I am learning to live with grief and (strange though it may seem) to embrace it; I don’t know if I’ll ever master this but I am dedicated to trying. I am grateful for the ways it makes my heart softer, for the ways it allows me to empathize with my students and teachers and colleagues and complete strangers. In Trade Winds Ensemble, being vulnerable is a required part of my work as an effective and emotionally aware teacher.

The “hustle economy” (or “gig economy”, a term that resonates particularly well with me as a freelance musician) feels very real to me, both because I can see it consuming my artist colleagues and because I consider myself a part of it. I’ve spoken with colleagues often about how we all admire and uplift one another for our hard work, and while we would never dream of begrudging someone else vacation time or time off, we often find it incredibly difficult to allow ourselves the same rest.