Reflection

Being back in Eau Claire for two months, I've had plenty of time to reflect on my New York experience. The music lessons, great performances, and endless culture I experienced was eye opening and refreshing from a career perspective. I feel very motivated to continue working towards my goals as an oboe player.

While in NYC, I learned important life skills that I will need to be successful in music and adult life. Before traveling to New York, I had never flown on a plane before. Turns out I really enjoy flying! I will need to fly to graduate school auditions and visits, and most likely to accept future jobs. I am now capable of traveling on a plane, which is a major step in my personal development. My New York experience also provided me with chances to learn how to use public transportation. I think it is safe to say that if you can use public transportation in a city such as NYC, that you can figure out how to get around almost any other city. When I'm in new cities for auditions, I can use public transportation and not worry about needing a car to get around. Learning how to navigate was a huge personal and professional goal of mine, and I definitely succeeded in NYU.

As an oboist, this trip has made me more focused and aware of my future. If I want to make it in the world of music, I will have to work hard. While talking with wonderful, successful professionals, and attending world class performances was very inspiring, the experience was also very glamorizing of the whole industry. There are so many opportunities in NYC that simply do not exist in the rest of the country.  Also, there are many musicians and artists who simply do not make it to the top, and have to face 'reality' at some point. I've been thinking a lot about possible alternative career options, just in case things don't work out for me. There are simply too many talented and driven musicians in the world, all of whom deserve jobs--there are simply too few jobs for all of the talented people out there. I feel that in some cases hard work is not enough--luck is a part of getting a  job. I will continue to work hard, but now I realize I must be aware of reality. All I can do is keep my career goals in mind, know what I want, and then strive to achieve. I do not expect a job, and this trip, while showing a variety of great job opportunities, has only made me aware of the amount of work that I will have to put in to be successful.

Jonathan