Hi Friends!
Today I'd like to share some inspiring stories. When I started looking into this topic a few years ago, I spoke with 3 of my former colleagues of Chattanooga Symphony & Opera (CSO) who inspire me. They gave me their permission to share their stories.
Matt:
Matt grew up in rural America with little financial support for his music studies until he received a full-scholarship at University of Alabama. Early on, much of his motivation to practice the horn came from wanting to set himself up for a better future. After earning a few degrees, his motivation began to shift: winning jobs. In his late 20s, while working on his DMA, he won the Third Horn position with the CSO. Soon after, he landed a position with The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own.”
But there was one catch: he had to lose over 100 pounds to qualify for boot camp. He drastically changed his diet and started exercising daily. At first, his extrinsic motivation was pretty clear: lose the weight, or he wouldn’t qualify for his dream job. Somewhere along the way, it seemed as though he started to enjoy this new lifestyle.
Spoiler alert: He did end up qualifying for boot camp and has been serving with Pershing’s Own for a few years now. Of course, he still needs to meet military fitness standards, but I truly believe that along the way, maintaining his physical health became an intrinsic motivation as well.
Musically, he continues to seek and create opportunities to perform and teach on top of his responsibility with the Army Band. I really admire his strong intrinsic motivation to keep growing as both a performer and an educator.
Chris:
Chris grew up in a musical household. His dad is a respected trumpeter in their region. When Chris picked up the trumpet himself, his initial motivation to practice was to make sure he didn't tarnish his father's reputation as a performer and an educator. Over time, that standard stuck with him and eventually became his own motivation to keep performing at the highest level possible.
He eventually won a position with the Air Force Band, where he served for over two decades. After retirement, he won the Principal Trumpet position with the CSO in his mid-40s. That's an incredible accomplishment! These positions are often won by younger musicians fresh out of graduate school, as maintaining your "audition shape" as a professional musician is extremely challenging. I can only imagine the discipline and determination it took for him to win that position.
Gordon:
Gordon has served as the Principal Horn of the CSO for over four decades. I have to admit, he's one of my favorite people, and I think anyone who's had the pleasure of spending time with him would agree!
Gordon also comes from a musical family. Growing up, he played in his church as a young horn player. His motivation was to hit all the right notes because, as he puts it, "You know, God was listening." He's not religious anymore, but that standard stuck with him and gradually became more internalized. These days, he wants to play well for himself because he's developed his own standards for what good playing means to him.
During my 13 years as Music Director of the CSO, I had the privilege of witnessing Gordon continue to grow as a musician. And to prove that point, he won the Principal Horn position with the Huntsville (AL) Symphony in his 50s! As mentioned earlier, this is no easy feat. That kind of continued growth doesn't happen without a strong internal drive to keep improving.
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I share these stories to show that it doesn’t have to be either or: extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation can become intrinsic motivation in the right kind of environment. A healthy dose of both types of motivation can lead to a fulfilling life.
I would also like to note that these three colleagues are exceptional human beings. Not only are they phenomenal musicians, they’re also kind, uplifting, and inspiring. More on this point later!
