So when I started taking cello lessons, my goals were not large. I know I'm not going to be the next Ma, Isserlis, Finckle, Casals, Rostropovich, Chang or any other great cellist.
My goal is to simply be able to play some music I want, and perhaps be able to play with friends or in some simple group settings, like a community orchestra or church.
However, my naiveté was immense. I knew that it took 15 years or more to become great and a lifetime to become a master. However, I wasn't reaching for that. I knew it took children 5-10 years to become good. But they were children. Surely the majority of that time could be attributed to their lack of discipline and Xbox interference.
I figured given how dedicated and serious I would be, I could probably be playing pretty well within a year or so. After all, I was an adult who could handle complex instruction and had tackled numerous challenges in my life.
Yep, pretty darn stupid.
Naturally I now know that learning the cello is a lifelong journey no matter how modest your goals. I've gotten a grip on my adult impatience and have learned just to enjoy the process.
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