It's hard to believe that we're coming to the end of another calendar year. It seems like the days just fly by. When I was younger, each day seemed to stretch on forever. I remember having a hard time going to sleep without knowing what events were planned for the coming day. These days, it seems difficult to find the time to do all of the things that I WANT to do, while keeping up with the things I HAVE to do.
I realize that one of the most important things I can do with my time is to prioritize those things that really matter to me. I just finished reading a book called "Talent Is Overrated" by Geoff Colvin. In it, he explores what the determining factors are for excellence in any given field. What he finds is that regardless of any myths we have been told about being "born with a gift" in a particular area, without exception it is those individuals who put in countless hours of practice, research and study in a given field are the ones who rise to stardom and notoriety. But beyond just putting in the hours, the type of practice that these people do pushes them beyond their current abilities and outside of their existing comfort zone. They have to be willing to fail repeatedly in order to achieve their highest ambitions.
What would it be like if we applied this philosophy to our relationships? What if we had to go beyond what we knew we were capable of in order to communicate with and support the ones we love? Or what if we applied this same philosophy to the workplace? How many of us are willing to put ourselves out there for possible failure and rejection in order to stretch the boundaries of our professional life? How much time, effort and risk are we willing to put into these areas of huge consequence in our lives?
Perhaps the more important question is: what if we DON'T take the risks needed to become the best possible spouses, siblings, parents, creators, workers, human beings we can be? Is playing it safe really that safe in the long run? I encourage all of us to think about not just the time we are putting in, but also how much of our SELVES we are putting into our everyday activities. Perhaps we would be richer for the experience...
I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. If you have something to add to the discussion, I invite you to comment on this post and let me know what you think.
For those of you on the East coast, I will be traveling to Connecticut in a couple of weeks and then to Boston at the end of January. Please check the tour dates below for more information. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving, and I look forward to seeing you soon!
In song,
Todd
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
What's It Good For?
When I was a teenager and one of my favorite groups put out a new album, I would head out to the mall, get a copy of the record (I know I'm dating myself here, but yes these were the vinyl kinds that are now "retro" popular), put the album on the turntable, pull out the liner notes and start learning the lyrics to all of the songs. I would put my headphones on, or blast the music in my room and immerse myself in the sounds and the messages of the music.
Nowadays, it seems like music has to have some sort of utilitarian purpose in order for it to be worthwhile. Music, in and of itself, does not seem to have inherent value. We listen to music while we are driving in the car, working out, while we're doing our homework or having coffee with friends. It has become a "lifestyle choice" rather than simply entertainment for its own sake.
I have seen much dialogue in the Jewish world about this type of thing as well. My colleagues on the different listserves are constantly asking one another - "Do you have any good music for Sukkot?" or "What are you using for your High Holiday theme this year?" I admit that I am as guilty of this as the next person. And perhaps there are times when music rightly serves a very specific function as is the case in liturgical music.
But what I am wondering is - are there still people who enjoy stopping everything else that's going on in their lives and really focusing in on a beautiful melody or a well-crafted lyric? Or is this a symptom of something larger in our lives? Are we so busy multi-tasking that it has become difficult for us to just do one thing at a time?
I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. If you have something to add to the discussion, I invite you to visit my blog page and let me know what you think.
I hope you are all having a relaxing and thoughtful week, and I look forward to seeing you in person sometime soon...
In song,
Todd
Nowadays, it seems like music has to have some sort of utilitarian purpose in order for it to be worthwhile. Music, in and of itself, does not seem to have inherent value. We listen to music while we are driving in the car, working out, while we're doing our homework or having coffee with friends. It has become a "lifestyle choice" rather than simply entertainment for its own sake.
I have seen much dialogue in the Jewish world about this type of thing as well. My colleagues on the different listserves are constantly asking one another - "Do you have any good music for Sukkot?" or "What are you using for your High Holiday theme this year?" I admit that I am as guilty of this as the next person. And perhaps there are times when music rightly serves a very specific function as is the case in liturgical music.
But what I am wondering is - are there still people who enjoy stopping everything else that's going on in their lives and really focusing in on a beautiful melody or a well-crafted lyric? Or is this a symptom of something larger in our lives? Are we so busy multi-tasking that it has become difficult for us to just do one thing at a time?
I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. If you have something to add to the discussion, I invite you to visit my blog page and let me know what you think.
I hope you are all having a relaxing and thoughtful week, and I look forward to seeing you in person sometime soon...
