Episode 3.7 - Dr. Richard A. White
Get ready to be inspired with Episode 7! We are joined by Dr. Richard Antoine White, tubist, educator, author, and motivational speaker based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We had the best time talking to Richard about his book “I’m Possible,” his interview on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, and his plans for the RAW Tuba ranch!
To learn more about Richard, check out the links below!
I’m Possible: A Story of Survival, a Tuba, and the Small Miracle of a Big Dream
Full Transcript
Carrie Blosser 0:00
Welcome to the third season of Diversify the Stand. Together, we speak with a wide range of musicians who talk about topics that are important to them. I'm Carrie Blosser.
Ashley Killam 0:08
And I'm Ashley Killam. We're so excited to dive into talks with a whole bunch of guests this season. If you like following along and are a fan of our podcast, please leave us a five star rating and review. In episode seven, we talk with Dr. Richard Anton White, author, tubist, and the current tuba professor at the University of New Mexico. Well, thank you so much, Dr. White for coming to chat with us today.
Richard A. White 0:31
Oh, it's an honor and a pleasure. Thanks for having me.
Ashley Killam 6:21
We would love to start off just by hearing a little bit about your musical journey into, kind of, what you currently do.
Richard A. White 0:40
Oh, wow. I guess like most people that end up in music, it was one day long ago, in fourth grade. Some magic, mysterious person showed up at school with a bucket of instruments, and you had to choose which one you are drawn to. And I actually thought: Hey, I told my best friend we should play the trumpet. It's only got three valves, it's got to be easy, right? Boy, was I wrong. [laughter] You know, I was like - later on in life [laughter] this is a boss secret - I was like, you know, this, this trumpet thing working out this hot. I want to play that, and I looked up and saw the sousaphone. And the only reason I wanted to play it because there's only one sousaphone in the band. And so thus began my journey as a tuba player. Quickly in school, I got serious. I was a problem kid, but I got serious because the school asked me to perform in a commercial. And I did the commercial. It's like yeah, a lot of kids can benefit from this and they're gonna receive $1,000s in scholarships. And I went, "excuse me, they can receive what?". I said, "You can get money playing the tuba? I can get money playing this?". And it changed my whole trajectory. The next day, I was at school 7:30am. Warming up, practicing everyday and they was like, "Man, what's happening with you? You've changed.". I said, "I'm gonna get paid with the tuba, man, you can get money with it, you can get scholarships, $1,000s.". And so, [laughter] that was my motivation. I was gonna get $1,000s playing the tuba. And it also made me really curious about it. So, by my senior year, I knew that I wanted to go to a conservatory. I was one of those people that just made it you know. In my book, there's some funny stories in there. I won't give too much away. But one of the funny stories is, you know, me and my friend, the same friend that I started playing trumpet with in third grade. We got a math test back and he's looking at me and says, "yo, what you get on the math test?". And I say, "I got 72%.". He said, "Man, you got to do better, I got 98%.". And I said, "Hey, Dante, look here, look here, come here, man, come close." And I say, "Look, when we graduate, and we walk across the stage, guess what? Your degree gonna say the same thing as mine." He said, "Oh, my God." He said, "He's actually right." I was gonna say you got a 98% on a math test. And so he started practicing more and became a phenomenal trumpet player. So, I knew I wanted to go to a conservatory. So I went to Peabody and things were pretty intense. It's not just a work ethic in a conservatory environment. I think what you get most is how to embrace the truth. Whether it's what you like or not, I always say that the most important thing I learned from Peabody is that the truth will set you free. But first, it will piss you off. But you'll be better for it afterwards, so [laughter] I hope that makes sense. But that's what I thought of my Peabody days, I was upset and angry most days. But at the end of it, the truth and the reality of what I needed to hear to get better and elevate was made prominent. And then after that, I went to Indiana, a more traditional school. I think schools like CCM, Indiana, I would actually call those institutions hybrid schools. Although they're public institutions, like Michigan, and that they've created such an infrastructure, that they're really their own entity within the universities, you know. And it was great for me to do that, because I gained a tremendous amount of respect for the education side of things. And