1 00:00:14,956 --> 00:00:23,476 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Hey, Slight Change listeners, it's Maya. I hope you 2 00:00:23,516 --> 00:00:26,116 Speaker 1: all had a great summer. We're hard at work on 3 00:00:26,236 --> 00:00:29,156 Speaker 1: new episodes of A Slight Change of Plans, which will 4 00:00:29,196 --> 00:00:32,476 Speaker 1: drop in your feeds starting in October. In the meantime, 5 00:00:32,676 --> 00:00:34,916 Speaker 1: I thought you might like to hear my commencement address 6 00:00:34,996 --> 00:00:38,996 Speaker 1: at the Juilliard School's Pre college graduation ceremony. As an 7 00:00:38,996 --> 00:00:40,916 Speaker 1: alum of the school, it was an honor to be 8 00:00:40,956 --> 00:00:43,996 Speaker 1: invited to come speak to the new graduates. This is 9 00:00:44,036 --> 00:00:46,076 Speaker 1: the advice I came up with to help them as 10 00:00:46,116 --> 00:00:47,396 Speaker 1: they venture out in the world. 11 00:00:49,036 --> 00:00:51,796 Speaker 2: Please join me in welcoming Maya Shunker. 12 00:01:02,036 --> 00:01:08,156 Speaker 1: Good afternoon everyone, President Wetzel, provosts Meyer, Dean and Director Spratt, 13 00:01:09,316 --> 00:01:15,676 Speaker 1: Artistic Director McGill, Pre College Artistic Advisor Kaplinsky, distinguished teachers 14 00:01:15,716 --> 00:01:21,476 Speaker 1: and staff, my former conductor Adam Glazer, friends and family, 15 00:01:21,916 --> 00:01:26,316 Speaker 1: and of course, the graduating class of twenty twenty three. 16 00:01:26,396 --> 00:01:30,716 Speaker 1: I want to congratulate you on this momentous occasion. I 17 00:01:30,756 --> 00:01:33,356 Speaker 1: hope you are filled with pride over what you have 18 00:01:33,436 --> 00:01:37,476 Speaker 1: all achieved. It is one of the greatest honors of 19 00:01:37,516 --> 00:01:40,516 Speaker 1: my life to be invited to give the commencement speech 20 00:01:41,196 --> 00:01:44,076 Speaker 1: at a school that played such a formative role in 21 00:01:44,116 --> 00:01:47,916 Speaker 1: my development. I'll admit I was pretty nervous in the 22 00:01:47,996 --> 00:01:50,556 Speaker 1: lead up to this speech, but then I remember that 23 00:01:50,636 --> 00:01:52,636 Speaker 1: the last time I was on this stage, I had 24 00:01:52,636 --> 00:01:56,316 Speaker 1: to perform Tchaikowsky, and now I simply need. 25 00:01:56,196 --> 00:02:00,236 Speaker 2: To speak words today. I'd love to. 26 00:02:00,196 --> 00:02:03,956 Speaker 1: Share three lessons with you that I've learned over the years. 27 00:02:04,516 --> 00:02:06,756 Speaker 1: I'm hoping they might be helpful to you as you 28 00:02:06,836 --> 00:02:10,236 Speaker 1: embark on this next and exciting chatter of your lives. 29 00:02:11,476 --> 00:02:13,756 Speaker 1: For the first lesson, let's travel back to when I 30 00:02:13,796 --> 00:02:16,876 Speaker 1: was six years old when I first asked my parents 31 00:02:16,916 --> 00:02:20,276 Speaker 1: if I could play the violin. My three older siblings 32 00:02:20,276 --> 00:02:23,196 Speaker 1: had opted for the clarinet, the trumpet, and the flute, 33 00:02:23,796 --> 00:02:26,316 Speaker 1: but I was drawn to the violin because my grandmother 34 00:02:26,396 --> 00:02:29,556 Speaker 1: had played it in a traditional Indian style as a 35 00:02:29,556 --> 00:02:34,316 Speaker 1: little girl, and I adored my grandmother. I began by 36 00:02:34,356 --> 00:02:36,956 Speaker 1: learning the Suzuki method, and after a year or so, 37 00:02:37,716 --> 00:02:40,156 Speaker 1: my parents noticed that while they had to nudge me 38 00:02:40,196 --> 00:02:43,036 Speaker 1: to do lots of things, they rarely had to remind 39 00:02:43,076 --> 00:02:44,236 Speaker 1: me to practice the violin. 