In song,
Todd
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
The Power of Music
Recently, I had the privilege of taking part in the Just Plain Folks Music Awards. I went to the Wild Horse Saloon in Nashville, TN and joined 600 other musicians and industry veterans in a celebration of a widely diverse collection of music, spoken word and instrumental songs. Over 42,000 albums and 561,000 songs were submitted for consideration. I am proud to say that from among this wealth of talent, my 'Bridging The Gap' album was named Best Jewish Album for 2009. And my song "Give Me The Strength" came in #3 in the Best Pop Song category. Beyond the wonderful feeling of recognition for much hard work, this particular awards process means a great deal to me because of the one question judges are asked to answer:
"Does the music move you?"
A deceptively simple mechanism for screening material, but one that gets at the heart of what music is all about for me. The question of whether the song is a "hit" or whether there is a "market" for the material is secondary to the power that music has to create lasting and profound change in its listeners as well as for its creators.
I would like to share with you another piece of positive feedback I received recently that means as much, if not more, to me than any award. It comes from a parent of one the preschool students at Temple Solel where I do music on Thursday mornings:
"One important element in our decision to choose Solel for our daughter's care, was the varied stimulation the children receive each day. However, Thursday stands out as "the big day" in our daughters life at Solel - and that is because she gets to dance, watch, and listen to you! I cannot tell you the difference in her personality when I pick her up on Thursday afternoon - she is giggling and full of smiles (and I'd swear she is playing an air guitar).
Todd, that is result of the time you provide to the pre-school children and your super personality and talent. I am confident the other children enjoy you as much as (our daughter) (although I think she may be your biggest "little" fan!)"
To me, this type of feedback reminds me of why I became involved with music in the first place. Music is such an amazing vehicle for conveying the emotions and appreciation of life that are so often difficult to put into words. I am very aware of the awesome responsibility that this power carries with it, and try to do my best to always use that power for good.
I wish all of you a very uplifting and musical week. To those of you celebrating the Jewish New Year, a Shana Tova u'mtukah!
In song,
Todd
"Does the music move you?"
A deceptively simple mechanism for screening material, but one that gets at the heart of what music is all about for me. The question of whether the song is a "hit" or whether there is a "market" for the material is secondary to the power that music has to create lasting and profound change in its listeners as well as for its creators.
I would like to share with you another piece of positive feedback I received recently that means as much, if not more, to me than any award. It comes from a parent of one the preschool students at Temple Solel where I do music on Thursday mornings:
"One important element in our decision to choose Solel for our daughter's care, was the varied stimulation the children receive each day. However, Thursday stands out as "the big day" in our daughters life at Solel - and that is because she gets to dance, watch, and listen to you! I cannot tell you the difference in her personality when I pick her up on Thursday afternoon - she is giggling and full of smiles (and I'd swear she is playing an air guitar).
Todd, that is result of the time you provide to the pre-school children and your super personality and talent. I am confident the other children enjoy you as much as (our daughter) (although I think she may be your biggest "little" fan!)"
To me, this type of feedback reminds me of why I became involved with music in the first place. Music is such an amazing vehicle for conveying the emotions and appreciation of life that are so often difficult to put into words. I am very aware of the awesome responsibility that this power carries with it, and try to do my best to always use that power for good.
I wish all of you a very uplifting and musical week. To those of you celebrating the Jewish New Year, a Shana Tova u'mtukah!
In song,
Todd
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Timeless Melodies
Last week I attended a conference called Mifgash Musicale on the campus of Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, OH. It was a great opportunity to meet other synagogue musicians, to learn new melodies and to delve more deeply into the liturgy and traditions found in the Jewish religion. One area of study that I found particularly interesting was the concept of 'nusach.'
Nusach is the system of musical modes used to identify the particular service or time of year. There are different melodies for each of the festivals, for Friday night and Saturday morning services, and the mode even switches from one part of the service to the next. The idea was for someone just walking into the room to know exactly what time, and what time of year, it was. As we know, music has an amazing power to connect us to one another, to our emotions and immediately transport us back to that time and place where we first heard it. Remember that junior high dance and listening to 'Stairway to Heaven?' Or that party where all your friends shook on the floor to 'Shout?' Or maybe it was the song you shared with your college sweetheart.
Music is one of those unique gifts that makes us human. I encourage you to listen to music that makes you feel good and reminds you of good times, past and present.
