Ive bumped into two articles and heard a special on NPR on this today (yes, I see how smarmily that reads), so I figured it was worth posting about. The topic (paraphrased): How do we encourage talent at the next level? For the purpose of this post, lets define The Next Level that which is beyond the undergrad or amateur/community member. So Next Level artists are those pursuing an MM, MA, MFA, DMA, PhD (etc.) or engaging in their craft on a professional level. Ive been in the artistic business for the better part of 15 years. Ive predominately worked in the musical theatre, but Ive spent enough time to see some stuff in opera, non-musical theatre, instrumental music and visual arts. During that time Ive seen two types of Next Level Artists: 1.) Those who are transcendent talents. 2.) Those who simply didnt stop, and eventually grew so competent in their skills that they became virtually indiscernible from more innately talented folks. Now, the point of this post: anyone can spot the first type, but the timeline and trajectory for the talent-acquisition-through-learned-skills group is impossible to predict. Ive met countless moderately talented performers who came into their own at age 30 or later, and Ive met countless phenomenally gifted performers who flamed out at age 25. Same goes for all artistic media - maybe excluding dance, where the age of the body is so linked to the ability of the body (but the ART of movement doesnt need to stop simply because one cant kick ones face anymore). A personal story. Most folks on the book-o-face probably dont know that I initially went to college on a French Horn scholarship. You dont know because I dont play anymore. I dont play anymore because in my very first lesson, my teacher told me I probably wouldnt ever get a symphony gig because kids from Juilliard had a hard time booking a symphony gig. Poor kid Horn players at poor kid state schools apparently only get a certain allotment of music midicholorians. So I played the required amount to keep my scholarship, and promptly hung it up. I had learned to play the horn the year before on a whim, and by all accounts had a pretty decent amount of talent, though my skills were raw. Who knows what I might have blossomed into - nobody will now. Im fortunate in that I had the opposite experience with my voice teachers and acting instructors. And Ive totally sucked at both of those in the past (and sometimes present), too - but Ive always had someone in my corner saying so what if you sucked, keep getting better, and I have. And Ive had, and continue to have, a great career that reaches lots of people. In closing (and this is just my opinion), if youre in a position to be an artistic mentor, I think its never the right decision to limit your protégées potential until they decide theyre no longer passionate. I mean, think of the wealth of learning experiences a 50 year old who has had to struggle his/her whole career can offer. Life experience is as much a part of a great artist as is talent. At some point in every artists development, there is an intersection of talent, skill and wisdom - and who is anyone to pre-ordain when and how that should come about? Im really grateful for my inherent mediocrity, and for the teachers who nonetheless saw my joy in what I do. Im less mediocre now, and have even more joy, and Im only 32. Im looking forward to growing further and maybe someday being super awesome - but Im glad I dont feel the need to rush it anymore. I believe this could have been a shorter post if I had just said: Who are you to say what I can do? You dont even know me! And neither do I!. Jadd out.
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 21:10:30 +0000
Trending Topics
© 2015