Work is awesome

Hi friends. This is Mark writing. I'll admit up front that this is a somewhat dorky post, but today was special and I thought it was worth writing down. I won't be offended if you stop reading shortly. The event: simply going back to work with the orchestra after a vacation period. But here's what made it cool:

1. It is rewarding to return to doing something I love. There's no question I'm extremely fortunate to have this period each summer of four to five weeks off. Perhaps only teachers have a similar benefit. I really don't take it for granted. We had a great time working outside, traveling, cooking fun dinners, spending time with both kids, and enjoying a generally lighter schedule. But there's something about the rigidity of work that is appealing. There's really nothing else in our lives that is absolutely set in stone."You WILL be here between the hours of such and such." And I really do love playing classical music. There are, of course, ups and downs like with any job. But the highs are very high - involving passion, emotion, and beauty. It's fantastic. 

2. Employment is a significant blessing. We've had some friends recently and in our past go through long periods of job hunting. It has to be among life's most arduous and unpleasant tasks. In fact, one of the things I really liked about seeking an orchestral post is that the path to a job is clearly defined. It was plenty challenging, but there wasn't really any networking, endless resume posting, career workshops, etc. Auditions are announced publicly, you send your resume. If invited, you show up, play and hope for the best. Unemployment in America is high right now, orchestras here and there are folding. I am extremely fortunate to have a job performing music.

3. Here's the dorky part. I love cymbals, I really do. I know, many of you are imagining Far Side cartoons, or muttering something to yourself about banging trash can lids. Hmmph. In the orchestra, I get assigned a variety of percussion instruments. In our usual arrangement with my colleagues, I play the mallet instruments most often - xylophone, bells, etc. I love those too, but I play them enough that I get my fill. I have the same affection for cymbals, but don't play them as often, so it's a treat to play a good cymbal part. Today, the rehearsal began with Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries." You probably know the tune. There's a lengthy trombone and trumpet melody, which, at its peak, is punctuated by a beautiful, loud cymbal crash - my first note after vacation. That alone would be cool, but what made it even better was the cymbals I was playing. They're made by a guy in Italy named Roberto Spizzichino. Each custom made, by the hands of a true artisan. They are the Stradivarius of cymbals. They cost a fortune, and we had to do a lot of pleading and dealing with the management to purchase this particular pair. The sound is magnificent, and PERFECTLY suited for this note in Ride of the Valkyries. It was just a real joy to come back from vacation, and have that be my first note. The whole program was rewarding, but highlighted by that one note.

If you've made it this far, thanks for reading!