40 00:02:44,836 --> 00:02:49,076 Speaker 2: I was all in to help nurture my growing passion. 41 00:02:49,156 --> 00:02:51,516 Speaker 1: My mom found a local violinist who was willing to 42 00:02:51,556 --> 00:02:54,076 Speaker 1: take me on as his first ever student. 43 00:02:54,956 --> 00:02:56,396 Speaker 2: His approach was unconventional. 44 00:02:56,956 --> 00:03:00,396 Speaker 1: I never played scales or atudes, or learned proper vibrato 45 00:03:00,476 --> 00:03:04,396 Speaker 1: technique or the right way to shift across the fingerboard. Instead, 46 00:03:04,556 --> 00:03:08,036 Speaker 1: we skipped straight to the joy of playing pieces. I 47 00:03:08,076 --> 00:03:12,156 Speaker 1: simply watched an mimicked, letting my instincts guide me through 48 00:03:12,156 --> 00:03:17,116 Speaker 1: the music. This was my experience until one spring afternoon 49 00:03:17,236 --> 00:03:20,196 Speaker 1: when I was nine years old. My mom and I 50 00:03:20,276 --> 00:03:22,276 Speaker 1: were in New York City for the weekend, and I 51 00:03:22,316 --> 00:03:25,396 Speaker 1: had my violin with me. We walked over to Lincoln 52 00:03:25,436 --> 00:03:29,276 Speaker 1: Center so that I could see Juilliard up close. By 53 00:03:29,276 --> 00:03:31,996 Speaker 1: that point, I knew of Juilliard and the all time 54 00:03:32,076 --> 00:03:35,636 Speaker 1: greats it had helped nurture. Yo Yo Ma and Medori 55 00:03:35,836 --> 00:03:40,076 Speaker 1: had been my favorites. I'd watched a recording of Medori's 56 00:03:40,076 --> 00:03:44,116 Speaker 1: Carnegie Hall recital dozens of times on my living room TV, 57 00:03:45,276 --> 00:03:47,876 Speaker 1: and so as I stood by the entrance of Juilliard 58 00:03:47,876 --> 00:03:53,036 Speaker 1: that day, I felt goosebumps, imagining all the remarkable musicians 59 00:03:53,036 --> 00:03:56,196 Speaker 1: who had walked in and out of this building. I 60 00:03:56,276 --> 00:04:01,596 Speaker 1: resolved to practice harder that next day. Suddenly, my mom 61 00:04:01,636 --> 00:04:04,676 Speaker 1: looked at me and said very matter of factly, Hey, 62 00:04:05,356 --> 00:04:08,116 Speaker 1: why don't we just go in? What do you mean, 63 00:04:08,436 --> 00:04:12,116 Speaker 1: just go in? I thought she was nuts. What's the 64 00:04:12,156 --> 00:04:15,436 Speaker 1: worst thing that can happen, Maya? She asked me. I 65 00:04:15,476 --> 00:04:19,316 Speaker 1: could think of many worst case scenarios. That I agreed, 66 00:04:19,636 --> 00:04:21,956 Speaker 1: and within minutes we were in the lobby with my 67 00:04:22,036 --> 00:04:26,196 Speaker 1: mom asking the staff if we could take a look around. There, 68 00:04:26,236 --> 00:04:28,836 Speaker 1: we stuck up a conversation with a young student named 69 00:04:28,916 --> 00:04:31,956 Speaker 1: Nicole and her mom. They were rushing off to the 70 00:04:31,996 --> 00:04:35,236 Speaker 1: fourth floor for a violin lesson with Nicole's teacher, but 71 00:04:35,356 --> 00:04:37,796 Speaker 1: invited us to join them for the elevator ride so 72 00:04:37,836 --> 00:04:42,156 Speaker 1: that we could keep our conversation going. Nicole was studying 73 00:04:42,236 --> 00:04:47,116 Speaker 1: under one of Juilliard's all star professors, doctor Juan bin Imm. 74 00:04:47,796 --> 00:04:50,596 Speaker 1: Doctor Im had studied under