April 10, 2020
From Engineer to Music School Entrepreneur
by Larry Bigel
It might be hard to believe, but I didn’t always think I’d run a music school. I used to help build helicopters in Connecticut
— Engineering was actually the start of my professional career. I have always been fascinated with cars, and my dad was an engineer, so I thought I’d follow his footsteps. After getting an engineering degree, I worked in that field for 12 years; from consulting to working in huge corporate firms, it’s fair to say I explored what it had to offer me.
But I was always passionate about music. I began with learning trumpet in elementary school, then keyboard in high school. When I graduated high school, one of my friends had a guitar, but he always wanted to play piano. There was something about his guitar that intrigued me. I’m not sure what. Maybe it was the brand name “Stella.” Maybe it was the color. Whatever it was, I just wanted it. So I traded my keyboard for his guitar.
And once I picked up a guitar, I never put it down.
Even while I was working as an engineer, I spent every spare waking moment playing guitar. I’d get home from work at 5 p.m. and play the classic rock CDs of Led Zeppelin, Guns & Roses, and Rush until 10 p.m. Later on, I started gravitating toward acoustic guitar, and to this day, I love listening to and playing James Taylor, the Eagles, and Jim Croce. While working in California, I saw a flyer: “Music Teachers Needed.” So I started teaching guitar outside of my full-time engineering job.
I taught up to 50 kids each week.
What I’ve come to realize over several years of observation is the type of music lessons that people or places tend to offer generally fall into two different molds: traditional and rock. You either gain your reading basics through classical music, or you learn popular songs relying on your ear. But that’s never what music education really meant to me. For me, music has always been an old reliable friend. No matter how depressed or apathetic I got, I could pick up my guitar and feel l reignited to take on the world again. Playing music transports you somewhere else and can make you feel incredibly alive. Learning music offered a whole new dimension to my life.
When I taught kids, I cared about teaching strong basics so they could easily read and pick up new music and enjoy the music they created. It wasn’t about fitting into a particular music education mold. The kids created their own mold, like every musician creates their own goals on their journey.
So, for a couple years, I was doing great teaching guitar. Then, I lost my engineering job at the firm back in 2002. In a way, it was well-timed (although it didn’t feel like that back then). I guess everything happens for a reason. It gave me the opportunity to chase my own dreams: build a career teaching and playing music and start a family with my wife, Monica, in Florida closer to extended family members.
So, in March of 2004, we moved out to Florida. At first, I went to people’s homes and taught private lessons there. But I wanted to open a place where I could offer all kinds of instruments for band or orchestra and teach students of all ages. We found a retail location in June 2005. That was a crazy time. Being an engineer didn’t entirely prepare me for beinga business owner, and I needed all the help I could get. Monica was eight months pregnant with our first child while we were installing slat wall in our showroom. She helped so much. Whether greeting students, handling payments and appointments, or taking on many more admin duties, she was absolutely key to getting our business on its feet.
Eventually, we grew to a point where we could hire more teachers and staff. Now, we have over 600 students, and sometimes, I can’t believe how far we’ve come. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in the past 15 years is you never know what to expect. Every student brings something fresh to our academy: their energy, perspective, and personality. I know how fulfilling music can be, as it enriches each of these qualities in our lives. I want our students to remember that music is a lifelong friend. It will stay long after their education here.
Thank you for reading our first newsletter! I look forward to sharing more about myself and our school with you every month. Have a wonderful April, #TFAAFAM.
June 1st, 2020
The Musician’s Secret - How Willpower Creates Great Musicians
by Larry Bigel
Before I divulge the secret to becoming a great musician, I want to thank all of our students, parents, and staff who have diligently stayed with the school despite all the local and national changes. Your support has been tremendous and invaluable to the success of our distance learning program! It’s been a privilege to still teach music to you, albeit online, and I always look forward to seeing your faces even if we’re farther apart than usual.
When thinking about the online transition and why it’s still effective for many students, I started thinking how one of the first things that successful musicians learn isn’t how to play their instrument — it’s willpower.
Mastering a craft isn’t easy. At first, the next step always seems impossible to accomplish. You listen to a difficult song or you see a complex page of sheet music and think, “How am I ever going to play that one day?” I know exactly how that feels. I shared in our last newsletter that I was practicing guitar for 4–5 hours every day after my engineering job before I ever started teaching. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t have doubts, struggles, and fears as a musician.
