One strike and you’re out

Years ago I interviewed the principal trumpet player for one of America’s top symphony orchestras. My goal was to pick his brain about the nuances of success when it comes to being a performing artist.

This person has performed at a world-class level longer than I’ve been alive, so I would say he knows a thing or two about such things.

One thing that this person said that stuck out to me was to approach your performance with the mentality of, “One strike and you’re out.” He’s referring to making mistakes, be it with the note, the dynamics, the phrasing, or whatever the case may be.

Seems like stern words, and in some ways perpetuates the stereotype of the classical musician being a nitpicking, control-freak snob, thumbing their nose at the rest of the world.

But quite the opposite is the case.

I asked my guest, “Does this mean you’ll lose your job if you make a mistake?”

“No, of course not,” was the reply. “But you need to set the bar very high for yourself.”

What he meant is you understand that everyone makes mistakes, and you can’t get around it. But if you tell yourself, “I will not make any mistakes today,” guess what? Those mistakes will be far less frequent than if you have a more permissible attitude.

Now musicians are notorious for being their own worst critic, and wearing their feelings on their sleeves regarding their performances. There’s a fine line between having that high standard and being gracious toward one’s self when a mistake occurs.

But in this day and age where crap is the norm in the media we digest, it’s actually refreshing to hear that perspective from someone who has been in the trenches for decades.

And without naming any names, the person who said this is about the most gracious and kind person I’ve ever known in my life; and is the last person you’d ever hear an unkind word from when someone makes even a glaring mistake in a performance.

It’s advice I’ve repeated to myself many times in many endeavors I’ve undertaken, be it professionally or personally. And it’s food for thought I want to share with you all.