Dorothy Delay, who, as you 75 00:04:50,676 --> 00:04:55,396 Speaker 1: might know, taught legends like Itsak Pelman. Just when I 76 00:04:55,436 --> 00:04:58,676 Speaker 1: thought my mom couldn't pull out any more surprises, she 77 00:04:58,756 --> 00:05:02,516 Speaker 1: turned to Nicole's mom with a question, could they kindly 78 00:05:02,556 --> 00:05:08,076 Speaker 1: introduce us to doctor M after their lesson. Amazingly, one 79 00:05:08,196 --> 00:05:11,196 Speaker 1: hour later, I found myself playing the first movement of 80 00:05:11,196 --> 00:05:15,276 Speaker 1: the Bach Violin Concerto for doctor M. After I finished 81 00:05:15,276 --> 00:05:19,076 Speaker 1: playing Doctor m expressed what can charitably be described as 82 00:05:19,356 --> 00:05:23,516 Speaker 1: muted enthusiasm. It was clear that while I had strong 83 00:05:23,596 --> 00:05:27,276 Speaker 1: musical instincts, I did not have the technical skills needed 84 00:05:27,316 --> 00:05:30,636 Speaker 1: to get into a place like Juilliard. But he told 85 00:05:30,676 --> 00:05:32,916 Speaker 1: me that he was taking residence at the Aspen Music 86 00:05:32,956 --> 00:05:35,556 Speaker 1: Festival that summer and would be willing to take me 87 00:05:35,636 --> 00:05:38,276 Speaker 1: on as a temporary student to see if we could 88 00:05:38,356 --> 00:05:41,396 Speaker 1: level up my skills in advance of the Juilliard audition 89 00:05:41,556 --> 00:05:46,916 Speaker 1: in late August. I was giddy with excitement. That summer 90 00:05:47,076 --> 00:05:50,596 Speaker 1: was a total game changer for me. Doctor Im was 91 00:05:50,636 --> 00:05:54,556 Speaker 1: a fantastic teacher. He put me through a rigorous boot camp, 92 00:05:54,876 --> 00:05:58,396 Speaker 1: and after hours of intense practice every day for months, 93 00:05:58,916 --> 00:06:04,476 Speaker 1: I finally completed my Juilliard audition. A few weeks later, 94 00:06:04,516 --> 00:06:07,996 Speaker 1: we got a call from doctor Im. Hello, missus Shunker. 95 00:06:08,156 --> 00:06:11,556 Speaker 1: He said to my mom, is there any chance Maya's 96 00:06:11,636 --> 00:06:16,236 Speaker 1: name is actually Anna? My mom politely answered that no, 97 00:06:16,636 --> 00:06:19,996 Speaker 1: Anna was not my name. Doctor In then explained that 98 00:06:20,036 --> 00:06:22,916 Speaker 1: he had received the list of accepted students at Juilliard 99 00:06:23,236 --> 00:06:26,316 Speaker 1: and a certain Anna Shunker had been on the list. 100 00:06:27,596 --> 00:06:29,516 Speaker 1: I remember thinking I'd be happy to go to a 101 00:06:29,556 --> 00:06:32,476 Speaker 1: court right there, and then to register a name change. 102 00:06:33,596 --> 00:06:36,756 Speaker 1: I had only lived nine years on this planet as 103 00:06:36,876 --> 00:06:39,356 Speaker 1: a Maya. I could become an Ana if that's what 104 00:06:39,436 --> 00:06:44,116 Speaker 1: the situation required of me. But thankfully Anna turned out 105 00:06:44,116 --> 00:06:46,716 Speaker 1: to be me, or I turned out to be Anna, 106 00:06:47,036 --> 00:06:50,556 Speaker 1: or whatever the point is, someone somewhere had made a typo, 107 00:06:51,116 --> 00:06:53,676 Speaker 1: and I was able to both keep my real name 108 00:06:54,036 --> 00:06:58,556 Speaker 1: and enroll at Juilliard in the fall. This brings us 109 00:06:58,596 --> 00:07:00,636 Speaker 1: to the first lesson I want to share with all 110 00:07:00,636 --> 00:07:03,796 Speaker 1: of you. It's about the power of what you might 111 00:07:03,876 --> 00:07:09,676 