One time, I was auditioning for a band. They wanted me to prepare and play “Testify” by Stevie Ray Vaughan, one of my favorite artists of all time. The song includes some very fast guitar licks, or at least I thought so at the time! I said to myself, “How am I ever going to play this for them?” It was extremely difficult until I practiced, and practiced some more, and practiced even harder.
There’s nothing that can replace repetition for a learning musician. In the end, I realized that the song wasn’t so hard to play. And those feelings of self-doubt? They’re very common for artists. They’re the biggest challenge for us all. That’s why learning an instrument is so enriching for our lives; it teaches us that we can overcome anything we’re fearful of.
One of the most thrilling parts of playing music is when you realize that you’ve accomplished something. Hosting recitals is just one way that we at Tampa Fine Arts Academy showcase the accomplishments of our students. Recitals are meant to challenge our students to believe that within them is a real ability for music that deserves to be seen.
That’s one of the reasons I love Stevie Ray Vaughan. He wasn’t just an excellent guitarist. He played his guitar like it was an extension of himself; he mastered his craft so well and felt so deeply passionate about his music that you could tell he’d become lost while playing. There’s a special kind of euphoria that only musicians can access, and researchers have actually conducted studies about that very feeling.
In every moment that we touch an instrument, there’s an opportunity to fight our self-doubt and keep moving forward. I’m so proud of our students, teachers, and parents who have risen to the challenges of these new times. I’m also happy to announce that we’re going to keep offering our online lessons for students who excel at home as much as they do in our studios — even if it’s simply to keep up their lessons during vacations and on sick days.
We’re all going to get through this time, and we’re going to see each other in the studios soon. No matter what, I’m confident we’ll come out of this much better musicians and people than ever before.
December 18, 2020
We Survived 2020 - Our Adventure Through the Pandemic
by Larry Bigel
Hello, friends! Wow, it’s been a whirlwind since our last newsletter. What a year. I can’t wait to catch up with you all again now that 2020 is over. I thought I’d take this opportunity to chat about how Tampa Arts Academy weathered this historic storm and also share my thoughts and feelings on getting through it as a business owner, teacher, father, and musician.
I recall when we first heard that there was one case of COVID-19 in January; a lot of it was being downplayed. Truth be told, many of my business associates told me that there was nothing to worry about because the last pandemic was 100 years ago. It seemed simply unfathomable to shut down the country just because we all needed to wash our hands and sanitize a bit more.
Then, when the news broke out in March about the pandemic worsening, lockdowns began unfolding across the country, and millions of Americans were shocked — the NBA season was canceled, and even Disney World shut itself down. It was suddenly very serious and undeniable: COVID-19 wasn’t in for a brief stay.
It felt like everything happened in a week, and we had to adapt in far less time. We had to close our rooms and suddenly had over 600 students to make online accommodations for. I was answering 50 phone calls every day, mostly from worried parents about their lessons going online. Truth be told, even teachers were worried about the switch to virtual classes. It was such a huge change that nobody was certain if it would work.
I’m very proud that parents have given us rave reviews on how we handled the transition, saying that their children have never missed a lesson. It puts a smile on all of our teachers’ faces. We worked really, really hard to ensure that everyone can continue their musical education, safe and sound.
So, as we approach the one-year anniversary of COVID-19 entering our lives, I’m happy to say that online classes are a permanent addition to our offerings. It provides much-needed flexibility and a source of regularity in
irregular times. When we had storms that prevented in-person classes later in the pandemic, for example, it was easy to continue online for those students for the day.
When Florida opened up again, we were happy to open up our practice rooms, but it wasn’t a total return to normalcy. Unfortunately, our waiting room still had to be closed, and parents who enjoy watching their kids’ lessons in-person have to watch over Zoom only. (A year ago, everyone thought “zoom” was just an adverb and nothing else!)
Luckily, the pandemic itself isn’t permanent. My biggest life lesson from 2020 is that change is constant. You never know when life can flip upside down. But with the vaccine in the works (as of writing), we won’t deal with quarantines forever, and music can always provide company when we are the most isolated.
Although our 15th anniversary passed last year, we have something in the works to celebrate it this year in 2021. I’m extremely grateful to our students, staff, and my family for getting through this crazy time together. Thank you so much for all of your support and dedication! We couldn’t have survived 2020 without your hard work and willingness to continue your musical education. We can’t wait to continue serving you soon.
