What we compete against

As I was saying a couple of days ago, every single day, there are multiple concerts around the world.

During my lifetime, I´ve assisted in hundreds of concerts as a spectator.

But even more as a performer.

Every audience is different, every venue is unique, and every performance is unrepeatable. A concert is a one-time event, there will never be another one just like that.

Sometimes, performers have a good day, a great day, or a bad day.

I´ve performed at different times with terrible headaches, feeling nauseous, extremely tired, jet-lagged, sad because of personal circumstances, with the flu, etc.

I´ve also performed while being overjoyed, super-inspired, happy, or energetic.

Do you want to know what all those performances have in common?

I´ve given all I´ve got in every one of them, independently of my situation.

When someone decides to go to my concert instead of going to the theater, to see a nice movie, to a fancy restaurant, or just staying comfortably at home, I have the responsibility to give them the best time possible.

If I´m not having a great time on stage, I can be sure that the audience won´t have it either.

Sometimes it´s harder to pull off than others… but that´s why we´re called professionals.

It´s funny how my perspective on my audience changed when I knew that when I´m playing a concert I´m probably competing against a McDonalds or a comfy couch in front of a TV set for my public.

Musicians often think too much about themselves and their music, and too little about the rest of the world.

A balance is needed, you can’t just think about pleasing others. But, if you want to be a professional living out of music, the public is the one who validates your work with their time and appreciation.

We owe it to them, to you, to give it the best we´ve got.

I´d like to share a short fragment I´ve just uploaded from a concert I gave not too long ago, playing and improvising around a piece that is very close to my heart: Volver, by Carlos Gardel. Watch it here.

Enjoy, and have a great day,

Claudio.

P.D.