I'm guilty, in a moment of total transparency. I was one of those people that thought, if you were in education, it meant you really couldn't play your instrument, you didn't understand music, until I took these education classes, and read the philosophy book. I'm like, All right, I'm gonna read this for the fifth time. And I'm gonna pray that I understand what I'm reading, because I don't get it yet. And so I gained a tremendous - I like these people are brilliant. Oh, my gosh, they have the same passion for teaching that I have for playing. And so a lot of myths were busted, by me investing a lot in education and going to Indiana University, because I then saw that we're all just simply in the business of music. And that philosophy changed my whole trajectory, in terms of what I'm doing now how my life has led. I was like, "Oh, I'm not just a tuba player. I'm in the business of music. I got to learn everything. What did Pavlov say again? Let me find that page." And so it changed my pedagogy. It changed my whole performance philosophy. And it also made the world that I was living in musical, more collaborative. And I think it's the biggest mistake we make in music. The Musicology department belongs to Musicology, the Theory department belongs to Theory. And it should be a collaborative environment. We're all one family in the business of music. And that philosophy is carrying me now into what I do now, motivational speaking. I do wake up on days and go, Alright, how much of a tuba player I am how much a motivational speaker am I? You know, so I'm figuring out how to put it together. And my ultimate quest now is to simply inspire hope to as many people as I can. Whether you're at an advantage or disadvantage, my number one goal is to give anyone the belief that they can do it against all odds, thus the title of my book, 'I'm Possibl'e. And I'm often asked, "Well, why did you name it 'I'm Possible'?". I'm like, "Because it's the word impossible.". And in the very beginning - I say, I believe that everyone has to - at some time in life - you have to eventually be your own hero. So, everyone has to be their own superhero. And the thing I like about superheros is that whatever power you have, it eliminates some kind of limitation. And that's my overall goal with the book. It's for people to eliminate the limitations, whether it be psychologically, or emotionally, whatever they have, that it goes away. And sometimes your limitation can be that you're just too privileged. And if you recognize how privileged you are, you get hungry. I call it being hungry. And when you're hungry, what that means, it not just selfish, it's not just for yourself. When you're hungry, you understand that, because you've been given this magnificent chance in life, that you owe. You have to pay it forward, because you owe. Because whether it's a good day or a bad day, you have an opportunity to play the game of life. So I always feel like I owe. I wake up every day and I go to work because I owe. Because if it was up to me, I would sit on the couch, eat donuts, potato chips, and play my Nintendo Switch and be happy. [laughter] Right? But because I owe, I get up and work every day. Because I don't want to let you down by depriving you of the best version of me. I don't want to let the universe down by depriving it of the best version of me. I hope that you feel the same. And then I can't help but to think if you give your absolute, your very best, and I give my very best, that's got to equal something magnificent. And we don't get to use the word magnificent a lot. So, I'm striving for that, which is magnificent. And sometimes, especially in our industry, people want to quit. You get to, "I did all of it. It's not working out. I don't know, maybe throw in the towel.". But here's the thing, I believe that every time you fail, you're collecting data. And that data is helping you. So when you get to the point of exhaustion, that's actually not the end. That's where new beginnings happen. Because if you keep doing what you've been doing, you will keep getting what you've been getting. But if you reach the point of exhaustion, you have to invent something new. You have to take your brain where it hasn't been. And then that's when true elevation happens. Because you're exploring a world that you never thought was possible. It's like seeing a star for the first time.
Carrie Blosser 7:56
I think that very well answered the question. Thank you so much. That's such a wonderful story and such a great opening to the podcast. Thank you. You mentioned it just a second ago. But we would love to ask a little bit about your book specifically, I'm Possible, how it came to be. We have some other questions about it a little bit later, too. But we kind of love, you know, just kind of like a brief look into the book itself and how you decided to write it, how it became published, and how you're here today.
