WHY?

My wife recently challenged me to identify my root motivation for doing what I do. When I say challenged, I’m not exaggerating. I immediately thought, “Well it’s obvious…..isn’t it?” Then I had some doubts. Maybe I hadn’t actually identified it to the point it could be concisely communicated. This was something that took a few days to wrestle and chisel away the unneeded parts until all that remained was the WHY?

You see, as a music educator, we are usually encouraged to formulate our WHY? Even as a student, we are routinely asked, “Why do you teach music?” I would have to say my WHY? for music has changed over the years. My early understanding was, “I want to have a marching band that can beat your marching band.” I’m not terribly proud of that. But we all have to start somewhere, right? Well, that was where I was in high school. Then I went away to college and discovered there was much more to music education than contests and trophies or even the feelings of accomplishment while being recognized for excellence in performance. No one had ever really asked me to verbalize the WHY? for me in regard to visual design. Why do I do this thing?

So here is my WHY?

I am motivated to not only participate in visual design, but show planning, programming, music arranging, rehearsing, etc. because of the satisfaction I get seeing something I helped to create take life and have an impact on others. Sure, it’s just arcs and lines or maybe shapes, but when communicated in connection with sound, body movement, and color, visual design becomes so much more. It can have an impact on the audience. It can have an impact on the performers. And it can have an impact on me. The impact can be threefold…. physical, intellectual, and emotional. Starting with an idea and getting others involved (students, staff, and parents) and excited enough about that idea they would all work together to make it happen. That was what fueled me through my high school teaching and still fuels me with my university band today. Seeing the faces (like those in the pic attached to this blog) of the performers as they leave the field and meet their parents after a show. The hugs. The proud moments for parents who did their part to provide the experience for their child. The time spent together celebrating after a performance. The lasting relationships years after the instruments and uniforms are put away and knowing that it all started with an idea for a 7-8 minute show. The satisfaction knowing the production belonged to US. It belonged to the students, the parents, the staff, and to me. We did it ourselves. This is why I share my experience with others who are involved in the marching arts, so they too can know their production belongs to them. They did it themselves. All performers deserve to have quality material to perform they can call their own.

BTW, the photo attached to this blog is from the fall of 1999. Those are the senior members of the Loveland HS Marching Band, Loveland, OH. They were a great bunch who taught me a lot. Thanks to them for allowing me the opportunity to watch them grow as performers and musicians…

I may be able to help you find or develop your Why? If you have a desire to do so, check out my training offerings. The Drill Dojo Pyware Tutorial and The Drill Dojo Visual Design Workshop are both great places to start!

I love hearing from readers like you. Please leave a comment or question below.—DB