As a classical pianist with Russian and Kurdish heritage, raised in Scandinavia, I’ve come to understand how id influences our connections and perceptions. Navigating totally different cultures has taught me the significance of listening, adapting, and discovering belonging in subtleties slightly than absolutes. This complexity in {our relationships} as musicians has at all times intrigued me.
We satisfaction ourselves on our capability to pay attention, empathize, and collaborate. Our lives revolve round nurturing sensitivity—reworking sound and silence into that means. But, beneath this polished exterior lies a convoluted emotional panorama. Amid competitions, collaborations, and applause, I typically ponder: Can we genuinely have fun one another’s successes, or is it only a efficiency?
Within the inexperienced rooms and rehearsal areas of our career, I’ve sensed each heat and distance. There are genuine moments of camaraderie: shared nerves earlier than a efficiency, laughter after a slip-up, and embraces following a profitable live performance. But, subtler dynamics complicate our connections—particularly when a colleague “makes it.”
When a colleague secures a prestigious prize, lands a coveted function, or indicators with a famend label, the ambiance can subtly shift. We cheer, “like” their social media announcement, maybe even compose a congratulatory message. But, beneath the floor, the quiet voice of self-doubt begins to stir.
This response typically goes unstated. It springs not from malice, however from exhaustion, insecurity, and the unacknowledged comparisons that pervade our creative panorama. The classical music world purports to be a meritocracy the place expertise and laborious work must suffice. Nonetheless, most of us acknowledge this as a comforting mirage. Success is influenced not solely by ability however by alternative, geography, social connections, and visibility.
Hidden hierarchies form our trade—decided by the place one studied, with whom, and below what label. These constructions typically dictate how success is perceived and valued. For these like me, straddling a number of identities and traditions, defining success turns into a problem. When achievements hinge on slim standards—competitions, commissions, or social media milestones—each victory feels precarious, inclined to vary. This creates a tradition the place insecurity and celebration exist in stress, making it tough to applaud our colleagues with out feeling self-doubt.
The structure of our trade amplifies this discomfort. Careers typically hinge on visibility: the fitting collaborations, the fitting reviewers, and even social media algorithms. For artists, particularly freelancers, shortage looms massive. When each gig, pageant, or evaluation appears like a uncommon boon, others’ successes can spotlight our vulnerabilities.
But envy isn’t solely about shortage—it’s additionally about id. We sometimes evaluate ourselves to friends who share our age, self-discipline, or coaching. When a recent positive factors recognition quicker, it will possibly spark existential unease, compelling us to reevaluate our journeys.
From an early age, classical musicians are skilled to pursue perfection. Errors are handled as failures slightly than teachable moments. The conservatory ambiance intensifies this mindset, with fixed analysis, rating, and competitors. When our value is gauged by perfection, failure evokes disgrace. If we wrestle to embrace our flaws, how can we genuinely have fun another person’s triumphs?
Add to this the vulnerability—the quiet price of dedication. In an trade that values resilience, revealing emotional fragility can appear dangerous. Psychological well being stays a hushed matter except it reaches a breaking level. Burnout is glamorized as dedication; exhaustion is mistaken for dedication.
I’ve witnessed colleagues push by way of sickness or heartbreak as a result of taking a step again feels unimaginable. The worry of being overshadowed—or forgotten—is palpable. Say “no” as soon as, and future alternatives would possibly vanish. Present up lower than your greatest, and exclusion turns into possible. It’s a harsh efficiency economic system that leaves scant room for self-compassion and compassion for others.
When a colleague achieves one thing past our present attain—a stage we aspire to, a venture we want to create—it doesn’t must really feel threatening. Their success can function a nudge, reminding us of recent potentialities and uncharted paths. On this gentle, admiration and motivation coexist, fostering private development and honest celebration.
Not too long ago, I’ve skilled a shift in my notion of success inside our area. For a lot of my life, I used to be labeled—a late bloomer, merely a musician (not a pianist), urged to leverage my multicultural background. Every label carried expectations: milestones I ought to have reached by now. But, I’ve come to understand that these predefined phrases can form your narrative earlier than you even have the prospect to jot down it. Dismantling these assumptions—stepping exterior the confines of others’ perceptions—has been a liberating expertise.
This newfound freedom has rekindled my skill to pay attention—not simply to music however to silence as nicely; to rediscover the great thing about uncertainty; to do not forget that being an artist isn’t about arriving however concerning the journey of exploration. Every bit of music I strategy is a reminder that our work should not be about proving ourselves, however about discovery—understanding and unveiling truths about ourselves, the world, and humanity. We’re equal contributors in a bigger tapestry referred to as music.
The query of belonging typically rests closely on my thoughts. Rising up amidst various cultures, I ceaselessly felt adrift, by no means fully anchored in a single id. But, I’ve realized that belonging isn’t one thing to hunt exterior ourselves; it’s one thing we are able to declare in our current contexts. Every efficiency, rehearsal, and metropolis presents an opportunity to reach totally, if we’re keen to embrace it.
This consciousness brings with it a duty: those that information younger, delicate artists should prioritize greater than technical abilities. Conservatories, academics, and mentors must foster the emotional intelligence, resilience, and self-awareness wanted to navigate success, failure, and creativity with integrity. Getting ready musicians for the stage should additionally put together them for all times as human beings—embracing the complete spectrum of expertise that music calls for.
With this attitude, we are able to rethink how we outline achievement. As a substitute of framing success as a zero-sum recreation, the place one’s triumph diminishes one other’s potential, we are able to acknowledge it as a collective growth. When a colleague premieres an progressive work, wins a grant, or builds an viewers, they broaden the area for all of us. They affirm that classical music lives, thrives, and is various.
Real celebration, then, transcends mere approval; it includes acknowledgment. It acknowledges that one other’s success enhances the richness of our area. But, this pleasure requires lively engagement—it’s a observe that calls for self-awareness, humility, and empathy. We should confront our insecurities, face envy with out permitting it to harden into resentment.
In an age the place each profession milestone is public, comparability is inevitable. But, maybe this transparency can even facilitate therapeutic. Sharing not solely our triumphs however our struggles—our rejections, doubts, and the messiness of our journeys—fosters authenticity.
I’ve noticed a shift amongst youthful musicians, who prioritize honesty over manufactured photos and course of over polished remaining merchandise. In these communities, success is widely known not as a trophy however as a testomony to persistence and bravado. Maybe that is the place genuine celebration begins—with honesty. Not the performative form, however the form that embraces imperfection, contradiction, and humanity.
Till we dismantle the aggressive tradition disguised as professionalism—till we create area for failure, psychological well being, and individuality—the query “Can we really have fun one another’s success?” will stay open.
However maybe the intention isn’t to discover a excellent reply; as an alternative, it’s to repeatedly ask the query and rework our lives accordingly. As artists, our best energy lies in our skill to really feel deeply—to pay attention intently, not simply to sound, however to at least one one other. To have fun sincerely requires bravery: the braveness to acknowledge one other’s pleasure with out undermining our personal, to applaud with out comparability, and to do not forget that artwork isn’t a race, however a dialogue.
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