Music Video Lesson: What is the Meaning of a Musical Life?

Robert Estrin here at livingpianos.com, your online piano store with a question, a massively large question, which is, what is the meaning of a musical life? It's an interesting thing that the parallels of what makes a meaningful musical life also transcend to life in general. What is life about? Boy, that's a big topic for the day. Well, here's the thing. We are by our very nature, social creatures. Obviously in today's world, I play piano. I know a lot about pianos, a tremendous amount. Could I build a piano? No, I don't have anywhere close to the knowledge of how to build a piano. Just casting the plate would be probably a lifetime achievement. Not to mention all the other intricacies of pianos. How we depend upon computers and smartphones and televisions and cars. And none of us really knows even the basic things about many of these technologies. What's in a microchip?

We depend upon each other. Well, what about in primitive societies? Well, there too, social creatures. Hunters and gatherers. People we're specialized and dependent upon one another to keep watch when there was danger at night so people could sleep. We are interdependent species. It's the only way we survive is by working together.

The meaning of a musical life is being able to reach people. Now, how do you do that? Well, obviously in a musical performance, in a best case scenario, you are reaching people at a very deep personal level and that is richly rewarding to be able to share feelings that are important to you with other people. Well, is that the only way? Certainly not. Teaching. Obviously you can share a great deal with people, but it goes much deeper. Composing music, writing about music, recording music, even managing musicians. All of this is enriching to people.

And the sharing is what brings meaning, not just to a musical life, but life in general. There's a satisfaction that we get from giving to others in order to receive what we need to survive because none of us can survive on our own. We depend upon each other.

If you're thinking, what's the meaning of your musical life? Is it you try to be better than everybody else? That's a dead end really. First of all, you're never going to do it. It's always going to be somebody better than you, at least in some aspects of the piano or any other instrument. Finding your unique voice, but what's most important is having a passion for sharing, wanting to reach people in the first place. That really is what gives the joy and the meaning to your musical life.

Love to hear from you and how some of you have been able to incorporate music in your life in a meaningful way. This is a great discussion for us to have and in the comments below, we can share ideas for all to share with others till you can figure out how to carve out a path in your musical life that gives you great joy and meaning to yourself as well as others. Robert Estrin here at livingpianos.com. I hope this wasn't too heady for you. I know I tackle some tough subjects. This is worthy of a book, isn't it? We'll see you next time here at livingpianos.com, welcome to subscribe and ring the bell for future videos.

Find the original source of this video at this link: https://livingpianos.com/piano-questions/what-is-the-meaning-of-a-musical-life/

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