January 10, 2021
10 reasons why music lessons are the best thing for your mind (scientific proof)
by Larry Bigel
My parents made me take piano lessons when I was a kid. I wanted to play baseball. But they said, “music lessons are better for you in the long run.” I remember times when I would draw a line in the sand about practicing. Now that I am an adult. Looking back on it I have to admit they were right! Going through years of the boring exercises and scales helped me out immensely. Scientific evidence shows that learning music significantly benefits the mind.
There are countless studies that show how music lessons are essential to developing our minds.
“One incredibly comprehensive longitudinal study by the German Socio-Economic Panel in 2013, stated "Music improves cognitive and non-cognitive skills more than twice as much as sports, theater or dance." Studies show that children who learn how to play an instrument have better grades, are are more ambitious and open to personal development.
Below are 10 reasons why music lessons are the best thing for your mind.
1. Music lessons enhance reading and verbal skills.
Several studies have found strong links between pitch processing and language processing abilities. Researchers out of Northwestern University found that five skills underlie language acquisition: "phonological awareness, speech-in-noise perception, rhythm perception, auditory working memory and the ability to learn sound patterns." These studies have shown that music lessons have strengthened each of these skills. Kids actually performed better than those who have done art lessons.
2. Learning a musical instrument helps to improve math skills.
There is a strong correlation between music and math. This includes the relationship of notes in scales and the various types of rhythm. Studies have shown that children who receive high-quality music training also tend to score higher in math. This music training actual develops the part of the brain that is used to solve math problems. According to a feature written for PBS Education, these skills are vital for solving the multistep problems that occur in "architecture, engineering, math, art, gaming and especially working with computers." This is why learning music opens up all kinds of doors and career paths for kids. Music provides a well-rounded training of the mind to allow people to succeed in virtually any field.
3. Music lessons improve grades.
In a 2007 study, Christopher Johnson, a professor of music education and music therapy at the University of Kansas, found that "elementary schools with superior music education programs scored around 22% higher in English and 20% higher in math scores on standardized tests compared to schools with low-quality music programs." A 2013 study out of Canada found the same. Every year that scores were measured, the mean grades of the students who chose music were higher than those who chose other extracurriculars. While neither of these studies can necessarily prove causality, both do point out a strong correlative connection.
4. Music lessons help you learn languages more quickly
When children take music lessons, the learning process is similar to learning a language. Kids learn to play music by listening, speaking, and imitating. The Guardian reports: "Music training plays a key role in the development of a foreign language in its grammar, colloquialisms and vocabulary.”
5. learning music helps you become a better listener
Musical training forces you to listen more attentively and improve focus/concentration. It also helps you to hear things more distinctly. And it helps you to focus on hearing one person speak when there’s a myriad of sounds happening at the same time.
6. It makes you younger.
Ok, it doesn’t do that. But learning music helps to keep the mind young and delay/ward off dementia. Studies out of Emory University find that even if musicians stop playing as they age, the neurological restructuring that occurred when they were kids helps them perform better on "object-naming, visuospatial memory and rapid mental processing and flexibility" tests than others who never played.
7. Music lessons enhances motor skills.
All musical instruments require high levels of finger dexterity and accuracy. Research published in the Journal of Neuroscience in 2013 found that kids who start learning to play before the age of 7 perform far better on non-musical movement tasks. Exposure at a young age builds connectivity in the corpus callosum, which provides a strong foundation upon which later movement training can build.
8. Learning how to play music improves short term memory.
Playing music forces you to work on your short term memory. So the more one practices, the stronger the short term memory gets. A 2013 study found that musical practice has a positive association with participants' working memory capacity, their processing speed and their reasoning abilities. Writing for Psychology Today, William R. Klemm claims that musicians' memory abilities should spread into all non-musical verbal realms, helping them remember more content from speeches, lectures or soundtracks.
9. music lessons help to deal with anxiety
Analyzing brain scans of musicians ages 6 through 18, researchers out of the University of Vermont College of Medicine have found tremendous thickening of the cortex in areas responsible for depression, aggression and attention problems. According to the study's authors, musical training "accelerated cortical organization in attention skill, anxiety management and emotional control."
10. Music lessons increase confidence and self-esteem.
Several studies have shown how music can enhance children's self-confidence and self-esteem. A 2004 study split a sample of 117 fourth graders from a Montreal public school. One group received weekly piano instruction for three years while the control received no formal instructions. Those who played weekly scored significantly higher on self-esteem tests than those who did not. As most of us know, high levels of self-esteem can help children grow and develop in a vast number of academic and non-academic realms.
