How many musicians are there in the world?
Somebody asked this question on Quora.
I think there are nearly 8 billion musicians, singing, tapping rhythms, and playing simple and more complicated instruments. Today I heard a delightful one: a little boy called Neriah, who was delighting himself and others saying Dad dad dad rhythmically.
Remember:
You are your first instrument. Your voice is the most marvellous instrument of all.
( We used to chuckle when our church used to announce a meeting for the singers and musicians! )
The music is not in the instrument ( violin, guitar, harmonica, etc): it’s in you!
(I was told this by Miriam Worrad, cellist, who heard it from her teacher at Mitchell Conservatorium, Bathurst)
The greatest musician we know of, J S Bach, said (adapting someone else’s words):
All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the recreation of the soul: where this is not kept in mind, there is no true music, but only an infernal clamour and ranting.