Richard A. White 8:25
So, it's interesting. I'll work backwards a little bit. Right now, the sales are modest. I'm not Will Smith or Amanda Gorman. So, I'm not a household name, but, you know, music people, we support each other. So it's getting out word of mouth. So, it's picking up. It's gonna be what they call a 'long tail'. My goal is for it to be on every continent, in every city, in every school. But the way this started is, it started with a documentary about my life. So film directors came to Baltimore School for the Arts and - Mountain Film, which is a big film festival - because they thought that someone should do a documentary on how the arts are underfunded. And so they went to School for the Arts, which is where I went, Baltimore School for the Arts, which is where I went to high school, and they said, "Hey, we want to do you know, a story about how the arts are underfunded. We know the school is successful. And they said, Well, you should probably talk to Richard White." So, they called me up and we had a 45 minute conversation. And miraculously, by the end of that conversation, they said, "Hey, we changed our mind. We're gonna do a documentary about you.". And I was like, "Whoa!", you know. [Laughter] And so, the next thing I knew, it was like something you dream of. I'm at school and there's like this big robot - Star Wars robot - behind me with a camera walking everywhere. And I'm practicing, I'm eating. Cameras, people everywhere. And I'm like, "Y'all gonna call time out when want to go to bathroom, right? This is weird.". You know, everyone's looking at me like, "Who is this guy? How does he get a film crew following him?". It was unbelievable. And during that process, we bonded and also learned that for every like two seconds you see on a film, that probably was like 10 minutes or 15 minutes of filming. It's unbelievable! Then I went to Baltimore, the film came out, it won all kinds of awards. And it's just a feel good movie. And COVID hit so all the events ceased up. And then I got a call from an agent at Macmillan saying, "Hey, would you like to write a book?" And I was like, "Uh write a book?". And in my mind, I'm thinking, "Let me look at my UNAM contract. Oh, no, it says tuba player. I'm definitely a tuba player.". I was like, "I play tuba.". And they were like, "Oh, no problem, we'll take care of everything just give us the number to your literary agent.". I was like, "my what?". And they was like, "Oh, don't worry, we'll go through your entertainment lawyer.". I was like, "my who?" [laughter] Right? And then I eventually just said, "You know what, I'm gonna have to call you back.". Because I didn't have a literary agent, I didn't have an entertainment lawyer, I didn't have a publisher, and it kept going down the list. "Well, maybe we'll just start with your publicist?". I'm like, "I got me and a tuba.". [laughter]
"That's what I'm working with over here.". So, anyways, I quickly got some recommendations, hired a literary agent, we got the contract ironed out. The book took about two years. I started writing it - a lot of historical data goes into it, getting the story correctly, and actually calling people. Because the tragic part of my life -being homeless and living on the streets of Baltimore, eating out of trash cans, you know - happened at such an early age, that I had to rely on people that were there. Because I was so small. And at one point, the film directors, when we were shooting the film, had an issue with credibility. It's like, "how do you remember all this?" And I thought, "well, I wouldn't make this up, would I?". And then just miraculously, if you've seen a documentary, randomly, we're running through town trying to find spots that I remember. A neighbor comes out and says, "Oh, my gosh, baby Ricky, it's you! Oh, yeah. Last time I seen you, you was under the tree, no shoes. I asked you if you wanted a sandwich you said no.". And I remembered - everything was emotional because I remembered. I told I didn't want to sandwich because I was tired of people telling me no. I was like, "I'm just gonna stand in the rain and get wet with no shoes, because I'm tired.". I remember that, you know, that feeling. And then the film, people say we have no more credibility issues. And the same thing happened with the process of the book, once the lawyer said like, "oh my gosh, there was a huge storm in Baltimore 1978. Just like you said.". I was like, "I'm not fact checking anything, I'm just telling you this story.". And so that was awkward - after the book was written - to be sequestered with a lawyer for a week to check everything. And just for your listeners, if you want to know. If someone's in your book and they're dead, you can say whatever you want. No questions asked. [laughter] Right? It's okay. But if there are alive, you have to check every box to make sure everything is right. It's a very interesting concept. And then, as I was writing the book and getting it into the book - because of current affairs, you know - DEI became a hot topic. So, I actually went back and opened up some chapters in the book, as it relates to like Rodney King and some race issues. Because I felt the need to not only tell my story, but to tell a story in a way that would relate to people. And then that changed the whole trajectory of the book. So, it went from a narrative book, to me jumping back and forth in time. You know, if you read the book - and then once we finished, I realized that it didn't have the 'hug'. So, I believe sometimes you read a book and you feel like you received a hug. So I thought, you know what, this just needs an epilogue, you know? So I added that