Percussionism
I’d like to view this is as an “ism” rather than a profession. I’d like to think that being a percussionist is being rhythmic and harmonious in life. It means you are aware of every millisecond of your experience, as well as aware of the general theme of how things are progressing. You can see the trees, as well as the forest.
Saying things in the right time, is equally as important as saying the righ thing. Finding the right moment to shoot your bullet, with good aim, and timing is what makes our life musical, beautiful, resounding.
Percussion instruments are some of the most non-standard instruments. The same drum set can be configured and tuned in totally different ways, to produce dramatically different sounds. Just changing the sticks is enough to produce that effect. Maybe another aspect of “percussionists” is the spontaneity with which they create the sounds and music. Give them a table and they will play on it!
The beat is the spirit of the musical piece. It is the foundation upon which the melody and harmony ride. Spirit doesn’t have a shape, but it’s presence is felt very clearly.
To be a percussionist in life means to have these qualities, and playing percussion instruments helps us cultivate these qualities.
