Practice Makes... You fall more in love.

I recently discovered an old newspaper article written about me when I was 12 yrs old. I had just released my first "tape"...a collection of Christmas Carols called Christmas with Ciara, and the local paper wanted to do a feature on it.

And Yes, it was called Christmas with Ciara.

ok moving on. :)

In re-reading the article, I was actually quite moved hearing my 12 yr old self say some of the very things that I said in the MMS documentary that was just released this month.  

One quote in particular was that I enjoyed playing classical and gospel, but "I like playing what I hear on the radio, too, I love playing by ear".  Learning the fundamentals along side of learning to play by ear and improvise is what kept me inspired and motived as a child, and still now. 

 To this day, this is the very foundation of MMS. We teach you both. To read music and to play by ear. To consume and create. From the very beginning I encourage ALL students to explore both worlds, rather than only one. Both worlds have tremendous secrets that they want to teach you.

The next part that struck me was when asked what my goals for the future were, I said "Hopefully I can do this for a career. Either way, I want to keep playing. I love playing, and I don't ever want to stop.". Being from a small town in Delaware, and having no actual idea, at 12 yrs olds, what a "career in music" looked like, I love that I just knew that I never wanted to stop. And that is the key. YOU NEVER STOP.

I recently had a beginning student ask me "How long does it take?". I answered her the same way I always answer that question. FOREVER. This journey is endless.

It is about the process. It is about being so in love with something that you can't not do it. Its about trusting that it will unfold for you as it should, as long as you show up for it everyday. Good days, bad days, days you feel inspired, days you feel discouraged, days you feel nothing. The key is showing up for it every day, giving it your all, and being open to where it will take you. And trusting that it will take you where it is supposed to take you. 

I had NO IDEA, at 12 yrs old, that I would end up running a music school in San Francisco where I get to work with, collaborate with, and teach some of the most amazing people I've ever met who love music in the same way that I do. I am eternally grateful for where music has taken me and I am so excited to see where it will take us all moving forward.

Here's to the journey. Lets keep moving TOGETHER.