because it was my way of hugging every reader that was gonna pick up my book and say, "I see you". Because there's a problem in this country. I think we don't fully grasp the difference between recognizing and acknowledging someone. And what I mean by that - we can walk down the street and we recognize the homeless person because we see them every day and they asked for coins. But to acknowledge them would simply be to say, "hello, how are you?". That's more important than the dollar you could give them. So there's a difference between recognizing and acknowledging. And I wanted to make sure I acknowledged all my readers with my book. And so I told my story. And I decided that I would be 100% vulnerable. I felt like I could be vulnerable because there are stories that musicians need to hear. And musicians don't often get to tell their story; it's just seen as a glorious event. We all know that we're part of the healing process and we get to move people, but there is no one - unless you're living it - that understands the struggle. And I wanted to make it absolutely clear: that regardless of what level of music you're in, there is a struggle attached to your career. It's inevitable. And no one's immune to it. So ultimately, I hope the book eventually sells enough copies to get the attention of the New York Times. Make the bestseller lists. And all the money that I get from the book is going towards the R.A.W.Tuba Ranch. And if, I don't know if you to know, but the city of Albuquerque acknowledged me. Like, they have a day for Richard White. And they're going to help me build the R.A.W.Tuba Ranch. The R.A.W.Tuba Ranch initially, is just a place where if you haven't a bad day, you come to R.A.W.Tuba Ranch. Ramen noodle, beer and chili, 24/7. If you overindulge, you can stay in the barracks. Now it's gonna turn into a music and art school, it'll be my residence. And the city of Albuquerque is delighted to have something like this, because we have something here called Hummingbird, but it's quite a ways away. And now we'll have the R.A.W.Tuba Music School and Art School, and the R.A.W.Tuba Ranch where all my friends can come and just fellowship. There'll be a stage there, too. But if you don't play musical instruments, don't worry. You can just sit on stage and look pretty. [laughter]
So, it's a jam session, where we have no idea what we're playing. You just pick up an instrument. Or you might not want to play your own instrument, maybe you might want to just pick up some woodblocks and jam. But the ultimate point of the R.A.W.Tuba Ranch is to have a place for people to be themselves and enjoy fellowship.
Ashley Killam 16:15
I love that. I didn't know about the R.A.W.Tuba Ranch. I just remember when the documentary launched. I was at UNM at that time. And so we took - I was part of the Sandia Brass that year. So we had our quintet rehearsal, and then we came into Keller to watch it with everyone. And I mean, you're right. It is just magnificent. I mean, your whole story and all of it. The impact that you've had, it's really incredible.
Richard A. White 16:20
Well, thank you. And to hear alumni, and to hear the impact that it's had on you, is tremendous. Because, like now this podcast, I know you're out there paying it forward, making a difference. You know, sometimes in our society, we get so caught up in labeling, stereotypes, and status, that we forget the purpose. The purpose is for us to be human, and live together. Live the best life that we can live. And that best life doesn't have to be prescribed to money or career status. It just has to be described as being kind and doing the best you can. That really should be the first criteria. And it's never on any resume or any questionnaire. Well, how kind are you? You know, it's like an odd question. This shouldn't be, you know, because we should all practice kindness. So, thank you for sharing that. Actually, that's tremendous.
Ashley Killam 16:43
Of course. And like we were talking before we started recording, how - you know - you were saying you couldn't imagine where are your life trajectory has taken. A couple months ago, I like saw, I follow Trevor Noah and his Daily Show on Instagram. And I was like, "I know that person!".
Richard A. White 17:54
That was unbelievable. First of all, there's been some experiences in my life recently where I'm like, "what?". So, I'm going to the Trevor Noah Show. I'm picked up in this limo. And I'm like, "Oh" - well - no Trevor Noah - no -it was, it was a Lincoln Navigator - the limos were for Las Vegas - but it's a Lincoln Navigator. And this driver is taking me to my hotel. And then we get to the hotel. And he said, "Yeah, I'll be right here.". I was like, like, "Why are you telling me you'll be right here?" Okay, that's good. He's like, "No, I'm your driver for the whole day.". I was like, "What? We're in New York City, the subway is right there. You can go home.". He's like, "Oh no, I don't want to get in trouble.". I'm like, "No, you can go home. I don't need a driver." [laughter] It was awkward. You know? Then we get to the room and I'm like, I'm gonna go across the street - you know, I'm in New York, I'm going to get me a pastrami sandwich. And they were like, "Oh no, they'll deliver whatever you want.". And I said, "Excuse me, I didn't order that. I ain't paying for that." "No, it's in the room." I was like, "Yeah, but I ain't ordered it, take it back.". And it took me like three minutes to realize: oh, it comes with the room. [laughter] So, then we go to Trevor Noah, security up the YZ - you wouldn't believe. So, what you don't see is when he interviewed me, there is 14 other people on the side. The