A Lifetime in Music - And Still Just Scratching the Surface
- Simon Sammut
- May 29
- 2 min read
Introduction
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music." -- Sergei Rachmaninoff
This quote speaks to every musician, listener, and creator who has ever felt overwhelmed -- in the best possible way -- by the depth and mystery of music. Whether you've been playing for decades or just picked up an instrument, the journey never ends. And that's the beauty of it.
Why Music Feels Infinite
Music is not simply a sequence of notes or sounds -- it is a universe of culture, emotion, and evolving language. Across genres, eras, and cultures, the variations are endless. You could spend a lifetime studying just the blues or maqam, or fugue -- and still find something new tomorrow.
A 2021 Journal of Music Perception study showed even trained musicians continue to fine-tune their perception of pitch, rhythm and harmony into late adulthood -- suggesting our brain's relationship with music changes continuously, instead of finally reaching a "level."
Music and the Brain
Lifelong Partnership Studies in neuroscience have shown that music has benefits that last a lifetime. Research from Harvard and the University of Edinburgh reveal sustained involvement with music -- whether listening, playing or composing -- enhances brain plasticity, memory, and emotional regulation.
This goes back to Rachmaninoff's concept: while a lifetime of music can bring deep rewards, it is still not enough to tap out all the wealth she holds.
The Personal Journey
Every musician has his own road. Some focus on technical mastery, others on emotional expression. And just as you think you have found your platform -- something shifts everything.
I often reflect on how my own involvement with music has changed over the years. What used to be hard 20 years ago now feels natural -- and what seemed clear then, I now see with new eyes (and ears).
Music Is Not a Race
A great irony in music is that the more you learn, the more you realise how much you don't know. It's easy for musicians -- whether deeply involved in classical, jazz, pop or any of the other myriad genres -- to feel they are kings within the world of their specialty. But often, we underestimate the depth and challenge of another form. To play a Bach fugue, improvise on a jazz standard or write the perfect pop hook each demands its own set of skills and attitudes, its own sacrifices. Not one school has the entire claim to excellence. So let's keep our minds open and courteous -- for music is not a race and none of us is yet at the finishing line.
Conclusion
Music is our life companion, not just one subject that ends with a final exam. If you are playing an instrument or writing your own compositions, you are helping establish music's tradition for all time to come. And so whether just playing some scales or making up some music of your own, know this: you are part of an unbreakable stream.
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