Speaker 1: call imaginative courage. Imaginative courage is what my mom for me. 112 00:07:09,876 --> 00:07:12,756 Speaker 1: By envisioning a path to Juilliard in the first place, 113 00:07:13,756 --> 00:07:16,316 Speaker 1: she was unafraid to ask the questions that opened up 114 00:07:16,356 --> 00:07:20,836 Speaker 1: opportunities I hadn't imagined for myself. Why don't we just 115 00:07:20,876 --> 00:07:24,436 Speaker 1: go in? What's the worst that can happen? Might it 116 00:07:24,476 --> 00:07:28,476 Speaker 1: be possible to meet doctor M. By the way, I 117 00:07:28,476 --> 00:07:31,076 Speaker 1: should note that my mom is here in the audience today. 118 00:07:31,276 --> 00:07:39,996 Speaker 2: Hi, Mom. 119 00:07:40,276 --> 00:07:42,916 Speaker 1: Feels good to have gotten an actual invite to enter 120 00:07:42,916 --> 00:07:43,716 Speaker 1: the building this day. 121 00:07:43,796 --> 00:07:47,956 Speaker 2: Right when I said earlier. 122 00:07:47,516 --> 00:07:49,636 Speaker 1: That I didn't have a chance of getting into Juilliard 123 00:07:49,676 --> 00:07:51,196 Speaker 1: when I first played for Doctor M. 124 00:07:51,316 --> 00:07:54,396 Speaker 2: That spring Day. I was not being falsely modest. 125 00:07:55,036 --> 00:07:57,396 Speaker 1: Doctor m later confessed to my mom that when he 126 00:07:57,516 --> 00:08:00,996 Speaker 1: first heard me play, he also felt my chances were slim, 127 00:08:01,396 --> 00:08:04,756 Speaker 1: but that he quote appreciated Maya's enthusiasm. 128 00:08:06,116 --> 00:08:08,356 Speaker 2: My mom had created a critical opening for me. 129 00:08:09,116 --> 00:08:11,556 Speaker 1: If she had not taken that bold step, I would 130 00:08:11,596 --> 00:08:14,636 Speaker 1: never have experienced the joy and growth that I had 131 00:08:14,676 --> 00:08:18,436 Speaker 1: here at Juilliard. Some of you here will go on 132 00:08:18,516 --> 00:08:22,276 Speaker 1: to become professional musicians. Others of you may become teachers, 133 00:08:22,396 --> 00:08:23,956 Speaker 1: or doctors or activists. 134 00:08:24,876 --> 00:08:26,676 Speaker 2: Your paths will develop. 135 00:08:26,316 --> 00:08:29,796 Speaker 1: And change, and there will be times when it seems 136 00:08:29,836 --> 00:08:32,876 Speaker 1: like what you want and hope for does not exist 137 00:08:33,196 --> 00:08:37,076 Speaker 1: or isn't possible. But this is when you can call 138 00:08:37,196 --> 00:08:41,116 Speaker 1: on your Juilliard training. A good musician knows that there 139 00:08:41,196 --> 00:08:44,916 Speaker 1: is more to a great performance than simply playing the 140 00:08:44,956 --> 00:08:47,996 Speaker 1: notes on the page. They know how to bring forth 141 00:08:48,076 --> 00:08:52,316 Speaker 1: beauty and create feeling based not on what's there yet, 142 00:08:52,436 --> 00:08:54,716 Speaker 1: but what they have imagined in their minds. 143 00:08:55,436 --> 00:08:57,396 Speaker 2: As musicians, you all know how to. 144 00:08:57,476 --> 00:09:01,396 Speaker 1: Look beyond the page, and life will require more of 145 00:09:01,436 --> 00:09:06,676 Speaker 1: this same imagination. Years after my time at Juilliard, I 146 00:09:06,756 --> 00:09:09,516 Speaker 1: ended up getting my PhD in cognitive science, where I 147 00:09:09,516 --> 00:09:13,356 Speaker 1: study the science of human behavior and decision making. I 148 00:09:13,436 --> 00:09:15,636 Speaker 1: realized that rather than work in a lab, which was 149 00:09:15,676 --> 00:09:18,916 Speaker 1: the expected path, I wanted to