powder puff lady, the lady that wipes your sweat, the camera guy, the light guy, the sound guy. I'm like, this is ridiculous. And so, we do the interview. It was amazing. He's stand up, he's straight up. And then it comes to a point - which, I didn't know - they're gonna play video clips and I have to make up the music. I was like, "You know I'm a classically trained musician, right?" [laughter] And so I'm nervous at this point. If you haven't seen the bonus clips, it's all on the spot. And so he plays the first clip and I'm actually thinking, well, can I play it? Well, I go do-do-da-doooo, the whole room blasts out laughing, it's amazing. And we can't use it because of copyright. And I was like, "Oh my gosh.". And now I'm more nervous because I'm like, "I don't have many more, man.". So, I played the scales and then, just out of the blue - lucky, you know - he started his comedic routine and said, you play some menacing music, like Jaws.". I was like, "Man, if there was anything you could ask me to play, it would be that. I got the half step." You know. And so, I played Jaws and it worked out. But what a scary moment, just to drop a clip and you make up the music as to what is supposed to go. It worked out, it was nice to see how authentic he is. And it was also nice to see how vulnerable he is. What I learned in that show is that he's vulnerable, because he's not afraid to tell the truth. And that rubs some people the wrong way, but I like that about him. And the whole experience was a once in a lifetime thing. You know, there's some things in my lifehave happened like that, being on Trevor Noah and being on the cover of the American Federation of Musicians. The only reason I did that is because one of my dear friends, Alex Lapins, professor in Tennessee of Tuba. But he said, "Yeah, man, you haven't really made it, no matter what orchestra you get in. You know you've really made it if you get on the cover the AFM.". And me being Richard, I thought, I'm gonna get on the cover of AFM. And he was like, "Man, you don't just get on the cover of AFM.". And I said, "I don't know how to do it, but I'm gonna do it." So, I was like, "Because you just said that, that's making me think I need to be on the cover of AFM.". And then he's like, "What are you talking about? You're crazy.". I was like, "Because you said you haven't really made it until you're on the cover of AFM.". He was like, "I was just saying that, Richard.". I said, "Well, it's a thing now. Cuz I'm gonna get it, I'm getting onto that cover.". [laughter] And I did. You know, so that concept and that style of tenacity was given to me by Harvey Phillips, the Paganini of Tuba. One of the most influential teachers of Tuba. Tuba Christmas, Oktubafest, and if you go to UNM, Tuba Valentine's Day. If you know what Tuba Valentine's Day is, we show up at the local sandwich store/coffee shop and we play a love song to your significant other, a tuba quartet, and be on our merry way. It's called a Tuba Gram. [laughter].
I love all of that.
[laughter]
Ashley Killam 22:04
I just think it's so cool with platforms - you know, with this collaboration between musical and non-musical platforms, like Trevor Noah. Just getting your story out there. It's so cool to see the non-musical perspective. Like obviously, Carrie and I know what a tuba is. And seeing his reaction to that, "Um, you do this for your career?" Like it's just so cool how, not only are you making people aware of the faults in funding towards music and your story, and how you've overcome all of these hurdles. But, you're teaching this whole non-musical population that, hey, this is a whole career that people aren't aware of and may not know.
Richard A. White 22:52
It's crazy, because I got lucky first with a brand name. My name is Richard Anton White and I play tuba, so R.A.W.Tuba. Thanks to Keith Beatty, who was - one day we were just at IU and he said, "R.A.W. Your initials spell R.A.W.". And he just looked at me said, "What the heck is a raw tuba?". I was like, "I don't know. But I like that. R.A.W.Tuba.". And that's how it began. And you know, my life has changed. I'm not like a superstar, but I cannot get on a plane anymore without someone saying, "Are you R.A.W.Tuba?" And what's cute about it is that some people are embarrassed to say it. One lady came, she said, "I saw you on the plane."
[bark] Sorry, that's the puppy.
"And I wanted to ask you, if you were Richard White. But I didn't want you to think that I think that all black people look the same." And then she said, "But you know, I realized afterwards; what I should have asked you was if you play tuba." And I was like, very good approach. [laughter] You know. So, I think in the midst of this, what we're also doing is changing the social consciousness of people. We're showing people - we're dispelling some super stereotypes. We're opening people's ideas in our own industry as to how far we can push the envelope and still be successful. That some of these traditions don't have to be guarded so much that - I am preaching now that we adopt a model called 'tradition in addition to'. Tradition means I understand how we got here, I understand the traditional practices of classical music and everything. And I think we should preserve as much of that as we possibly can to elevate ourselves. But we need to add to tradition, the word 'in addition to'. That way, no one's offended. We're not protecting any turf, and we're moving together forward, collaboratively. So, what I'm most happy about is that I've taken the tuba and the way my career has launched, and I'm reaching more people than I could ever reach if I just sat in my orchestra chair.
