Years ago, I worked in a preschool while also performing and giving private lessons. Many times, I had to change my clothes for performances at school.
There was a student who loved superheros. I left class to get dressed, after I got dressed, I headed down the hall, all of a sudden I hear this student say “Miss Candace are you a superhero!” Then another student says“no she’s a teacher!” his response was“Yes she is! She’s a teacher with us, and then she puts on her superhero stuff and goes to a top secret place an an an [not a typo] her heart (harp) is her secret weapon!” Then stuck his tongue out at the other student.
The students view of me being some kind of superhero got me thinking. If this child can see me as a superhero, should we view ourselves as Superheroes? Just a little bit? I thought about this some more and came up with similarities that musicians have with superheros.
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Many of us have had to pulled a “Clark Kent”; hopefully not in a telephone booth.
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Many times we are called at a moment’s notice to swoop in and save the day
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Music has saved lives and continues to do so.
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In the midst of war musicians bring peace.
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Musicians have the ability to control the masses.
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OK, we don’t have a pimped out Batmobile but, we do alter our vehicles as needed.
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Many of us have sidekicks (Hi sis)
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Our instruments, wild powerful invisible rays that affect people’s minds, body and spirit (too much?)
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We must always be in a state of readiness.
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Musicians work together for a common goal.
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Musicians have a greater ability to think fast, strategize, and regulate behavior. Hello, superheros do this all the time!
There is one very cool thing about a musician’s superpower. We benefit just as much as the people we are sharing it with. We make people happy; it makes us happy. It’s healthy for them; it’s healthy for us. It makes people creative; it makes us creative. It makes them sad; it makes us more empathetic.
I’m not trying to inflate your ego, but wanted to just remind you that what you do is important, and just like a superhero it is needed. In order to be a Happy Musician we need to remember this; especially when we feel underappreciated. To me, you are all superheros.
Your Happy Musician
Music, the greatest good that mortals know, And all of heaven we have below.
– Joseph Addison
