The past few years have been challenging for all of us in so many ways. Music and art have been essential to getting us through the difficult days, but for those of us working in creative fields (not to mention those on the front lines of health care, public service, and education) there sometimes hasn’t been much time, energy, or inspiration left to make new work.
As the world has been reopening over the past year or so, I’ve been trying to look at the things I do in a new light once again. I’m thinking of this as a rare and wonderful opportunity for a “creative reset” of sorts. I’ve been rediscovering some of the things that used to excite me about being a composer and musician. I have experimented with returning to some old ways of working (hand-writing sketches at the piano, for example) while also working to learn some new skills and technologies without the pressure to “make” anything in particular for a while.
All of this has been about trying to align my life and work with the things that are most important to me. It’s easier said than done, and it’s definitely an ongoing process. But it also feels exciting. I’ve been traveling more again, and have been thinking in a more focused way about the idea of “home” and what it means for people who, like me, have complicated cultural identities. And I’m working out some new ways to make themes like that – and other things that are important to me as a human being – more central to the music and art I make.
Here’s to the joyful and creative, if not always easy, road ahead!
