Have u ever had the experience with people treating u 'weirdly' just because u play a decent 'classical' instrument?
I hate it when people think of musicians as high and mighty, to be more respected simply because we know music and thus shun away from us. Is it because they really think that we deserve the adoration or that they are being '.......I can't put this to words.....'?
Esp. when they percieve us as class conscious( whom they themselves are in the first place ), hi-life beings with no clue about life sufferings, poverty, stress etc.
They do treat us differently, and on several occassions, pushed us away from themselves, knowingly, purposely! I think.
I.e: There was this one particular incident that really piseed me off.
I hate having vivacious cabby drivers talking non-stop all way through the journey...well, anyway. He was complaining to me about how tough life is for him...How unfair God is and the government and this and that. Man! He was one big angry machine! So, as a Christian, I thought it was my duty to enlighten him. I merely suggested to him that God is a fair being. He rains on the roof of the bad, and the roof of the good. That life itself is not eternal, and only whatever investment we had in His Kingdom is eternal. And though the path to righteousness is narrow, but all those who made it through will find riches and not poverty.
Then he snapped at me! 'What is your job?' 'What? A pianist!' "What would you musicians know about life!"
I thought that his statement was really unfair. Are we musicians plain silly or just really 'fortunate' good life beings to you? That we know not about pains and sufferings?

And I hate it even more when people give u that strange look when u say u teach music. And they go like:" What? Music? U can make ends meet by teaching music? U should have chosen another career... It's silly, How can u survive by doing music...."and blah blah blah ...Well, what do they know anyway?

Then there's the third type, that regards musicians as sages or demi-gods. I find them the most annoying. They speak to u delicately, and try to engage u in 'mediocre' conversations.
Waitress: "What? U want beef stew? Why don't u try this air flown steak. I think you will love it...."
Waitress: "Is the music too noisy?"
Waitress: " Oh, I don't think you like Britney Spears...let me change the song for u..."
Waitress: " Do u know who's Britney Spears?"...(Come on! I merely choosed to study music...I'm not a caveman! U should have seen their 'face of ultimate horror' when I mentioned that Linkin Park is great. )
Waitress: "...Really? U watch TV?..."
Witress: " U know how I wish I was like you... You can play music...that's so clever...Unlike me...I don't even understand music..." ( Come on! Get a life! )
Waitress: Oh no, wait! I know Be-tho-van. He wrote alot of symphonies right? Must be like Hundreds of them! Wow! He's a genius!...( Yeah, right... Hundreds? He only wrote nine. )

Oh Man! Please stop treating us differently. We're not 'caged clowns'...We are perfectly normal human beings. And yes, we eat crap and talk crap and watch crap TV shows just like everyone else.
So who's the freak now? And who's the class conscious?

Poor DW!

The cabby was just letting off steam...no matter what you said you did...he would've trashed it...(well, unless you were another cabby...)

As to choice of career...my hat's off to you...you're doing well in a field that it's sometimes hard to do well in...so just ignore those that don't know about it...

And as to the idolizers??? LOL...I have NO idea...never been idolized...heehee...just ignore or enjoy!

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<span style='color:green'><span style='font-family:Optima'>Music is what feelings sound like...Anon</span>.</span>

I don't know about you, but I'm definitely NOT normal... B)

...so we've noticed......

You know the cabby was probably mad that you were working AND doing something you enjoy, DW. Music is a tough career to make a living by. Yes, you can do it often and enjoy it, but a lucky few make enough cash to live on. A cabby on the other hand can make a lot (check out the incomes of NYC cabbies.)

I wish people would treat me as superior because I play the violin, but I came from a very musical town with very musical people. Now out in Minnesota, no one has ever cared that I'm good at the violin. Of course, that's not my career, I'm just a biologist who really likes music!

