My profession tends to raise eyebrows, rapidly followed by smiles.

“I am a pianist,” I say.

‘ Really? A pianist? And what kind of music do you play?’

‘Classical.’

Sometimes the exchange stops there but many times it is followed by ‘I took piano when I was little but did not practice. I hope to go back when I retire.’ Or ‘ I wanted to take lessons but I could not. I want to pick it up soon.’

Or ‘My children/neighbors/husband/wife/grandparents/friends are learning to play as well.’

They are smiles, excited to share their musical histories, but most of them cannot believe that I am a classical pianist.

Perhaps we are a rare breed?!?

I love the whole interaction.  Every. Single. Time.

In my Tai Chi world, my profession also raises eyebrows, followed by smiles. However, their next question is ‘So, do you put your chi into the piano?’

‘No,’ I say, [and more on that in another blog] ‘but I do use the principles.’

More eyebrows, this time of slight bewilderment and perhaps suspended disbelief. ‘How does that work?’ they ask.

Perhaps those eyebrows rose thinking of mixing martial arts with health exercises, meditation, and piano playing. Classical music performance already has a very strict practice regiment, high stakes, and a requirement to perform at the highest of conceivable standards.

I already have one art in my life, why would I add another?

I did not mean to. I went to a Tai Chi school because I was looking for a low-impact, low-injury physical activity, and swimming was not in the cards for me, considering I almost drowned five times. As I practiced Tai Chi, and learned several sets of qigong, breathing, and meditation, I kept finding tools that I could transfer into my musical life, to the benefit of both my performance as well as my quality of life, professional and personal. I learned how to open my tiny hands in a better way, which made playing significantly easier; to settle my mind so that stage fright could be minimized; and cultivate a unified experiencing of my body which led to using it better, more efficiently, and with greater ease.

When I started, I thought I’d give it a little bit of time, get my fill, and then move on to something else. But a decade and a half in, I still practice and enjoy all these disciplines, and still find something new to learn and explore. It’s been good for me and my artistic, pedagogical, and personal life.