Today I went to a meeting of songwriters who give workshops in Toronto schools. All of us are experienced performers who get a kick out of encouraging children and teenagers to write their own songs. It's funny though...they look at us as if we're enormously successful (I guess it's just a matter of perspective). I'm sure many of us have noticed the contrast between their image of us as "successful musicians" and the reality that it's hard to earn income from our artistic pursuits.
After the meeting, we mingled and caught up on each other's news. And I noticed that a pattern was recurring. Lately, whenever I go to gatherings of other musicians, people say things like "So, I hear you're singing on the subway."
Long pause. "So...how's it going?"
They inevitably seem a bit taken aback when I honestly say, "It's fantastic!" And they're perhaps a bit concerned for me when I gush about how it's changed my life for the better.
"Really?" they ask. (Long pause.) "Well, that's great!"
A few weeks ago, a songwriting friend confided that she thought I'd be too shy a person to enjoy busking. I was surprised by that at first, but then I realized that when I'm not actually performing, people usually take me to be a quiet and reserved person. I remember someone even called me "retiring" once. (I can't remember who said that now, and it's probably for the best.)
Last night, at an open mic, another licensed TTC musician was the featured performer. He had a theatrical and athletic style of performance, which involved dramatic leaps toward the audience and exaggeratedly beckoning hand gestures. (I was reminded of a hypnotist. "You WILL throw me change!") Retiring he ain't.
Anyway, I remember reading once that one should re-invent oneself often. I guess my subway musician jaunt is turning out to be a dramatic reinvention. Maybe this is me coming out of "retirement".
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