Music students, when you see these five words, what is your usual reaction?

I guess, first of all, I am envious of the spotlight. Then, if you don’t rank among the top three, there must be an impression that is related to “unfair”.

Yes. We all went to the same school, so why did you get dozens of points, or even hundreds of points, less than me?

How can you seize people’s attention first when everyone is working equally hard?

Well, I am a music student.

1

Children who learn piano do not have childhood.

I started learning music at the age of 4. Unfortunately, I was practicing the most difficult stringed instrument to get started with.

Different from the fact that you can at least still listen by pressing a few keys on the piano, when a beginner is playing with a stringed instrument, to be honest, it will make you want to die.

I have forgotten how my family and I have survived to this day in an environment that echoes with saw-like noise all day long.

But I clearly remember that when my friends were excitedly playing pinball and competing and taking pictures outside, I was practicing the piano; when they called me to ride a bicycle together, I am still practicing the piano; when they go to visit and hang out together, I am still practicing the piano.

Are you jealous that they can play?

Definitely.

But in the end, I still envied others while gritting my teeth and persisting.

Especially during the winter and summer vacations, when other students were laughing and having fun, I had to practice piano for more than 4 hours a day. Sometimes even before the exam, the practice time needs to be more than 6 hours a day.

The skin on my hands turned red, then gradually broke, and then slowly became hard again. Until the cocoons grow, that’s when you’ve entered the door.

Then, the callus became thicker and thicker, so that even if the piano was not touched, it would always be raised high on the skin. It's like a proud medal that shows all your sweat and hard work.

2

Later, I joined the orchestra, and rehearsals became a sweet burden.

During the three years of junior high school, there was a half-day off class every week dedicated to rehearsals. Every holiday is filled with training sessions, at least three hours a day.

Even when rushing before a competition or performance, the vocal part is rehearsed in the morning, and rehearsed together in the afternoon and evening, which lasts for 10 hours.

So, swollen legs, sore buttocks, sore shoulders, and tenosynovitis came happily together.

However, we still have no choice but to endure the pain and continue, because rehearsal is the basic obligation of every specialty student.

And the most glamorous stage appearance.

Usually a standard performance starts at 7:30 and ends at 9:30, which is another 2 hours.

Be focused, smile, be emotionally involved, and treat your audience as God. Therefore, you have to act when you are hungry, you have to act when you are in a bad mood, and you have to act when you feel uncomfortable.

I still remember that performance when I had a fever of 39 degrees. I felt dizzy when I stood up, and even the organ in the concert hall seemed to be swaying with me.

The lights were so hot and I was wearing thick costumes, but after 2 hours, my hands were still cold to the tips of my fingers.

One minute on stage, ten years off stage.

People often only see the glamor on the stage, but never witness and experience the sweat off the stage.

But which of the brilliance in this world can come out of thin air?

3

It is true that students with special talents have some advantages when taking exams.

Take me for example. On my way to higher education, I received discounts twice because of my status as a student with special talents.

The first time, I was promoted to junior high school. Since Beijing coincides with the reform, there is no examination for primary school students to junior high school, and instead, students are randomly assigned according to districts.

Because the school in the district I was assigned to was not ideal, I passed the junior high school exam as a student with special talents.

The second time, graduate student. As a student with special talents, I was admitted to the master's program.

So too many people are complaining, why can we only allocate according to slices, and they can go to school across slices? Why can't we study hard and survive to get a graduate degree, but a student with special talents can?

Yes, we did enjoy the discount. But these so-called discounts do not mean that we can just sit back and enjoy them without paying anything while everyone else is studying hard.

We just transfer part of the energy spent on learning to the cultivation of expertise. While you are studying hard, we are working hard on our expertise.

Moreover, whether you can finally enjoy the discount must also go through layers of screening and assessment.

Many people only see those who finally enjoy the preferential treatment, and only use scores to make horizontal comparisons one-sidedly. In fact, when you look around, behind the few who are successful, there are also too many losers who want to get this offer, but ultimately miss it.

The cultivation and assessment of specialties is also not an easy task. At least from my personal experience, playing a musical instrument requires more sweat than learning.

4

There is a kind of friendship called confidant. Such is the friendship between students with special talents.

I know what you said, and I told you. Because of rehearsals, we have a natural exclusive topic.

Coupled with the day-to-day interactions during training, the tacit understanding between us gradually began to ferment every time we looked at the conductor together and in every repeated ensemble practice.

Many people have said that friends in the band are the most considerate. Because we have worked together for the same goal, no matter the scenery or loneliness, we always stand together.

Isn’t this what the strongest friendship looks like?

5

Although the identity of students with special talents comes from students, it is much longer than students. Even if you leave campus and enter the workplace, you will still enjoy this exclusive label.

Of course, what followed was that everyone’s complaints about the unfairness of the examinations for students with special talents all turned to promotion.

It seems that as long as you are a student specializing in music, you can reach the world in one step and enjoy all the conveniences.

How wonderful it would be if this were indeed the case!

However, the reality is: any advantage must also mean a shortcoming.

When you envy the talented students who have made a comeback in front of the leaders, please also accept the various criticisms and criticisms you have received because of your big tree attracting the wind.

When you complain that your efforts have not received the attention you expected, you should also be glad that your mistakes can be hidden in a small area and will not be magnified.

When you finally get to work and can play games, go shopping, and watch movies freely, please also notice that those students with special talents are still rehearsing hard in order to make their debut.

Who doesn’t want the scenery?

But what about the hardship behind it? Are you willing to bear it?

If you want to wear a crown, you must bear its weight.

6

After people witnessed all the "unfairness" of students with special talents, an interesting phenomenon happened.

Many of those who used to shout loudly and criticize students with special talents immediately changed their views 180 degrees after becoming parents.

They began to work hard to instill in their children how good students with special talents are and how they can perform without taking exams.

To these people, I especially want to ask: Do you really mind the system for students with special talents? Or do you actually mind that you didn't take advantage?

And when they entrust such a heavy responsibility to their children and try to enjoy the relaxation they expected, sooner or later they will find that behind the easy assumption is unexpected hardship.

Then, nine times out of ten, they will turn around and complain about the hardships of the piano boy, just like they have never complained about the unfairness of having an easy life with special talents.

I have been a music student for 24 years since I was in school. What kind of experience is this?

Perhaps you will think of the scenery and the benefits of lowering your score.

However, every time I see these five words, I always think of those hours of practicing piano, those gritted teeth and perseverance, and the traces of calluses that remain on my fingers today.

Of course, there are also gossips and even disdain and disdain from others who say, "What's so great about taking advantage of others' talents?"

There is as much loneliness as there is scenery in front of people.

You said, ten thousand people fight to cross the single-plank bridge, how hard it is!

That’s right!

However, the road that seems to be a shortcut under the spotlight will definitely not be easy.

I am Qianqian, a girl determined to speak music in a down-to-earth language. I raise my hand to guarantee that all content is based on real life experiences and is not Baidu.

If you like it, you are welcome to watch my special topic "Talk about Music" to see more interesting and informative music things.