Saturday, September 6, 2008

first Berklee concert... inspiration, finally.

the convocation was amazing... first hour was the dean of students speaking, the president of the school, this filipino guy whose speech was off-the-hook inspiring, and the founder of CD Baby Derek Siver i think spoke as well... those speeches helped me realize that i need to not think about the past and my accomplishments or whatever, and that i shouldn't think about the future too much because the future only exists in our minds... i need to focus on NOW. because time is only a series of "Nows", am i right? does that make sense? haha.. 

before last nite, all i could think about was leaving this place, leaving to go back to Cali and try becoming famous and what not... but now i have realized that there's a reason why i'm here.. it's for me, to become a better artist.. to learn more about being creative... every single one of these people here eat, live, and breathe music... and that's why we're all here. because music has done something to us that nothing in this whole world can do. 

the speeches took about an hour, and after that was the most amazing concert i have seen up-to-date. it was because it was all students from Berklee.. the finest contemporary music school in the world (that's what they said in the speech, kinda got me hyped)... there was a pianist who was a japanese girl.. her hands moved at like 50 miles per hour it was INSANE. as soon as she was done with her little solo in the middle of the first song everyone applauded SO LOUD as if it were the end of the concert. 

a bunch of singers came out.. and they were beyond amazing. the musicians backing them up were even more amazing. the Berklee performance center is an amazing place for a concert.. Musiq Soulchild will be there in the end of september.. im going btw.. haha.. 

a singer came out and sang Defying Gravity as almost like a jazz chart but with the same drive as the broadway version.. it was inspiring to the max. by the end of the concert, i could have been in tears.. honestly i had chills the whole time. 

i just walked home in the rain. bought an umbrella at walgreens. took the T from the aquarium. it was one of the most amazing aquariums ever. love Boston. still love Cali more though. 

i'm finally excited to be here. this is my time, however selfish it may be, to be a better musician. to eat, live, and breath MORE music than ever. what a perfect day to have that convocation. i think it was my birthday present to my dad. to show him that his music can live on through me, and that i can make him proud.

-aj

14 comments:

Loris S. said...

really inspiring.
i'm excited for you! (:
love, loris.

Anonymous said...

im glad you were finally able to find that drive in you to continue. and that inspiration was sparked through witnessing amazing talent and listening to amazing words.

i cant wait til you start learning more and continue to just make more music :]

<3 renabette

Unknown said...

Dont freaking tell me you saw Hiromi Uehara (Female Jazz Pianist) live...

damn...lol. she's my idol.

do work bro...

ken.

Unknown said...

glad you found inspiration! I think it's a gift from your dad for you to finally find your drive. He's watching over you. Berklee sounds so exciting. Hope you're having fun!
Love,
Cheryl

Anonymous said...

dang dude. that IS inspiration.

but i love your music. keep it up

Hendrix Derosas said...

pretty amazing.

Joan Lorraine said...

dangggg!!!
berklee sounds sooo amazing huh!!!
i love music..hope to be there..hehe
LOL!!

anyways good to here your loving it there..


keepsafe

<3

loveee,
joanlorraine

genesis gregorio said...

Like I said. Like a story.
This is the part where you realize stuff!
and then the end is when you..
i dont konw.

w/e anyways

this is some good quality shit man. and yeah that did make sense.

50 MPH?
THE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDGE


MUSIQ SOULCHILD??
DUDE YOU GOTTA GET ME HIS AUTOGRAPH NOT EVEN LIEING ;P.
Or record him or something.
hahahah
have fun mahdude. goodluck.

Anonymous said...

Hey -
I don't usually write to ppl I don't know but after coming across some of your vids accidentally on Youtube I subscribed to your blog and have got to give you props on everything you're doing and will do :)

The blog you just posted was real inspiring. You're doing the right thing. Just know that the ppl that are still in Cali will still be there when you get back. I just got back home after spending 5 yrs abroad and all the people I missed while away are the ones that I still enjoy hanging around with even after we all grew and changed.
So whenever you get homesick or whatever you wanna call it - keep moving forward cause like you said - it's making you a better musician/person.

Keep rockin!

Be well - Ali.

Mayrilene Jay said...

Glad to hear your doing great in Boston (Y) :) keep up all the aspiring music!

Leaving love here!
btw, mind putting up a cbox in your blog? Would be easier..

xo mj!

Anonymous said...

oh and uhhh...since you have a macbook pro, you should send that macbook of yours my way. lol.

maybe i just miss you =x argh.

<3 renabette

Dolores said...

Mom's hate to say "I told you so!" But "I told you so!" God isn't random!!!

Nathan said...

Hey AJ,
I've been watching and enjoying your videos on Youtube for a while now, and I am really happy you are willing to share so much of your time and talent with all of us.

One of the first videos I saw of you was doing a cover of Michael Buble's "Everything" which was so awesome it inspired my good friend and I to do a cover of it at my sister's graduation party. You have a tremendous amount of talent and a gift for music. I'm super happy you are pursuing your dream and bettering yourself at Berklee. I can't imagine what awesomeness lies ahead for you, but I know it is going to be _great_.

Keep on keeping on, and thanks so much for sharing of yourself with us. God Bless!

BrokenCrayons said...

Hang in there AJ, I grew up in muggy, hot NY and then my parents moved to California, so I kinda had to follow and go to college there. Now I can't complain about UC Santa Barbara, OK, but I did feel like a stranger from Back East--for about...oh, maybe 3 months. Then I never wanted to leave! Now I call San Diego home and don't miss it back there--although we've got a taste of the "monsoonal moisture" lately (what is that? I don't remember that a few years ago--must be global warming). I went to a conference in Boston once and took the T. All the one-way streets were kind of crazy--and I never got to find out what "Back Bay" was--kinda weird name. I like your youtube vids--I know you'll be busy, but I'll watch when you post them. (my roomie is Pinoy, so I just finished eating some Bawang Boy that his mom brought back--love that stuff!)