February 1, 2021
THE SECRET INGREDIENT TO BECOMING A MUSICIAN
- Or a Professional at Anything in Life
by Larry Bigel
When you hit a wall and get incredibly discouraged, what do you do next?
It might be one of the most important questions we ever consider. Every single biography I’ve ever read about a successful musician examined howthey had to deal with many, many failures.
The Beatles, an unknown band from England at the time, tried submitting a demo to Decca Records. They were told “guitar groups were on the way out” and were rejected. But they kept trying, and now, they’re one of the most famous bands of all time.
Colbie Caillat auditioned for “American Idol” twice and was rejected both times. On the second audition, she sang her original song “Bubbly.” After her rejection, the song turned into an international hit, and she became a two-time Grammy award-winning artist.
You can’t give up when you’re discouraged, even hopeless — it could be just the start of an incredible journey. I’m not talking about just music, either. We face failures and embarrassments in all sorts of ways throughout our lives, and it’s important that we work through them, not around them.
I remember 34 years ago when I took my driving test. My car wouldn’t start. I kept trying to turn the ignition, and the guy testing me was sitting in the passenger seat, staring at me. I didn’t know what to do. He said, “Do you want to reschedule?” I thought about it. I was already rattled and started wondering. Even if I got the car started, would he pass me? Then, by some miracle, one of my attempts worked. We did the test, and I passed.
There are moments in music that may rattle you too. Back when I did a lot of performing, there was a show where one of my guitar strings kept going loose. It was very weird because I couldn’t just excuse myself; I had to work through it.
Students can get moments like that on stage too. Maybe a string breaks or a soundtrack isn’t working. A lot of things can go wrong, and that’s why people work really hard behind the scenes to ensure that everything runs smoothly to the point that it looks effortless. It takes an extreme amount of work and focus to pull off a performance perfectly.
And sometimes, despite knowing a song backwards and forwards, you still might mess up. But that’s why you can’t get discouraged forever —you don’t get a second chance on stage. That’s part of the beauty of learning an instrument.
Music teaches you to focus and concentrate. Some people get lucky with their success by being at the right place at the right time. But being able to stay on top is such an amazing accomplishment because it requires a lot of focus. Nobody gives them that type of accomplishment; they earn it through hard work.
I’m not saying music is about fame, though. It’s about reaching your own goals to achieve your own fulfilling experience. Even if the worst-case scenario happens to you on stage or off, how you respond will always determine the final outcome. Over time, you’ll be amazed by how an open mind and a good attitude can help you thrive in music and in life.
March 5, 2021
HOW I FINALLY STARTED EATING RIGHT AND EXERCISING
My Wake-Up Call in 2020
by Larry Bigel
Hey, friends! I know it’s common for people to forget about their New Year’s resolutions by now, but I thought I’d send out a friendly reminder. Don’t worry, I totally understand if you’ve fallen behind or haven’t made as much progress as you’d like. I may be a skilled musician, but there are a couple things I had to learn the hard way: why it’s important to eat better and exercise.
March is National Nutrition Month, and it got me thinking — I remember how eating better was on the low end of my priorities for most of my life. Some people eat nutritiously for their entire lives, while others may experience a traumatic health condition that forces them to change. Unfortunately, I’m in the latter group.
I’ve known people with heart problems, and a couple years ago, we even lost one of our assistant managers who died due to congestive heart failure. He was only a few years older than me, yet, it didn’t mentally prepare me for health problems of my own. During 2020, I experienced a health event and through that discovered I have a heart condition.
That shocked me. Admittedly, I never thought much about exercise or nutrition before. I was always fit as a kid, able to run and play sports; my metabolism was so high that I ate anything I wanted to ... But now that I’m 51, there are a lot more limitations, and recovery takes even longer. Finding out about my heart condition was a big wake-up call because I couldn’t continue down the previous path I’d been taking.
Now I’m on a Mediterranean diet (with some stir-fry and Asian dishes mixed in), and I’m also exercising in the early mornings. People might think it’s stressful to always put in effort to eat healthier and exercise — and maybe it feels that way for the first week or so — but I think they tend to look at it the wrong way. As part of my self-care, having a healthy routine is a huge relief from my day-to-day stress. It makes me feel proactive instead of reactive and puts me in control of my health as much as I can be.
