Mark’s Favourite Quotes
When I was a kid, I started to collect quotes that I found inspiring or character building and from time to time, I would turn to them for guidance or affirmation. The ones I preferred are often easy to remember and drive the point home clearly and concisely, so you can bring it to the front of your mind whenever the appropriate occasion calls for it. I hope you find them as useful and inspirational as they have been for me and if you have any of your own, please feel free to share them with us!
SELF DEVELOPMENT
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.
Ernest Hemingway
This is one of my favourite quotes and one that I often look to for guidance whenever I find myself losing my way. In life, we often cannot help but be competitive, no matter what we do, and the music industry in particular often demands competitiveness. But as a musician, this makes us lose sight of what music is really all about. The ultimate goal, with anything and especially in music, is surely self-improvement/development and being in service of music. That’s why I love this quote because first of all, it makes it clear that there is never a finish line. One can and must always keep improving. But even if one manages to reach certain plateaus and achieve certain goals, we must not allow ourselves to become prideful.
Mr. Boehm is a very superior player, with an excellent tone, and his composition was, comparatively speaking, highly respectable; his style differs from that of Nicholson and Drouet, inasmuch as he strives to touch the heart rather than to astonish.
Unknown from History of the Boehm Flute by Christopher Welch
I read this long ago but can’t remember who had said this. I remember very well though when I came across this one sentence because it shocked me to my very core. All of a sudden, I realised that until that point, I had only ever sought to astonish my audience. I suppose I did also try to move them in some way, but it wasn’t to touch their hearts but more in service of my own ego. To be able to astonish the audience is undoubtedly a difficult feat. But what is truly special, long lasting and fulfils the purpose of music, is to touch your listeners’ hearts.
SUCCESS
To be honest, in life, I have failed as much I have succeeded. But I love my wife, I love my life, and I wish you, my kind of success.
Dicky Fox from from the movie Jerry Maguire
Just a heart-warming quote from a fictional character but I think it’s important to remind ourselves that “failure” is part of success and also, to not lose sight of the things in life that are truly important.
MOTIVATIONAL
Do not judge me by my successes, but by how many times I fell down and got back up again.
Nelson Mandela
Another inspirational quote to help with managing disappointment and perceived failure, emphasis on perceived. The most successful people are the ones who are persistent, consistently pick themselves back up and quickly learn from their mistakes.
If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.
Epictetus
A very important quote for artists who are often mocked for our pursuit. “Why are you studying music? What kind of career is that?” Which of us have not heard this or something along this line before? Rest assured though that anyone who was ever successful, in any field, at some point in their lives, will have faced the same derision and doubt.
Lack of fear is not courage, it is the mark of idiocy. Courage is knowing your fear and overcoming it.
Takashi Matsuoka
We all have fears, whether it be stage fright or some form of self-doubt. We need to know that it’s okay and doesn’t make us less of a musician and it can all be overcome.
TEACHING
Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr
Music teachers have unparalleled access with their students when compared to most other teachers, due to the amount of one on one time they spend with them on a regular basis. This puts music teachers in a position of tremendous responsibility and makes them some of the most appropriate people to realise this ideology of Dr. King’s. Imparting both knowledge and wisdom in the hopes of helping their students develop, not just into more well-rounded musicians but also as human beings and appreciators of the arts is something we must all strive for.
LEARNING
When we let ourselves see only what we expect to see, we view the contents of our own minds and miss what is truly before us.
Takashi Matsuoka
This can apply to so many different aspects of learning. It’s one of the reasons why people might learn the wrong note or rhythm or articulation for example, because instead of reading what’s on the page, they are playing out what is going on in their heads. Or when a student is all too eager to start playing even though they haven’t truly understood the instruction yet and the teacher is still in the middle of talking. I hope my students are reading this!
WISDOM
You know, God is very clever, because every time you get a wrinkle, you lose a little of your eyesight. So, when you walk in the bathroom and look at the mirror, you look pretty good!
Sir Roger Moore
Just a funny one to end with. I’ll let you find the wisdom in it!