that I look forward to. Don't get me wrong, I still have days where I just don't wanna, but those are usually days I don't want to do anything at all.
When I was in Elementary/Middle school, I went to a music camp put on by the community college by my house. I loved going to that camp, especially when I made it into the top chamber orchestra. The last year that I was there, we played a piece called Skylife by the Turtle Island String Quartet. I loved every second of that piece, and even got to play the improv solo for the concert for the rest of the campers. I recently rediscovered the piece thanks to a reminder of jazz strings from a friend of mine in the music department. He was doing an impromptu lesson with my String Project kiddos when he asked them if they had ever heard jazz violin. The kids were so excited by the idea of it, and I was reminded of Turtle Island. After researching more, I (and my friend Jen) decided we were going to be in a jazz string quartet. I have so much fun playing non-traditional music on my instrument-- I always have. I get in this groove, and I have a blast. I decided it's something I really want to do at some point in my life... possibly as a side job while being a teacher.
Music has been my life since it entered it. I had a brief lapse in judgment when I thought I wanted to be a CSI ( but after those TV shows, who wouldn't want to be a CSI?!), but really being a musician and a teacher are the only two things that I have wanted to do for as long as I can remember. I think that's a sign I need to stick to that plan. ;)
In your spare time, take a listen to The Missing Parts, a Tucson local acoustic quartet. They have some awesome instrumentation and I've been grooving to them lately.
<3's
Sam