use my knowledge to 150 00:09:18,956 --> 00:09:22,476 Speaker 1: improve how we designed government programs and policies so that 151 00:09:22,516 --> 00:09:25,596 Speaker 1: they could better serve people. But there was no such 152 00:09:25,636 --> 00:09:30,116 Speaker 1: position available to apply for, and so I did for 153 00:09:30,196 --> 00:09:33,676 Speaker 1: myself what my mom had once done for me. I 154 00:09:33,756 --> 00:09:37,636 Speaker 1: asked questions and took a bold step. Why don't I 155 00:09:37,716 --> 00:09:41,916 Speaker 1: just go in? What's the worst that can happen? I 156 00:09:41,996 --> 00:09:44,516 Speaker 1: sent a cold email to an advisor in the Obama 157 00:09:44,516 --> 00:09:47,236 Speaker 1: White House, asking if they'd be willing to create a 158 00:09:47,276 --> 00:09:50,836 Speaker 1: new position for someone with my training and ideally. 159 00:09:50,556 --> 00:09:51,956 Speaker 2: Hire me for the role. 160 00:09:53,396 --> 00:09:56,396 Speaker 1: Days later, I was interviewing with the White House and 161 00:09:56,436 --> 00:10:00,196 Speaker 1: they ended up hiring me. My years working in public 162 00:10:00,236 --> 00:10:02,956 Speaker 1: policy ended up being some of the most rewarding and 163 00:10:02,996 --> 00:10:06,516 Speaker 1: impactful of my life, and they wouldn't have happened if 164 00:10:06,516 --> 00:10:09,276 Speaker 1: I hadn't been inspired by my mom to imagine and 165 00:10:09,356 --> 00:10:13,076 Speaker 1: something beyond the existing page. 166 00:10:13,396 --> 00:10:15,596 Speaker 2: Okay, now back to my story with the violin. 167 00:10:16,876 --> 00:10:19,796 Speaker 1: After I was accepted at Juilliard, my life assumed a 168 00:10:19,836 --> 00:10:23,036 Speaker 1: new rhythm. Every Saturday, my mom and I would wake 169 00:10:23,116 --> 00:10:25,076 Speaker 1: up at four thirty in the morning to catch a 170 00:10:25,116 --> 00:10:27,836 Speaker 1: train from Connecticut to New York so I could take 171 00:10:27,876 --> 00:10:29,436 Speaker 1: part in a full day of classes. 172 00:10:29,916 --> 00:10:32,036 Speaker 2: You all know the drill, private. 173 00:10:31,716 --> 00:10:37,356 Speaker 1: Lessons, orchestra music theory, ear training, scale class, masterclasses, chamber music, 174 00:10:37,876 --> 00:10:40,556 Speaker 1: and of course gossiping about who got what part and 175 00:10:40,596 --> 00:10:44,716 Speaker 1: who we had crushes on. By the way, Shunseegesato, if 176 00:10:44,756 --> 00:10:48,836 Speaker 1: you ever hear this, I recently discovered diary entries about you, 177 00:10:48,956 --> 00:10:51,756 Speaker 1: in which I wrote things like, oh my god, he 178 00:10:51,956 --> 00:10:54,996 Speaker 1: is so good at the violin. We could play a 179 00:10:55,076 --> 00:10:58,516 Speaker 1: duet at our wedding, but he'd definitely be the first 180 00:10:58,556 --> 00:11:06,156 Speaker 1: violin part. All my Juilliard training began to pay off. 181 00:11:06,956 --> 00:11:11,396 Speaker 1: I started winning concerto competitions, soloing with orchestras in the 182 00:11:11,476 --> 00:11:15,756 Speaker 1: Juilliard Pre College Orchestra. The distance between Shunseke's concert master 183 00:11:15,876 --> 00:11:20,396 Speaker 1: chair and my chair began to decrease. When I was thirteen, 184 00:11:20,756 --> 00:11:23,876 Speaker 1: it saw Pearlman invited me to be his private violin student. 