LISTEN ON –
This week on the podcast, we have a really great interview with virtuoso pianist, David Rodgers. David can quite literally do it all, so I was excited to have the opportunity to sit down and chat with him about how he organizes his time, his thoughts on improving over the long term, and how he constantly breaks new ground musically.
Even though there is a lot to unpack in this episode, I wanted to highlight a few of the best parts of our discussion:
Never Satisfied
David attributes his desire to push his boundaries and learn new things to the simple fact that he is never satisfied with where he is. Although he enjoys the current moment, he’s always interested in finding answers to the things he doesn’t know that he doesn’t know. The constant search is what excites David to continue improving.
Learn From Your Mistakes
Early experiences in David’s education taught him that although he may not be control of every possible outcome, he could absolutely do everything within his power to be prepared. He told a story of how failing to advance in a solo competition ignited his desire to demystify the process of being prepared. When he did the same solo competition the next year, he was happy to be able to say that he truly left no stone unturned.
Imposter Syndrome
Even a player as accomplished and as skilled as David can find himself a victim of imposter sydrome. We talked about what it was like to work with musicians like Keb Mo and Taj Mahal when he was fresh out of school. The players he was working with had much more experience than he did which caused David to wonder why they picked him.
He shored this up by trying to be strong and have faith that they made a good decision. He also started listening like a mad man to bridge the gap his lack of experience made in the beginning. Finally, he continually reminded himself that if he’s uncomfortable, he’s probably growing, and that’s a good thing.
I hope you enjoyed this episode with David Rodgers. If you want more information, check out his website: https://www.davidmrodgers.com/. Also, consider leaving a rating and a review on iTunes, and be sure to share on social media so others can find the episode and enjoy it as well.
Stay strong, be kind to yourself, never stop growing.
Until next time,
Ryan