Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sean Perry. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Sean, thanks for joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Growing up, I loved music intrinsically. It’s always been a part of me; however, as I got older and began to invest more time into my daily practice routine, I began experiencing pain. It primarily was centered in my left hand, but also in my upper back and neck. I didn’t understand that that pain wasn’t normal, and blamed myself for the pain. My practice sessions became filled with pain and negativity, and I toyed with the idea of quitting. However, when I went to college at Miami University, my violin professor introduced me to the Alexander Technique. Through him and other professors within the music department, I learned about how pain management & mental health interplay with music. I still somewhat struggle with pain when I play, but I’ve learned how to step back and analyze my practice from an objective standpoint. Whenever I fail at a particular passage or feel pain, I take a moment to reflect: What am I doing? What could I change to perhaps change what I’m feeling or thinking? How can I maintain peace & a sense of fulfillment during my practice?

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

First and foremost, I’m a violinist. But I’m also a teacher, a composer, and a multi-instrumentalist. I was born into a musical family, and was introduced to dance and music practically from birth. By age 5, I’d started violin lessons. I quickly shifted my focus to Irish fiddle, but as I continued my path in life, I found myself being drawn towards guitar, mandolin, singing, tin whistle, piano, and digital media music creation programs. Music completes me.

I struggle with mental health issues, and music is my emotional outlet. I often find myself reflecting on life through composition, and my practice sessions often act as therapy. Because of this (among other reasons), I majored in music performance AND music education at college. My goals are to continue my own musical journey whilst simultaneously helping others find and fuel their passion for music.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Yes. I want to spread awareness of the Alexander Technique & mental health in music. Not only to already-established musicians, but also to beginners. Far, far, far too many young musicians are driven out of music due to pain or difficulty playing their instrument, and in great part it’s due to them being set up without sustainability in mind. I aim to help beginning strings players (and other musicians) learn how to sustainably practice their instrument, while paying attention to both physical & mental strain.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding part of being a musician is passing on knowledge to my students. Seeing that “lightbulb moment” is EVERYTHING.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.perrysgmusic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musical.violince/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeanPerryOfficialMusic
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-perry-57515b236/