I have this conversation at least once a week without fail:

Are you a student?
No, I graduated several years ago.

What do you do for a living?
I’m a musician. I’m a pianist and singer.

What do you do during the day?
I accompany lessons, go to rehearsals, practice…

Oh, you don’t work? (Insert look of pity and concern here.)

As I alluded to in my last post, I’m learning some challenging contemporary pieces:

PREVIN Sonata for Bassoon and Piano (1999)
BOLCOM Over the Piano (1979)
MENOTTI Canti della lontananza (1967)

I’ve spent most of the past week woodshedding, i.e. painstakingly drilling note by note. Quite frankly, it sucks. These are the reminders that keep me going:

Take a break. Whether you cleanse your musical palate with Mozart or physically step away from the practice room, taking periodic breaks will prevent brain meltdown. Signs that you need a break: a) You’ve stopped making incremental progress; b) You’ve lost count of how many times you repeated that !^$@& passage; c) You’re swearing at your score.

Stop slouching. It’s easy to slouch while you’re woodshedding, either because you’re so intently concentrating on notes and rhythms, or because you’re getting frustrated. Bad posture will just add physical fatigue to an already-challenging process. (Confession: I’m such a sloucher that my husband calls me “shrimpy.”)

This is easier than statistical thermodynamics. OK, maybe this last reminder only works for me. However, I’m sure at some point in your life, you mastered something incredibly difficult in which you can take pride. Think positively! I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…

1. Combine 2/3 cup unusual intervals with 1/2 cup challenging rhythms.
2. Sprinkle liberally with accidentals. (Double-sharps and double-flats optional.)
3. Add sprightly tempo marking.
4. Bake until your brain is melted with a golden brown crust.

Every so often, my husband asks, “Are you doing what you love?”

The reason he asks is that my experimental career in music has required us to make significant changes in our lifestyle. My salary has dropped two tax brackets, and my schedule often requires me to work on weekends, when we’d previously spend the most time together. All for the pursuit of happiness.

So, do I love it?

I know I love music — there was never any doubt there. What I don’t know yet is whether I love music as a career. It’s kind of like Oreo cookies. I love Oreos, but how many can I eat before I’m tired of them? Would I still love Oreos if I were required to eat them for survival?

There’s only one way to find out. Nom nom nom.

As you can see, the novelty of the polling feature hasn’t worn off yet.