Mondays.  A time to start anew!  But sometimes we’re stressed and unmotivated.

Today I have juries, a culmination of a long semester. The rep I worked on this semester was Mertz’s Elegy and Brouwer’s Preludios Epigramaticos.  Juries are a culmination of a long time spent with a piece.  Most time you’re ready to just step away from those pieces for a bit.

For those of you who don’t know, a jury happens at the end of each semester in undegrad/grad school.  You walk into a room, and play for a few professors; they “decide” if you get an A.  Really juries are a formality.  Most times you private teacher will have already graded you.  My teacher in undergrad would tell me before I went into the jury room, “Well, I already gave you an A.”

Quote:
“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best, knows the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
-Theodore Roosevelt

I don’t think anyone can feel unmotivated after reading that.  BUT!  John Williams playing  the second movement of the Aranjuez concerto.

Did you enjoy this article? Check out Monday Motivation 3/23/09 .

About the Author

Christopher Davis founded The Classical Guitar Blog in 2008. He is currently pursuing a Masters degree in guitar performance. In addition to his studies, Chris is an active teacher and performer based in Middle Tennessee. Connect with Chris on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and the Classical Guitar Network.

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