Unexpected Anonymous Musician

     This week has been undoubtedly very, very tough. And Tuesday, was probably one of the toughest days (which is why I was at my worst). I was just grumpy all day as I dealt with problems that popped out to the surface one by one. From school assignments til' organization events. Friends talking to me must have sensed my grouchiness back then and therefore, like again, I really am sorry. (why do I always apologize late?) -__-

     That day I brought my violin because the next day we would perform two own-arranged songs for art assignment. Wait. That part, that 'arranging song' assignment also made me somewhat frustrated coz up until that day our performance was far from neat.

     After school, I hesitated whether or not to bring my violin back to home (since the next day I would have to bring it again and so I didn't have to bother myself taking it to home and taking it again to school). But I was kinda afraid to leave it at school, so I made up my mind.

     Anyway, to cut a long story short, I got into this 03 angkot. There sat a middle-aged man before me. Dark skinned (which I later figured out that he came from East Nusa Tenggara), black eyed, black haired. He had stared at me & the violin for quite a moment before began asking me if it's a violin I was bringing. With a smiling face and friendly tone, he started the conversation.

"How long have you been playing violin?" "Is it hard to play?" "What makes violin difficult to learn?"

     He asked such questions as if he was a non-music person when, not long after,confessed that he's a keyboardist. A professional one! He told me that he was currently studying at IPB and played keyboard at cafes or events in his spare time. The family he came from weren't that wealthy, so he learned keyboard autodidactic since he sat in the first grade of elementary school. His ability in music made him become popular in the institute that he's often asked to accompany people singing at some major events. The rector, moreover, once asked him to play keyboard at his relative's wedding party. 

     From such events, he got to have many musician acquaintances. He told me that he had this one friend who played violin amazingly and was teaching at Universitas Pelita Harapan at the moment. Chinese woman, young, talented. Made me wonder if it's my violin teacher's lecturer he's talking about (kak Levi is studying at UPH and often shares many stories about her adorable young lecturer).

     Along the way home, we discussed many many things about music. He shared his music life experiences, talked about his musician friends, how music has interfered and changed his life. I also told him that as a senior high school student, I had no intention to be a musician and that I didn't take music so seriously. I even practiced violin barely once a week. He said it's okay, because he's the same too. He came from-- well, we can say quite a remote area, and his parents thought that being a musician would not guarantee his life prosperity. So he's now taking a major I don't know what but most definitely not music (cause there's no such major at IPB) and plays keyboard just to have fun and to get additional income. 

 

     Before I got off the angkot, he told me that the key to success in music is hardwork, patience, creativity, determination, and most importantly, discipline.

  

     Ever since that 'way back home' conversation, I became a little more diligent to practice violin. That was exactly what I needed at the moment; when all my interest in violin started to disappear, and when my dream to play in an orchestra has been shattered; I got this wake-up call through this guy I met in a public transportation. Unfortunately, I didn't ask what his name was. The guy, who has both inspired, motivated, and brought my passion back in violin, remains anonymous.