The hardest part of any new discipline, including music, is the unknown. I still don’t know a lot about my heart condition or what the future holds. It’s easy to wonder if my new, seemingly small, changes are making a difference in my health, but then I realize just how impactful small changes were in other aspects of my life.
As a musician, it’s easy to wonder: Does practicing every day really make a difference toward my goals? Will I ever sound as good as I dream of sounding?
No matter what, I’d say to those questions: Yes, without a doubt. Even if you experience extra challenges in learning music or handling your instrument, great habits can help overcome anything. It can take you the extra mile where few people have gone before.
Don’t let time run out at the end of your day — use good time management skills to invest in the things that matter most to you. There’s always time to experience your fullest potential.
April 1, 2021
LESSONS LEARNED FROM LIFE’S PRANKS
As Told By a Prank Survivor
by Larry Bigel
Hello, friends! I hope your April has been fairly safe and prank-free thus far. I might regret publishing this in my newsletter, but I tend to be a gullible person — I take people’s word for things and won’t always assume that they’re trying to dupe me. Unfortunately, my daughters found out about this.
During one April Fools’ Day, my daughter woke me up and told me, “Sorry, Daddy, I busted the TV screen … I got angry and threw something at it.” I immediately panicked, but she laughed and it became obvious she was messing with me. Another April Fools’ Day, she changed the names and pictures of a few of my contacts to anime TV characters. I looked at my lock screen that day and saw text messages from Sailor Moon.
When you think about it, though, life tends to pull a lot of pranks on us all the time. Or, at least, unexpected twists and turns that we couldn’t possibly imagine — like a worldwide pandemic. How do we navigate that kind of unpredictable insanity?
For me, I’ve discovered that following my gut and taking a chance has gotten me through every crazy moment of my life. For example, after I graduated from college, I applied for job interviews, and while I sat around, my oldest sister told me that a giant aircraft corporation was on the phone and wanted to speak to me. She tends to mess with me, and I seriously thought she was lying! I was determined not to answer the phone, but then, I got a feeling — and I took the call just in case.
It was actually the aircraft company, and they came back with an incredible job offer. Not only did they want to give me a generous starting salary, but they wanted to move me and my family, even paying for 60 days in a hotel while we got settled. Afterward, I was speechless. If I didn’t take the call, I could’ve completely blown the opportunity.
Most importantly, I would’ve never had the money to start our music school.
I’ll admit, starting our music school was an easy decision — but relocating and starting a business that I knew nothing about was pretty tough. My engineering job simply gave me more collateral to use. With my wife pregnant and after using a home equity loan to build our lesson rooms, we invested nearly $100,000 with no guarantees whether the school would pay off.
That’s all to say this: No matter what kind of surprises are in store for you this April, you may be surprised how far you’ll go by following your gut. Don’t hesitate to take some risks because trusting yourself tends to lead you to the fulfillment you’ve been looking for.
Thanks for reading — I’ll see you next month.
May 4, 2021
MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU!
A Tribute to How the ‘Star Wars’ Soundtrack Continues to Inspire
by Larry Bigel
When people think about famous music, they typically think of rock or pop stars, like the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Bruno Mars, or Ariana Grande. But music is still extremely influential, even if you don’t enjoy anything playing on the radio.
In a way, children recognize this instinctively. I was recently teaching a 9-year-old student who was learning “Mr. Longbottom Flies” from the Harry Potter soundtrack. It’s one of the iconic themes of “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” that indicates tension and action, initially played during the scene where Neville Longbottom loses control of his broom. I told her, “Did you know John Williams composed this? He also composed the music for ‘Star Wars.’”
Her eyes immediately lit up. “I like that kind of music!” she said.
With May 4 being “Star Wars” Day, I couldn’t resist talking about the “Star Wars” soundtrack and John Williams’ legacy. I was about 7 or 8 when we saw the first “Star Wars” in theaters, and while I’m not the biggest “Star Wars” aficionado, it had a cultural impact that transformed Hollywood and soundtrack production forever.
“Star Wars” was a huge deal — not only because of the metal “Star Wars” lunch boxes and popular merchandise, but also because it started the trend of summer blockbuster movies. All of a sudden, people wanted to have a huge summer hit movie to look forward to and talk about. Also, Hollywood began producing more films with a focus on special effects like never before. However, another part of its legacy is its music.