185 00:11:24,676 --> 00:11:27,876 Speaker 1: Mister p as we affectionately called him, gave me the 186 00:11:27,956 --> 00:11:30,756 Speaker 1: vote of confidence I needed to start believing I might 187 00:11:30,796 --> 00:11:34,796 Speaker 1: be able to go pro one day. But then one 188 00:11:34,836 --> 00:11:37,596 Speaker 1: summer morning, when I was fifteen, I was at the 189 00:11:37,596 --> 00:11:43,796 Speaker 1: Peerlman Music Program practicing Paganini's challenging Caprice number thirteen. I 190 00:11:43,836 --> 00:11:46,676 Speaker 1: was struggling to get this one passage right and I 191 00:11:46,756 --> 00:11:50,356 Speaker 1: overstretched my finger on a single note. I heard a pop. 192 00:11:52,636 --> 00:11:54,916 Speaker 1: It was not a string that had popped, but a 193 00:11:55,036 --> 00:11:58,996 Speaker 1: tendon in my hand. For months, I remained in denial 194 00:11:59,116 --> 00:12:03,036 Speaker 1: about my injury. I continued to play through pain until 195 00:12:03,036 --> 00:12:07,516 Speaker 1: the pain got so severe I needed surgery, and when 196 00:12:07,516 --> 00:12:10,836 Speaker 1: that wasn't successful, doctors finally told me I had to 197 00:12:10,876 --> 00:12:16,596 Speaker 1: stop playing altogether. I found myself grieving not just the 198 00:12:16,636 --> 00:12:19,836 Speaker 1: loss of the instrument, but also the loss of myself. 199 00:12:21,276 --> 00:12:23,996 Speaker 1: If I was in an airport without a violent strap 200 00:12:23,996 --> 00:12:26,916 Speaker 1: around my shoulder, it felt like I was missing a limb. 201 00:12:28,516 --> 00:12:32,316 Speaker 1: The violin had defined me for so long, and without it, 202 00:12:32,356 --> 00:12:36,756 Speaker 1: I felt stuck. I would later learn that this experience 203 00:12:36,836 --> 00:12:40,076 Speaker 1: is known as identity paralysis, and it happens to a 204 00:12:40,116 --> 00:12:45,036 Speaker 1: lot of us when we experience unexpected, unwanted change, who 205 00:12:45,076 --> 00:12:47,876 Speaker 1: we think we are and what we're about is suddenly 206 00:12:47,916 --> 00:12:52,636 Speaker 1: called into question. Ultimately, I found my way again as 207 00:12:52,636 --> 00:12:57,116 Speaker 1: a cognitive scientist, but this formative experience with change seated 208 00:12:57,116 --> 00:13:00,716 Speaker 1: a curiosity in me about how we as humans navigate 209 00:13:00,756 --> 00:13:04,076 Speaker 1: the big changes in our lives and reckon with the 210 00:13:04,116 --> 00:13:08,596 Speaker 1: shifts and self identity that often accompany them. It's a 211 00:13:08,636 --> 00:13:11,516 Speaker 1: topic I've been exploring over the past few years on 212 00:13:11,556 --> 00:13:15,156 Speaker 1: my podcast, A Slight Change of Plans, where I marry 213 00:13:15,236 --> 00:13:18,956 Speaker 1: science and storytelling to help give us better tools for 214 00:13:19,116 --> 00:13:25,476 Speaker 1: handling life's twists and turns. Making this show inspired me 215 00:13:25,596 --> 00:13:29,716 Speaker 1: to revisit my own relationship with the violin. I realized 216 00:13:29,756 --> 00:13:32,476 Speaker 1: that what I missed most about playing the violin was 217 00:13:32,476 --> 00:13:35,236 Speaker 1: that it had given me a vehicle for connecting emotionally 218 00:13:35,316 --> 00:13:38,276 Speaker 1: with others. It turned out that this was at the 219 00:13:38,356 --> 00:13:41,996 Speaker 1: root of my passion for music, and a hopeful message 220 00:13:42,036 --> 00:13:45,836 Speaker 1: emerged from this insight. While I had lost the ability 221 00:13:45,876 --> 00:13:49,396 Speaker 1: to play the violin, I could still find this underlying 222 00:13:49,476 --> 