Creative goals in the time of AI

How my creative mind saved my later musical career

Not the perfect Academic Student

I was never the best student. At best, I was probably just below average. My average grades for music were a 6.5/10. I was full of admiration of those students that were passing their yearly piano examinations with flying colours. They somehow were able to adhere to the “perfect system”. Be the perfect academic student, and perform in a way that made the music academy proud. The ones that were hitting the newspapers in early nineties, and be winning the music competitions.

Despite my grades, I somehow always dragged myself across the finish-line, and persevere during my young years at the Royal Music Conservatoire. But nothing came easy.

Generation of Boomers

I have to admit, I was fortunate to receive great guidance and support from most of my (Boomer) piano teachers. Even when the love sometimes came with a large dose of old-fashioned pressure-to-perform-at-your-best.

I realise the academic system that was surrounding me and my teacher in the early nineties, was based on a mentality established by a generation of Boomers. Ones that saw the true art and appreciation of “being the best”, “working the hardest” “performing the fastest” and “winning all the competitions”. My mentality, being born on the verge of Generation X/Millennial consisted of a mindset all about having creative ideas which did not fit the norm of the establishment, think outside of the box, and present ideas which I felt were towards the future, not the past.

I now question the logic behind my persistent efforts to impress a now-retired generation, especially considering how outdated this perspective now feels, in relation to current times. This might explain why academic excellence doesn't always equate to future success.

Recognising the Changes

Often, the system just made me feel misunderstood and under-appreciated. It awoke a tremendous fighting spirit to stand and commit to possible new ideas. Be more open for change. Recognise the changes in the music industry, the crash of the record industry, and largely now. How virtuosity in music is no longer persé recognised as a virtue.

Creative Goals in a time of AI

I’m looking forward to my upcoming article on topic of AI & The Human Element on LinkedIN with Dalida Arakelian with a deeper dive on the topic.

Touching on some of the insecurities one may experience as a creator, and how AI feels to jeopardise human creativity and the visibility of artists on the long-run, I believe I found true personal happiness these days in my music, simply by ignoring trend, and offering my music as a means to calm down, in this increasingly-frantic world. Aiming to avoid the show-off ego of the typical virtuoso piano performances. Understanding how music does not have to be artistic nor entertaining by nature, but can simply exist for the sole purpose of mental wellness. One of the very reasons I started my label: “Stardust Music” I can’t wait to share more on the topic going from here.

Thank you for your time reading this.

Vincent