In song,
Todd
Nusach is the system of musical modes used to identify the particular service or time of year. There are different melodies for each of the festivals, for Friday night and Saturday morning services, and the mode even switches from one part of the service to the next. The idea was for someone just walking into the room to know exactly what time, and what time of year, it was. As we know, music has an amazing power to connect us to one another, to our emotions and immediately transport us back to that time and place where we first heard it. Remember that junior high dance and listening to 'Stairway to Heaven?' Or that party where all your friends shook on the floor to 'Shout?' Or maybe it was the song you shared with your college sweetheart.
Music is one of those unique gifts that makes us human. I encourage you to listen to music that makes you feel good and reminds you of good times, past and present.
In song,
Todd
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Leaving Traces
Last week I had the opportunity to visit St. Louis to be the artist-in-residence for the Jewish Community Center (JCC) day camp. I worked with kids from ages 4-14, taught them some of my music and had the chance to interact with the community in St. Louis. I had a great time and met a number of new people. I also was able to sample some of the local culture - like tasting Ted Drewe's custard, visiting the downtown area near Washington University, eating at some local restaurants and driving through the neighborhoods that make up this wonderful city on the banks of the MIssissippi and Missouri Rivers.
As the name of the town suggests, it continues in the tradition of the French settlers who claimed this area. The names of the streets, the style of the architecture represent a legacy that has descended through the ages. It made me think about the way that the language and culture that surround us really impacts the way we see the world. The words we use express unique ideas and play a large part in shaping who we are. Can we use our words to create the type of world we envision for ourselves?
This ties into some ideas from a book I am currently reading - Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell. In this book, he talks about how cultures pass down values and traditions from one generation to the next. He explores why some people are wildly successful, while others toil in obscurity. A large part of the success comes from hard work (10,000 hours in a given discipline to be precise), but there are historical and social factors factors which also come into play. Perhaps by becoming aware of the traces of our own heritage, we can bring these things into our consciousness. We can build upon the strengths of our past and hopefully learn from the mistakes of our ancestors to achieve whatever success looks like in our own time and culture.
In deep thought,
Todd
ps. I wanted to share some good news: I am currently nominated for 9 awards (in 6 different categories representing songs from 3 different albums) in the Just Plain Folks Music Awards. This is a wonderful organization which hosts the largest awards process in the world, and I am honored to be among those nominated. I will be heading to Nashville at the end of August for the awards ceremony... so wish me luck! To find out more, please visit www.jpfolks.com.
http://www.reverbnation.com/toddherzog
As the name of the town suggests, it continues in the tradition of the French settlers who claimed this area. The names of the streets, the style of the architecture represent a legacy that has descended through the ages. It made me think about the way that the language and culture that surround us really impacts the way we see the world. The words we use express unique ideas and play a large part in shaping who we are. Can we use our words to create the type of world we envision for ourselves?
This ties into some ideas from a book I am currently reading - Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell. In this book, he talks about how cultures pass down values and traditions from one generation to the next. He explores why some people are wildly successful, while others toil in obscurity. A large part of the success comes from hard work (10,000 hours in a given discipline to be precise), but there are historical and social factors factors which also come into play. Perhaps by becoming aware of the traces of our own heritage, we can bring these things into our consciousness. We can build upon the strengths of our past and hopefully learn from the mistakes of our ancestors to achieve whatever success looks like in our own time and culture.
In deep thought,
Todd
ps. I wanted to share some good news: I am currently nominated for 9 awards (in 6 different categories representing songs from 3 different albums) in the Just Plain Folks Music Awards. This is a wonderful organization which hosts the largest awards process in the world, and I am honored to be among those nominated. I will be heading to Nashville at the end of August for the awards ceremony... so wish me luck! To find out more, please visit www.jpfolks.com.
http://www.reverbnation.com/toddherzog
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The Illusion of Individuality
How do we know ourselves in life? There is so much pressure, especially in Western society, to be "an individual," to "stand out from the crowd," and to "get noticed." Siblings take on different roles in a family because one niche was already occupied. Instead of striving to be more ourselves, we end up struggling to be "NOT someone else." We confine ourselves into limited self-portraits that narrow our experience of life. Our own perceptions create invisible fences that prevent us from dancing in public, skydiving, taking a computer class, or any other activity that might not fall into the category of "this is who I am."
