"It gives me the feeling of love. I figure right now, the world needs to come into music."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKDXuCE7LeQ&feature=colike

(link to youtube video)

There are often times, I'm sure everyone goes through, that I doubt what I'm doing in life.

Why would I ever want to do this?

The odds are against me, how could I ever succeed?

Will I be able to be happy later in life?

These questions plague me more than they should, and I find that I am constantly reminded of my distaste for a lot of what teaching music contains. But then, I come across videos like the one above. Any my entire perspective is altered...

I found this video so inspirational, and emotional, and meaningful! Its a reminder that the people who try to tell us that music is a waste or "not a logical career," have NO IDEA that things like this (in the video) happen. They know nothing about the power of music in general, let alone the power a teacher/professor/advocator/lover of music embody.

When I saw this, I knew I had to post about it. I knew I had to somehow relate it to music education so I could share it with whoever reads my blog because the message is that important. This video, this act of recognizing music, being able to bring someone out of whatever room they were locked in in their own minds is something anyone who has been educated about music can do. Knowing the history of music, contemporary in this case, is a major part of this encounter. But after rummaging through what I've been taught over the last three years, I eventually found that the reason I wanted to share this post in the first place, is educational in itself.

Music in general, isn't something like math, so simply used and once its complete its not thought about until its needed next. Its not like science or english or a language...its part of someone. Its constantly inside you, constantly changing, we (educated or not) are always able to create it and shape it. This is something I will forever instill in my students. I will teach them that, like this man, music can bring out who you are, however lost, or compressed you may feel. And that, is a major part of life. Dealing with their emotions and reactions, is what we as teachers are here for, isn't it? To shape them and guide them into society without fear and with enough skills and abilities to handle all that life may throw at them, be it academic or emotional.

(Of course, I'll mention that some forms of technology are needed with teaching my students about this. Recordings of certain pieces, recording software, computer, speakers, iPod, notational software, headphones, etc. etc. )

As expected, the inspiration and motivation I feel while writing this will fade. I'll find something to be negative about, something to bring me down, because as Frank Sinatra said, "That's life!"

But, I think that's the beauty in the relationship between life and music..its there when you need it most. You just have to let it in... and sometimes back out.