There are certain facts we have to face when we choose the musical life. Last week we were discussing the fact that most people will not “get it” about being a musician. This week’s truth is …

People don’t want to hear that new piece you’re working on.

Or at least they don’t think they want to. The typical classical music crowd wants to hear the standards and has a relatively limited amount of patience for “new” music (yes, even if it was written fifty years ago).

You need to accept and understand this fact. Unless you are playing for a very select group of hipsters every time you take the stage, you will be playing traditional repertoire on a regular basis.

But you can use this to your advantage. Throw in a piece the audience isn’t familiar with here and there, something you are very passionate about. If you show the audience that passion, connect it to the music they do understand, and play undeniably musical, then you can open the listener’s mind.

And we all benefit from that.