When I work with young people on songwriting and composition, I talk about the difference between originality and authenticity. I tell them that there is no sense in trying to do something "original" just for the sake of being different. It might be different, and it might also be really bad... and on top of all of that, it might not even reflect the truth of who you are. And by the way, "who you are" is a moving target. Being authentic means paying attention to what feels true and right on a day to day and moment to moment basis.
The irony of all of this is that we are all already uniquely individual. Like snowflakes, no two souls in the world are exactly the same. We all have something to contribute to the world in some small way. So, if we can delve more deeply into the truth of who we are rather than trying to just be different from everyone else, we will actually end up being different from anyone else! And in the process, we will live our lives in an authentic and deeply fulfilling way.
I wish you laughter and learning along the way,
Todd
When I work with young people on songwriting and composition, I talk about the difference between originality and authenticity. I tell them that there is no sense in trying to do something "original" just for the sake of being different. It might be different, and it might also be really bad... and on top of all of that, it might not even reflect the truth of who you are. And by the way, "who you are" is a moving target. Being authentic means paying attention to what feels true and right on a day to day and moment to moment basis.
The irony of all of this is that we are all already uniquely individual. Like snowflakes, no two souls in the world are exactly the same. We all have something to contribute to the world in some small way. So, if we can delve more deeply into the truth of who we are rather than trying to just be different from everyone else, we will actually end up being different from anyone else! And in the process, we will live our lives in an authentic and deeply fulfilling way.
I wish you laughter and learning along the way,
Todd
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Appreciating The Ordinary
It is often tempting to judge life based on peak experiences and recognition received. We are pushed by advertising and the media to be consumers - to always want more of everything. We are not successful until we have achieved "the American dream." So why is it that so many who have supposedly accomplished this goal are so unhappy in their daily lives?
In my humble opinion, it is because those things that we are looking for - those awards, those bonuses, those big screen tv's - make up such a small percentage of who we really are and how we really spend our time. Most of life is waking up, brushing our teeth, taking out the trash and spending time with our families and co-workers. So, if we are not able to appreciate those "ordinary moments," we will never be truly happy. Now, don't get me wrong - it's not that I don't also appreciate the finer things (I've been bugging my wife for years about getting that big flat screen tv). It's just that in the midst of my consumer greed, I realize that there are things much more important than that, and that ultimately those things are not going to fulfill me.
I encourage each one of us to continue digging beneath the surface of the everyday to find the things that really matter. Sometimes the hidden treasure is found in those things right before our eyes.
Be well,
-Todd Herzog
http://www.reverbnation.com/toddherzog
PS. I wanted to let you know that I will be participating in a very special event in the Phoenix area next Thursday, May 28th at 7pm at Congregation Beth Israel in Scottsdale. There will be a community choir concert featuring Cantors Jaime Shpall, Peter Halpern and myself as well as many extremely talented singers and instrumentalists from the community. The choir will be conducted by John Massaro of the Metropolitan Phoenix Opera Company and will include excerpts from the Bloch Sacred Service, pieces by Lewandowski, Andrea Jill Higgins, Peter Halpern and others. It promises to be an enjoyable evening for all.
In my humble opinion, it is because those things that we are looking for - those awards, those bonuses, those big screen tv's - make up such a small percentage of who we really are and how we really spend our time. Most of life is waking up, brushing our teeth, taking out the trash and spending time with our families and co-workers. So, if we are not able to appreciate those "ordinary moments," we will never be truly happy. Now, don't get me wrong - it's not that I don't also appreciate the finer things (I've been bugging my wife for years about getting that big flat screen tv). It's just that in the midst of my consumer greed, I realize that there are things much more important than that, and that ultimately those things are not going to fulfill me.
I encourage each one of us to continue digging beneath the surface of the everyday to find the things that really matter. Sometimes the hidden treasure is found in those things right before our eyes.
Be well,
-Todd Herzog
http://www.reverbnation.com/toddherzog
PS. I wanted to let you know that I will be participating in a very special event in the Phoenix area next Thursday, May 28th at 7pm at Congregation Beth Israel in Scottsdale. There will be a community choir concert featuring Cantors Jaime Shpall, Peter Halpern and myself as well as many extremely talented singers and instrumentalists from the community. The choir will be conducted by John Massaro of the Metropolitan Phoenix Opera Company and will include excerpts from the Bloch Sacred Service, pieces by Lewandowski, Andrea Jill Higgins, Peter Halpern and others. It promises to be an enjoyable evening for all.
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