00:13:54,236 Speaker 1: love of human connection in other pursuits. This brings us 223 00:13:54,236 --> 00:13:57,476 Speaker 1: to the second lesson I've learned. We can anchor our 224 00:13:57,516 --> 00:14:01,436 Speaker 1: identities not to what we do, but why we do it. 225 00:14:02,756 --> 00:14:04,956 Speaker 1: Thinking of our identities in this way can make us 226 00:14:04,996 --> 00:14:09,116 Speaker 1: more resilient in the face of change. As you imagine 227 00:14:09,396 --> 00:14:12,516 Speaker 1: your future, ask yourself what drives you to do the 228 00:14:12,556 --> 00:14:16,636 Speaker 1: things you love? What really lights you up about them. 229 00:14:17,116 --> 00:14:20,956 Speaker 1: Connecting emotionally with people is what makes me tick. For you, 230 00:14:21,076 --> 00:14:24,236 Speaker 1: it might be a love of storytelling, or learning new things, 231 00:14:24,356 --> 00:14:29,196 Speaker 1: or challenging yourselves or helping others. Whatever it is, remember 232 00:14:29,276 --> 00:14:32,516 Speaker 1: this can help you feel grounded during periods of uncertainty, 233 00:14:32,956 --> 00:14:36,476 Speaker 1: guiding you towards your next steps while still retaining the 234 00:14:36,476 --> 00:14:41,316 Speaker 1: core of who you are. The third and final lesson 235 00:14:41,316 --> 00:14:45,116 Speaker 1: that I've learned is to make space for awe. I 236 00:14:45,196 --> 00:14:47,676 Speaker 1: remember one night when I was twelve and at the 237 00:14:47,676 --> 00:14:51,156 Speaker 1: Aspen Music Festival. I was lying in bed in the 238 00:14:51,236 --> 00:14:55,316 Speaker 1: dark listening to recording of Ams Sophie Mutter playing the 239 00:14:55,356 --> 00:14:57,796 Speaker 1: Beethoven Violin Concerto on my Discman. 240 00:14:58,796 --> 00:15:00,516 Speaker 2: You see, there are these things called. 241 00:15:00,316 --> 00:15:04,036 Speaker 1: CDs that we once listened to Class of twenty twenty three. 242 00:15:05,956 --> 00:15:08,996 Speaker 1: My heart raced along with the melody, and I felt 243 00:15:09,156 --> 00:15:13,436 Speaker 1: shivers down my spine during certain phrases. I was simply 244 00:15:13,596 --> 00:15:17,436 Speaker 1: awestruck by how beautiful the music was and how it 245 00:15:17,476 --> 00:15:22,036 Speaker 1: made me feel. But as I got older, there were 246 00:15:22,076 --> 00:15:25,796 Speaker 1: many moments when I lost sight of how extraordinary music is. 247 00:15:26,876 --> 00:15:30,036 Speaker 1: Especially in my teens, I became a far more self 248 00:15:30,036 --> 00:15:34,076 Speaker 1: conscious musician, fearful of how my peers would judge my playing, 249 00:15:34,916 --> 00:15:38,916 Speaker 1: envious of those who seemed to play effortlessly, and burdened 250 00:15:38,956 --> 00:15:43,836 Speaker 1: by the competitive nature of performance. My constant mental chatter 251 00:15:44,196 --> 00:15:50,516 Speaker 1: focused on all the wrong stuff, muted the awe and then, 252 00:15:50,556 --> 00:15:51,556 Speaker 1: as you know, I. 253 00:15:51,516 --> 00:15:52,676 Speaker 2: Stopped being able to play. 254 00:15:54,036 --> 00:15:56,676 Speaker 1: A few years after my injury, I was diagnosed with 255 00:15:56,756 --> 00:16:01,196 Speaker 1: juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. This fully ended any hope that the 256 00:16:01,276 --> 00:16:03,676 Speaker 1: violin might still be a part of my future. 257 00:16:05,396 --> 00:16:07,076 Speaker 2: But then something else happened. 