Life offers plenty of idols and heroes to gaze up at with starry eyes, but few who show us the way to a good musical life
Do you remember thinking, “I want to be just like this person when I grow up”? There are people in our lives that inspire us, change us, and make us better simply by knowing them. As musicians we seek guidance to hone our skills. As people we want to know what is possible. We all look to our role models to show us the way.
But what makes someone’s musical life worth modeling? I recently came across this intriguing explanation of what a role model is, and what makes it different than others we look up to.
“An idol may have a desirable, glamorous life that we eye appreciatively but never actually emulate. A hero may blaze the way forward, teaching and encouraging. But a role model is a person who offers, often unwittingly, an accessible pattern of living,” writes Faith Durand, editor-in-chief at The Kitchn food blog.
With that definition in mind, who is your musical role model? What qualities do they inspire you to emulate in your daily life? Harp Column asked harpists of all ages and career paths to tell us about their musical role models, and the impact these important people have on their lives today.
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