Carrie Blosser 24:54
Yeah, I definitely agree. Like the de-gendering and the de-stereotyping of what an instrument performer looks like is such an important conversation and really, really needs to happen now. Because if you look at orchestras in general across the United States, it's a pretty monophonic view. So I think this is the time to talk about like, there is no gender, there is no like background that makes you better or worse, we can all move forward together. And if you want to play this, you can play this.
Richard A. White 25:23
I think there are two key points in what you just said. One, we should never lower the standard of excellence. And excellence is void of color or gender. It's just on the level or not and we must preserve that. The second thing to recognize, whether you play jazz, whether you play Latin, whether you play classical, guess what? We all have to choose from the same set of notes. There's not a set of notes that are set aside for the black tuba player. [laughter] You know, we all choose from the same set of notes. And the difference in what we do with those notes is how we infuse our individual personalities, individual imagination. And we have to get back to the basics. Because the imagination is not BS. We need to explore our imaginations, we need to dream. And I say my documentary: traveling to the moon is not about the billions of dollars that it takes to do it. It's about doing the impossible. Saying that, look, we didn't think it was possible to walk on the moon and we did it. So, we have to have an educational environment that allows students to explore and come up with new things. Because once upon a time, there were no brass quintets, actually, in schools. Now, you can't go to a school without one. So we have to think like that, like, there are new things coming that aren't yet created. And they're only going to be created if we feed those creative minds. You know, if someone comes to me in school and it's a wacky idea that we've never seen, I tell them, you should run with it. You know, in particular, I think about one of my former students, Sean Kennedy said, "I don't know what to do Dr. White. I like tuba and I like fashion. I like making costumes for the opera.". And I said, "Figure out how to put it together.". Now he's a featured soloist, dressed in drag, playing improvised tuba at Meow Woof. And I'm like, "That's what I'm talking about!". [laughter] You know, unique, never thought about. He pushed his imagination to the limit. I think we need more of that in education. I think we need more of this exploratory element of teaching. And what I mean by exploratory is that we need to expand the arm, or the reach, of collaborations. You know. There should be music in Math, music in English. We should be doing these projects so that we are seen as being relevant to the entire community, and not just ourselves.
Carrie Blosser 27:44
We touched on this just a little earlier. But we would love to hear your advice for students and educators. Because we're talking about that before, when we feel like we're hitting that hurdle, or we're hitting that point of I don't feel like I can go on. Part of you and your brand and what you're sharing with the world is how to move past those points where we don't feel like we could go farther. So we'd love to hear more about that.
Richard A. White 28:06
Yes. So I know you two have followed me and so you want to say some my concepts. I believe what we want in life is what I call the three C's: choice, chance and change. We all just want a chance to make the right choices. To create the kind of change we want to see. Along with that, that means that there's going to be some success, there's going to be some failures. On every interview I give, I'm not afraid of failing because I believe failing stands for 'Finding An Intended Lesson In Needed Growth'. And what that simply means is when you're failing, there's something you needed to know that you didn't know that you now know, so you can fix it. And along the way, every time you fail, you're collecting data. And with that data, you have to process that data. And it's just going to improve your product. We all hit the wall. We don't know if we can do it or not or whatever. And the way I can explain it is there's always something you can do. So, I'll give my students a new concerto and they're like, "Doctor, why I can't do it? I don't know why John Williams wrote this. I'm thinking about psychology" or, "I heard trashmen in New York make $80-grand, $90-grand, I might look into that." And I'm like, "Alright, take it easy. Play the first note.". They'll play the first note. And I'm like, "that's pretty good.". And they're like, "yeah". And I say, "Play the last note.". They played last note. And I'll say, "Now you got the beginning and the end, all you got to do is work out the middle. You see how that works?" And they're like, "Oh my gosh!" [laughter] Right? So, when I hit rock bottom, I ask myself one simple question: What can I do? And what can I do right now? And it's always - sometimes it's just attitude. Just like, I don't know, but I'm gonna start with a smile because I'm going to figure this out. And then I'll be like, alright, every day, I'm a wake up for the next week, and start my day with a smile. And then the universe helps you out. So, you smile. And the