Despite John Williams’ prolific career before “Star Wars,” most conversations about his career start with George Lucas. Why is that? It’s hard for me to describe the unique impact of John Williams’ music, but I think there’s one way I can put it into words. There’s a clip on YouTube that shows the opening scene of “Star Wars” — without the music. You watch Darth Vader’s reveal, but, without his signature theme, he looks like a man with a strange breathing habit and a slow walking pace that makes you worry about that overly long, billowing cape.
With the music, however, there’s a depth of mystery and a sense of evil that wasn’t there before. It makes you lean forward in your chair, unsure about a man of that caliber as you wonder what Darth Vader might do next.
Students, even at a very young age, recognize that the right music can empower any moment in a story. Although I’ve always appreciated them, I’ve learned that soundtracks (especially John Williams’ work) have become very useful for me as a teacher because students love learning music that helps them relive the stories they already love. Many people love listening to soundtracks for the same reason, too.
If your child isn’t really interested in any genre of music, try showing them movies with a strong soundtrack. It may interest them that movie music can stir their imagination unlike anything they’ve heard before.
Thanks for joining me, friends, and I’ll chat with you next month.
June 3, 2021
LESSONS LEARNED FROM FATHERHOOD
While Running a Music School
by Larry Bigel
When my wife and I were preparing Tampa Fine Arts Academy for its opening, it was not only our first time being business owners — she was also pregnant with our first daughter. With Father’s Day approaching, I started reflecting on how time has passed since then.
If there’s anything I’ve learned through these simultaneous journeys of fatherhood and entrepreneurship, and this may surprise you, it’s that both are very hard!
Luckily, transitioning from engineering into music wasn’t too difficult, in terms of playing or teaching. Playing music had always felt natural to me, and I was also always good at math. Any musician can tell you there’s a significant connection between math and music. And when you spend a lot of time teaching timing and rhythm to students, it certainly helps to be comfortable with numbers.
However, transitioning from an engineer into a business owner was a whole other story. There’s a lot of certainty when you’re an employee in a company, but when you’re an entrepreneur, business has a lot of unknowns. How do you pay the bills? How do you grow the school? There’s suddenly so much freedom and responsibility in equal measure.
I had to be open to learning a lot of new skills as a business owner — and maybe that’s the same for my journey as a father. Any parent knows the job comes with a lot of ups and downs. Some moments are very frustrating, while others are amazing. You have to adapt and learn how to be there for them.
Now with two teen daughters, even though I’m not very helpful with things like makeup, I still enjoy helping them however I can.
It’s been a great joy of mine that our school has become a way for children and parents to find common ground, too. Quite a few families have each member in their own private lessons, including the parents. In recent virtual recitals, I’ve noticed we have a few families performing as a band. I love hearing stories about how music has helped families stay closer, especially in these times when we’re home together most of the time (which isn’t always as unifying as you’d hope!(.
My daughters have taken lessons over the years, too, but my oldest has really stuck with it. My youngest went into sports. My older daughter has enjoyed her voice lessons these past several years, but since she’s joined the high school band, she’s been taking flute lessons and loves that, too. It’s also been a great way for her to connect with classmates since most of the learning, except band practice, is still virtual.
Music has been a huge unifier in my life, professionally and personally, and I’m very honored it’s played a small role in unifying other families, too. Thanks for joining me, friends, and have a very happy Father’s Day.
July 1, 2021
THE MUSICIAN’S JOURNEY
3 Films for Aspiring Musicians to Watch this Summer
by Larry Bigel
One of the most difficult questions we’ll ever ask ourselves is, “Who am I?” Much like the Hero’s Journey, many famous musicians often find themselves in a historically similar journey of self-discovery. If you ever struggle with understanding your identity or your values, you’re in good company. Although music is a very powerful tool for self-expression, even professional musicians struggle with this question. Sometimes, searching for the answer is why they start making music in the first place.
Although the pandemic has put a “pause” on Hollywood’s major summer blockbuster releases, consider watching a few of these films instead! Not only are they fun and related to music, but you also might find yourself more inspired than ever to pick up your instrument.
