What is a hobby you enjoy, but seems too quirky or obscure to bring up in most conversations?
Mine would be creating pen and paper ciphers for my made up secret communication needs.
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Mine would be creating pen and paper ciphers for my made up secret communication needs.
playing in a symphonic orchestra. sure, it sounds cool, but most people don't know much about the topic and feel intimidated by it, so the conversation is just me attempting to convince them that it's not just for rich nerds and you can be casual about classical music.
As someone who casually likes classical music, I can't stand talking to people who like classical music. They're all elitist twits. It's like how metalheads get all aloof because they understand "real" music, except with classical there's actually a legitimate culture of elitism that has existed for centuries, and they think that a history of elitism somehow justifies the attitude.
As someone who plays in an orchestra professionally, I totally 1000% agree with you. It's a weird fine line that I enjoy music, but I do it as a career because I really enjoy playing with other people and the music itself is almost secondary. Good luck explaining that to people who Really Like Classical Music, lol.
There's a lot of elitism in it and it sadly alienates a lot of would-be concert goers, I feel like.
This. I attended several concerts and recitals when I was in college. A girl I was seeing was actually music major. Now I'm a hick who just happened to get a degree and enjoy classical music. But I felt like a fish out of water before and after the concerts. Concerts themselves were excellent.
The history of elitism is definetly there, and instruments are not cheap, which attracts up-their-arses kinds of people, you are absolutely correct. But also they are people who just like the historical aspect of it and want to play an accoustic instrument ! Also you don't have to dress to go to the opera or concert anymore. If someone looks at you weid, they are the weird one !
May I ask whether the ones you have been speaking to play themselves? Most musicians I've met were chill about it, maybe it's different with listeners?
Or take the best of both worlds and listen to symphonic metal!
But yeah, playing in a symphonic orchestra does sound cool.
Unfortunately I could never really get that into playing and practising solo and although I continued for a while regardless I eventually dropped my lessons, something I now kinda regret, but being part of an orchestra was always my favourite part of playing the violin.
Whats not to enjoy about some complex well played music. I enjoyed my classical music history class in college and didn't (solely) take it for the credits.
You need a bit of knowledge to get the most out of a complex music, which sounds intimidating.
Or you can just go to the concert blind and take in all the emotions, but people don't know that's a perfectly valid way to enjoy classical music. (It is! go to the concerts and don't be afraid to have an opinion)