next thing somebody says, "Man, you always you always smiling. What's up with that?". And then next thing, you know, you're like, I'm liking everything I do more because that smile is contagious now. And so you're not really changing anything that you're doing, but you got a new perspective about it. So, sometimes we look for this monumental change or something that's different. And all you got to do is take your binoculars and refocus them so that the viewpoint is most beneficial to you. And then the other thing is - I like to preach of keeping an open circle. So here's the thing, we're all so determined, we're all so success hungry, that sometimes we keep what I call a closed circle. And you have to have an open circle, you have to always pay it forward. I explained to you before that, I felt like we all owe because we have a chance at life. So we have to give back. Now the problem with having a closed circle is when it's your turn to need help, because we all need help at some point, no one will be there to enter your circle. So, by having an open circle, you're paying it forward, you're giving back, and you're also allowing people, other people to pay it forward, when you need help. And so my advice to anyone that really feels like "Oh, I feel like the end is near, I'm giving it all I got to struggle", is remember: one, that you're not alone, and two, that there are resources within your own brain, even if it's just attitude that you haven't maximized. And I think that's what we forget sometimes, like, I'm done. I'm like, well, seriously? Are you running at 88%? Because boy, that other 12% would make all the difference in the world and sometimes you have to find that. And sometimes when you're searching for it, you need an outside hand to point to you where that extra 12% is. And then when you're finding 100%, it's like money, you know. If you got $10,000 next thing you know, you want $20,000. When you get $20,000, you know you want $30,000. So, when you hit 110%, you're like, "I want optimal performance, I want to be operating 110.". So, when you hit 110% you're like, "I want to be operating at 120%." And then you go, "I didn't know I could do this.". And then that's when life just gets miraculous and magical. Call me very optimistic, but I believe in magic, you know. And then, ultimately, I would say to everyone listening; my final message is, there are thousands of problems in the world, but I think 99% of them can be solved if we were just kind to one another.
Ashley Killam 32:19
You have the perfect persona for a motivational speaker. I'm already like, yeah - I feel better about today! [laughter]
Richard A. White 32:26
[laughter] Well, people pay me to do that. So that's a tremendous compliment. Thank you. [laughter]
Ashley Killam 32:33
And then our final question we have for you is a question we ask every guest on the podcast. And it's what's on your music stand this week? And how are you diversifying your stand?
Richard A. White 32:43
So, what's on my music stand right now, because I just came off sabbatical, is Arbans. So my musical approach is, I always try to remember what got me good in the first place. So, whether I've been off two weeks, a month or whatever, I spend probably about 95% of my practice on fundamentals. I can play the tuba. I know how to read those little dots on the page. So, I just have to make sure that my facility is capable of doing what's in my brain. So, on my stand right now is Arbans. I'll warm up and play it. How I am motivating myself in the future is that I'm playing a lot by ear these days. And I'm playing by ear with a simple concept of creating the best sound and making sure that I understand that the musical breath and the musical rest are musical notes. Because they're on the page, but sometimes we overlook them, or we take it for granted, or we get, you know, depressed as a tuba player. Like, man, I got 50 measures of rests. But hey, rests are musical notes. Enjoy. What are you doing in that silence? You know, are you setting it up so when that next entrance comes in you're amazing? And then the idea of breathing, that - I'm realizing as I get older I don't have seven liters of air anymore. I think I still have six, so I'm better off than most. But I'm realizing that the breath is more of a musical note than I've ever thought. And a large percentage of my problems come from when I take a crappy breath or I get nervous and don't breathe in the right place. So, I'm really trying to play by ear. Not just to get melodies and improvisation and stuff like that, but to really harness the power of musical rests and musical breath.
Carrie Blosser 34:25
That's fantastic.
Thank you again so much, Dr. White, for joining us. This was amazing.
Richard A. White 34:30
Well, I appreciate both of you. Good luck. And if I can ever be of assistance in the future, don't hesitate to reach out. Thank you very much.
Carrie Blosser 34:37
Thank you for listening to Diversify the Stand. To support us and our projects. Visit our website at diversifythestand.org.
Ashley Killam 34:44
And a huge shout out to Eris DeJarnett who wrote the intro and outro music. The piece that we've been playing is 'Bored Games for two trumpets and fixed media'. Links to their website are in the podcast description.
Carrie Blosser 34:54
And as always, we ask our guests what's on your stand?