‘Almost Famous’ (2000)
Set in 1973, this movie is about a teenage boy who becomes a Rolling Stones rock music journalist. He begins living the rock star lifestyle as he trails the fictional band Stillwater that becomes, as the title suggests, almost famous. I loved this movie because it references classic rock music (i.e., Stillwater opens for Black Sabbath) and has plenty of hilarious moments. It also has emotionally mature moments that questions the nature of friendships and whether the choices we make in life are fulfilling. Believe it or not, it has Jimmy Fallon in it, and he’s completely unrecognizable with his ‘70s haircut and beard! “(Also, the Oscar-winning Philip Seymour Hoffman, who unfortunately passed in 2014, is in it, and you know he always put on an amazing performance)
‘It Might Get Loud’ (2008)
Directed by Davis Guggenheim (who also directed “An Inconvenient Truth”), this documentary will move you, especially if you’re a classic rock fan or guitar buff like I am. It features Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, U2’s The Edge, and the White Stripes’ Jack White and explores their careers and different guitar styles that each became extremely influential in their own right. If you love the guitar, you won’t want to miss this one.
‘Rocketman’ (2019)
Interestingly enough, the director for “Rocketman” — Dexter Fletcher — replaced the director for “Bohemian Rhapsody” during the final two weeks of filming. While both are very good movies, I’d like to recommend Fletcher’s most recent biographical musical film, “Rocketman.” It’s based on the life and music of musical genius Elton John, who wasn’t always the gay public figure he is today. Although he was one of the most influencial musical artists of the 1970s, he deeply struggled with his identity, alcohol, drugs and had two failed marriages with women until he finally came out as gay in 1988. Today, Elton John has been sober for over 28 years and is loved by the man of his dreams, so both the movie and real-life narrative have happy endings.
In life, everyone says you should “be yourself,” but — as musicians know — that can seem like an overwhelming, even impossible task at times. The best thing any of us can do is to keep constant reminders of what’s most important to us. What gives you that special spark in life and helps make your day feel magical? Is it playing music itself or is it putting a smile one someone’s face through your music? That alone will motivate you to keep going forward.
Whatever your spark is, know that clinging onto it can change your whole future. It might be intimidating, but pursuing your greatest joy is absolutely worth it.
July 27, 2021
HOW I FELL IN LOVE With CATS
Give It a Try and Support Rescue Cats of Florida
by Larry Bigel
Right after Monica and I got married, we had the opportunity to foster a mom cat with six kittens. The offer on the table was that we could choose which kittens we wanted to keep afterward.
At that point of my life, I didn’t really care for cats. There was a stigma that cats weren’t affectionate, and I pretty much felt indifferent to feline friends for many years. But after I picked my own kitten and first cat — who was too adorable to say “no” to — I cared for HER for over 15 years and loved every minute of it.
As a cat dad, I discovered that cats were affectionate a lot of the time, even if it’s in a different way than dogs. They curl on your lap, they press their face on your hands, and they bring you dead birds to eat (in some cases)! Of course, sometimes they want to be left alone, especially if they were strays and weren’t socialized with humans as kittens, but they’re still lovable, clean, and majestic creatures. There’s never a dull moment with cats, really. Cats are very smart, and they find a way to win your heart over.
Now that my wife volunteers for Rescue Cats of Florida, we’re fostering cats and kittens all the time. You’d be amazed by how much work it is to keep a young kitten alive if, for any reason, its mother is unable to care for it. Monica has to bottle-feed or syringe-feed young kittens every few hours, just like infants, or else they die. From formulas mixed with all types of milk to human baby food, we’ve done it all to help kittens have an easier time digesting food.
Why do we take in so many kittens? Well, unfortunately, a lot of shelters here are completely full. Although Rescue Cats of Florida is not a shelter for cats (it is a volunteer organization consisting of people who offer to help look after cats in their own homes), it needs many people who are competent, caring, willing, and able to care for cats, especially when they are strays and may need some rehabilitation.
That’s why foster families are so important, as they help care for the several cats and dogs that the shelters are unable to take. People often tag Monica with newfound stray cats on social media, but with a full shelter and no spare foster families, it’s impossible to keep up with the local demand.
Despite these obstacles, it’s absolutely incredible to think about the amount of cat lives saved every day through these foster families and shelters. Animal control and pounds may put down these cats, and they never find a home. However, with Rescue Cats, people like Monica will nurse cats back to life all the time. And not many people know this, but even highly aggressive cats can be helped!
If you’d like to volunteer as a foster family and educate your kids on the special experience of taking care of cats, don’t hesitate to visit their Facebook page at Facebook.com/RescueCatsofFlorida. You’ll find volunteer forms there, as well as ways to make a tax-deductible donation. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed our International Cat Day special, and have a wonderful rest of your August.