iPad

Making this post happen via my new iPad. This cool piece of technology makes me very thankful to be living in this age. It is an age of endless possibilities, overflowing creativity, and cool collaborations.

It can be easy to grumble when things change. It can be easy to say, "Why can't we just do what we've always done before?"

The art of moving on is important for any creative type - musicians, artists, writers, etc. I find myself getting a little too wrapped up in what I'm working on at the moment. The full attention I provide is good, but without an eye on the future I run the risk of stagnation and plateau-ing. Creators create; performers perform. Without growth, creative types become a one-note kind of person. Not many people want to hear one note over and over again.

Finish your job you've got on now, but let your brain reach and grab for the next idea or direction. Move ahead and move forward. Be fluid in your creativity, and, like Vince from Mighty Boosh, keep looking for your new sound.

Progression

Sunday was a packed day for me. I had three Christmas services to do, and one had two rehearsals that day to go with it. I had a lot of fun, played at a new church in the morning, and met a lot of really nice people. The evening service I did was in support for Kari Jobe - a Christian worship leader wrapping up her Christmas tour. It was a brilliant evening. I'm not familiar with Kari's stuff, but I was really moved by her performance. Great voice, great band backing her, and really great music performances from everyone on the stage. 

During the performance, I felt a sliver of what I'm shooting for in terms of a career. My business vision is complex and still under construction, so I'll spare detailing it here. However, seeing it concretely in front of me in a couple different ways on Sunday was helpful in re-sparking my vigor of building the business. The fall of 2011 has been a major readjustment for my career and personal life. It's nice to get reminders along the way that I am traveling a path, and in a year or two I will find that things have progressed. My friend Jeremy Larson just put up something similar on his blog which recounts the path his career has taken in the last two years. It's very encouraging to read (at least, I was encouraged to read it). I'm probably two years behind him. This isn't a bad thing; it just means I have a good two years worth of progression to look forward to. I need to make a list of things I want to do and people I want to work with. I already have a big one I can check off that list, but that's another post for another day.

Thursday night rehearsal.

Waiting, Sunday afternoon.

I was a dummy and didn't take any pictures of the service on Sunday evening. I'm keeping an eye online to see if any official ones pop up. The sanctuary was gorgeous, and Kari and her band were absolutely magical -  both in sound and appearance. 

Ahoy!

Welcome!

My name is Sarah Reno, and this is a site providing information about myself as a freelance musician. Here you'll find a little info about who I am and what I've done as well as prices for the services I provide (playing, teaching, etc). Occasionally you will get little blog posts out of me - a bit of what the musical life entails and musings about this whole process.

Music is something I am heavily concerned about - whether it involves performance, teaching, writing about, or researching on the subject. For the last five years, I taught one-on-one music lessons. However, after I completed my masters degree - sealing the deal with the handing in of my dissertation in October of 2010 - my experience as a teacher expanded. I had many opportunities to lecture for University classes and tutor Post Grads where I worked on my masters.

So, yes, my interests are diverse as well as my work experience (I even interned at a dubbing house in Burbank, California - dubbing tv shows from Japanese to English!); however, it is all strung together by the common thread of my long-suffering infatuation with music. Every day I seek to learn a little more about it.

Keep an eye out: more is coming. Thoughts, tips, musings, even ramblings sometimes. Leave a comment, too, if you like!