Art doesn't live in a vacuum. It is shaped by its context.

My musical training took me to study classical music at a conservatory-level university. Studying music in such a way is studying a traditional way of doing things — one that has been preserved from Western European cultures, from salons, theatres, churches, and intimate recitals in the home.

Now the settings for music have changed with economic and technological shifts. Parties, events, social media, huge clubs, mega stages — venues powered by technological innovations and financial ticketing structures dominate the way music is shared today.

The Bay Area has a particular shape for music culture. Formed so much by Burning Man and adjacent club/electronic music scenes, the culture turns everyone and their mother into a DJ.

Why though? Because it's easy — low lift, low barrier to entry, it gets people moving, and it fills the room and space. Since everyone's a DJ too, it's easy to fill almost every event with one.

The classical music snobbery from music school scoffs at the DJ scene. DJs are not "real musicians," after all.

But why resist the culture here? Maybe there's an opportunity for the classically trained to integrate their skills into DJ technologies to create something new, or at least something unique to the performer. It's much easier to stand out as a classical violinist who shreds over deep house than as a standard DJ running through their playlist.

Don't resist the context. Flow with it. Collaborate with it. See how you can use its momentum to propel your art further into its evolution.