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<span style='color:red'>Carpe Jugulum</span>

Poor DW, i really understand what you mean.....in our school i think i am the only one (besides one or two whoom i don't know) who likes "classical" music and loves his instruments in that way. And can you imagine the feeling in all this pop culture and music? And your point for being treated differently is exactly the same here, especially in lower grades, now i became in all that stuff very introvert, that helps me not to be hurt.

There's definitely a stereotype of "high and mighty" musicians--like they're all rich people, who don't know anything about life. I guess that's the majority of pop artists and concert goers are. But I've found that muisicians are almost always more compassionate people. Even some of the really weird pop artists give to charities all the time and condemn war and other things that cause suffering. I think it comes with being more sensitive. I think the waitress you mentioned was being really nice--just a little bit ignorant. (With my apologies, I would have liked it, but then I'm probably weird :P .)

For some people it's hard not to think that God is unfair when they're kicked around by men with power over them. But it's the fault of greed, not God. And I trhink he couldn't take anything from a musician because of the stereotype he had in his mind. (Which may have been formed from just a few experiences with a couple musciains who are like that, but I don't know. We humans are all too quick to form stereotypes in our minds!)
Sorry it happened that way, DW!

I agree with you, Daniel, that sometimes it's best to not talk much about the ways that we're different to intolerant people, just so they'll leave us alone!

...it's hard when you don't quite fit in with the 'in' crowd...but it's important not to compromise who you are...

...at the same time, I think you also need to comform at least a little, so your entire highschool experience isn't all bad...ie. play a team sport, join a club...dress like the masses...LOL...

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<span style='color:green'><span style='font-family:Optima'>Music is what feelings sound like...Anon</span>.</span>

Well my memorizing of school time won't be that good. Dressing like masses? No way! clubs? I am not a human for that atmosphere, and i am kinda shy :unsure:
and a sportific looser

...hhmmm...you present a challenge! LOL...give me a little time...

I actually have seen most people think that musicians are NOT worthy of being real people..

When I tell people that I am not a heavy practicer, but that I know people who practice 5 or more hours a day, they don't believe me, they say it's impossible...

Basically from my experiences, DW's statements are the exact opposite (for the most part).

I have more people feeling pity for me, that I'm a musician, than people saying, OH MY GOD, you're a musician, I wish I could do that. Most people I know shy away from musicians, yes. But not because they are jealous of our lifestyle, but because they assume that we don't know anything else, BUT MUSIC.

I do agree, that yes, we do watch the same "crap" TV, eat the same "crap" food, etc.

But I agree, people must start realizing that we are normal people too, we just have a livelyhood with "music" not with "engineering", not with "science", not with "medicine", not with "architecture", not with "supermarket-packing", etc. We AREN'T any different than anybody else. We have our talents, they have theirs.

//END RANT!

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Violinist
Music Performance Major Penn State University
Sverdlove.com/MusicalHorizon.com &quot;Site Admin&quot;
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...everyone puts their socks on one foot at a time...

OMG!!! That makes me SO freaking angry too!!!! Ahhhh!!!! You know what it is? Some people are just too STUPID!!! They listen to rap and eminem crud and it takes over their brains and makes them STUPID :lol: :lol: :lol: . I been treated that way too!!! And very constantly...especially since I sing, dance, write, and perform classical music, people tend to want to treat me differently from all the other teens at school...most of them are super jealous and try insulting me...which I merely say back too all the insults, "Same back too you," and because I have such comebacks they think I am even MORE mighty and crap...but I am just like them!!! I feel youre pain....

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~*~The Angel of Music Sings Songs In Your Head~*~

Way to go Daniel!!! B) I'd do the same!

Yes, Angel, stupidity is a lot of the problem, and it's usually not a stupidity they're born with. It comes from their music and their TV. It's interesting to note that a careful study for Alzheimer's patients (a disease that deteriorates the brain), shows that to use the brain a lot slows down the deterioration. But the study shows that watching TV does not make even noticeable use of the brain. (I wouldn't wonder if rap and such was similar!) How about people learned to use their brains once in a while instead of just letting others program them like animals???!!!

Hehe. B)