Whether you like it or not, our world is structured around competitions, achievements and trophies.<\/p>\n
It might be a trophy that sits on the shelf and, apart from making your proud, it requires frequent dusting. Or it might be a trophy you can\u2019t see – an academic honor, a job promotion or an appointment to a position of great influence.<\/p>\n
I love the drive behind the desire to achieve something great – or even just to compete. It motivates us to work, grow and push ourselves to excellence\u2026 as long as we keep in mind two things:\u00a0our \u2018why\u2019\u00a0<\/b>(it can\u2019t be only self-serving), and\u00a0an awareness that the most valuable part of the whole process is the process itself, not the trophy.<\/b>\u00a0(When we lose sight of that, the competing gets ugly; if you don\u2019t know what I mean, just think of the recent election campaigns that got really nasty\u2026)<\/p>\n
So, here\u2019s a reflection on that thought:<\/strong><\/p>\n I walked out onto the Lucas Oil Stadium field in Indianapolis on Friday pushing a big drum. Even at 7:45 a.m., the audience in the stands was revved up, and the energy was already worthy of the \u201cGrand Nationals\u201d level (the big finale of the Bands of America competitions).<\/p>\n I am a band parent, and this year I got a chance to be on a pit crew (in Indy, home of the 500, no less!!). Yes, I could think of a hundred more pleasant things than waking up at 4:30 a.m. and walking a mile-long stretch before the show in 38-degree Midwest weather (where it feels a lot colder) before sunrise, but none of it would put me as close to my son, Evan Amadeus, and his marimba. And that\u2019s a gift I do not miss out on.<\/p>\n Their show \u201cOut There\u201d is amazing. They already won Contest of the Champions and scored a second place in the regionals in Clarksville, Tenn. \u2026 The show\u2019s theme of exploring the universe and ending up looking into one\u2019s own soul for answers to the question: \u201cIs there anyone out there?\u201d offers a structure for very creative visuals (formations, choreographies, and props that include a giant satellite dish and a silver \u2018Sputnik\u2019.)<\/p>\n The music is based on Rachmaninov\u2019s works – beautiful but really demanding, requiring skill and lots of practice, calmness and focus in performing it. It\u2019s a kind of music material where a performer has to have the presence of mind, control AND let the emotions flow at the same time.<\/p>\n As I pushed toward the 45-yard line, I remembered why I never became a classical pianist. I was already an emotional mess. I felt the elevated energy of the band kids and the audience ready to be awed and moved. I felt connected to something bigger – where in my mind the music first began.<\/p>\n \u201cThis year, they really have a chance to make the finals,\u201d a parent had said to me earlier. \u201cLast year\u2019s show was a mess.\u201d<\/p>\n Apart from the music – and yes, the kids are objectively very good – their visuals are gorgeous. I guess, in a world of competitions, this year\u2019s show can score more points and be \u2018more valuable.\u2019<\/p>\n
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