258 00:16:08,276 --> 00:16:11,116 Speaker 1: One day in graduate school, I learned that I had 259 00:16:11,156 --> 00:16:15,716 Speaker 1: been misdiagnosed. I could stop taking the immunosuppressant drugs and 260 00:16:15,756 --> 00:16:18,796 Speaker 1: anti inflammatories that had been a staple of my day 261 00:16:18,836 --> 00:16:22,356 Speaker 1: to day life for six years up until that point. 262 00:16:23,116 --> 00:16:27,436 Speaker 1: A week later, I received a phone call. The organizers 263 00:16:27,436 --> 00:16:29,996 Speaker 1: of an academic conference I was slated to attend in 264 00:16:30,036 --> 00:16:32,836 Speaker 1: South Africa that summer let me know that they had 265 00:16:32,836 --> 00:16:37,996 Speaker 1: a surprise guest of honor, the violinist Joshua Bell, and 266 00:16:38,076 --> 00:16:40,036 Speaker 1: they wanted to know if I'd liked to perform the 267 00:16:40,076 --> 00:16:44,756 Speaker 1: back double with him. They had no idea that it 268 00:16:44,796 --> 00:16:48,236 Speaker 1: had been years since I picked up my violin, or 269 00:16:48,276 --> 00:16:50,756 Speaker 1: that I had so much scar tissue built up in 270 00:16:50,796 --> 00:16:54,116 Speaker 1: my hand. I realistically only had a concert or two 271 00:16:54,236 --> 00:16:57,356 Speaker 1: left in me period. I wanted this to be one 272 00:16:57,356 --> 00:16:59,036 Speaker 1: of them. 273 00:16:59,916 --> 00:17:00,916 Speaker 2: That night, I. 274 00:17:00,916 --> 00:17:04,796 Speaker 1: Performed with Josh Bell on an outdoor stage under a 275 00:17:04,836 --> 00:17:09,036 Speaker 1: starry sky in South Africa. In the middle of the 276 00:17:09,276 --> 00:17:12,836 Speaker 1: second movement, when the two violins sing in unison, an 277 00:17:12,956 --> 00:17:17,476 Speaker 1: old familiar feeling returned. My heart raced and I was 278 00:17:17,516 --> 00:17:22,436 Speaker 1: in awe of the music. How lucky are we as 279 00:17:22,516 --> 00:17:27,316 Speaker 1: humans to be moved by music? It is remarkable that 280 00:17:27,356 --> 00:17:31,516 Speaker 1: a collection of musical notes arranged just so can bring 281 00:17:31,596 --> 00:17:36,836 Speaker 1: us to tears. Whether it's the Beethoven Emperor Concerto or 282 00:17:36,876 --> 00:17:40,476 Speaker 1: Taylor Swift's all too well ten minute version, I mean, 283 00:17:40,516 --> 00:17:44,356 Speaker 1: it is really great. Feelings of awe can help us 284 00:17:44,396 --> 00:17:47,516 Speaker 1: tack into better versions of who we are as humans. 285 00:17:48,676 --> 00:17:51,316 Speaker 1: Research shows that in the presence of awe, we focus 286 00:17:51,436 --> 00:17:55,876 Speaker 1: less on ourselves and more on others. We become more generous, 287 00:17:56,476 --> 00:17:58,836 Speaker 1: and we're more inclined to feel that we are part 288 00:17:58,876 --> 00:18:04,996 Speaker 1: of something bigger than ourselves. Today, as you celebrate what 289 00:18:05,036 --> 00:18:08,596 Speaker 1: you have achieved and you begin to anticipate the joys 290 00:18:08,636 --> 00:18:13,516 Speaker 1: and challenge that lie ahead, remember to practice imaginative courage. 291 00:18:14,556 --> 00:18:17,796 Speaker 1: Remember that who you are is far richer than you 292 00:18:17,836 --> 00:18:22,236 Speaker 1: may think, and seek out AWE because it can inspire 293 00:18:22,316 --> 00:18:25,876 Speaker 1: you to connect with the best parts of yourselves. I 294 00:18:25,916 --> 00:18:28,876 Speaker 1: cannot wait to see the impact you each have on 295 00:18:28,916 --> 00:18:32,716 Speaker 1: this world. Congrats again, and thank you so much.