The girl who left her homeland to follow her dream,"I believe in hard work."
Goals help us to live life to the fullest. They are our aspirations, our wishes, our wants and our needs, put into concise and measurable statements. In order to succeed your desire for success should be greater than your fear for failure. But what risks are we willing to take to improve our lives? Dana de Vries (21) left her life in the Northern Netherlands behind and moved to Paris to chase her dream of becoming a professional cello soloist.
Goaldigger
Dana already set her goals at the age of only six. When she first held a cello, the urge of getting better was her most important motivation. Right then she decided to make a career out of playing the instrument. Dana stood by her words. In the year of 2013 she graduated with honor from the Prins Claus Conservatory in Groningen. Receiving her bachelor of Music Arts was a major stepping stone in the hopes of making her dream a reality.
The next step was getting accepted at the most excellent conservatory for playing the cello. After a series of auditions Dana got in to le Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris. Today she is a third year student living in an authentic French apartment. Dana states: "I feel at home in this city. To be honest I couldn't imagine a better life for me at this moment."
To have a successful future in music, you have to adopt the 'whatever it takes' mentality and live by it. "We don't grow when things are easy, we grow when we face challenges. A wise woman once told me to 'believe in hard work'. Those words are always with me. If you truly want to reach the top it takes sweat, determination and above all hard work." Dana says.
Her daily routine in Paris is pleasantly busy. At the moment, Dana is mainly engaged in developing initiatives. Besides her rehearsals and lessons she is often invited to perform on stage. Among other things, she performs as soloist accompanied by a symphony orhestras and she has featured as guest in several different television and radio shows. At the end of the day, cycling through Paris is still the thing this Dutch girl enjoys the most.
The ultimate combination
Life experience builds character in music. That’s why she finds her social life just as important as her musical career. After her hectic days, she often tries to meet up with friends. Her favourite district to get a drink or two is Saint Michel. But for Dana nothing beats coming home after a long day to enjoy a fine glass of French wine on her own comfortable sofa.
There are many ways to live life and the musical way is one of them. Musicians question their talents every day. Lack of confidence is another reason to work harder. "I don't think I miss out on other aspects of life by focussing on improving myself as a musician. When it all comes down to it, becoming a better cello soloist is what I live for."
The stacked schedule Dana owes to her life changing decision has a major impact. Recently she's been invited by the European Union Youth Orchestra to play a few concerts with a quartet in London. After that she'll go on tour with them for three weeks. While Dana is getting a lot of chances to grow as a musician, not having her family and friends nearby is the hardest thing to cope with in her current situation.
"Luckily classical music is also a way for me to vent my emotions. People often ask me what I think about during my performance. I always tell them that I was telling my story. What my actual story is doesn't matter. Everyone experiences it differently. Just enjoy the moment, like every other moment in life."
Mind over matter
Commitment is the glue that bonds you to your goal. Dana made it her goal to become a professional musician. This choice has had a huge impact on her life. The magic in her music is worth every step she has ever taken and every choice she has ever made. One of her future goals is to go on tour and to grab every opportunity that crosses her path.
"I once planned not to think in problems, but in solutions. I can't go without music in my life and I love sharing this passion. I'm satisfied with where I am today, but I'm always looking for ways to grow even further. The one piece of advice I'd give to young professionals in music is to believe in hard work, just imagine where it could take you." Adds Dana.
Interested in more of Dana de Vries her music? Visit her website.
- Guest blogger: Eva Schotanus.
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