Thomas J. West Music

*peterbuffet.com/books/cover

This summer will be three years that my website in its current form will have been live on the Internet. In that time, as it has grown, I have been exposed to many amazing opportunities that I would never have expected. About a month ago, one of those opportunities came looking for me.

Peter Buffett: Composer, Musician, Philanthropist

I received a message through the contact page of my website from a marketing firm representing Peter Buffett, the second son of world-famous investor Warren Buffett. Mr. Buffett is currently on tour in a series of performances entitled Life is What You Make It: A Concert and Conversation with Peter Buffett. It is an interesting event: part promotion tour for his new book of the same title (pictured above), part music concert, and part interactive conversation exploring concepts from his book.

I was contacted because the agent found my website as one that was, in his words, "focused on music as a positive catalyst for education." Mr. Buffett is interested in reaching as many young people as possible through music to deliver his message - that your attitude determines your destiny. Mr. Buffett will be performing his concert/conversation just two weeks from this publication on Monday, April 19th at 7:30 PM at the renown World Cafe in Philadelphia.The revenue from ticket sales for this concert will benefit Live Connections, a non-profit dedicated to music, education and support for artists that creates innovative programs for kids, hosts concerts for the community and helps artists build their careers and their connection to the region.

The agent wanted me to share this opportunity with the readership of my website and my own music students. "I can do better than that," I told him, "I would love to attend the concert and write a review for my website!" I will be attending the concert, taking notes, and maybe even doing a tweetcast using #pbuffett as a hashtag.

Life is What You Make It: Music and Personal Growth

One of the things that I find most intriguing about Mr. Buffett's book and concept is that he is using his passion - music, to deliver a message of self-help and personal growth. I myself over the past six years have been on my own path of growth and exploration. It literally began with reaching a point in my teaching career and personal life where I was tired of getting pounded over and over with the same issues. It took a bold move - going from a tenured position in a rural Pennsylvania school to a risky one-year long-term substitute band directing position in a prominent suburban school district, to shake things up and open new opportunities.

It was when I was moving out of our home that the first epiphany came over me. I had an attic full of old toys that my mother had lovingly preserved for me. Rather than move it all, I opened an eBay account and made over $1000! It was then that I realized I was holding myself back from having a much more fulfilling life simply by limiting the way I defined my own role in the world. That began a long (and rocky) journey that has taken me through many shifts in paradigm to the current self-definition I have for myself, which can best be described as a music educator - composer - clinician - author - adjudicator. Innovation and creation are my new buzz words.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Mr. Buffet has to offer his audience, and I have a funny feeling that his message is one that I already resonate with through my own personal growth as a musician and a person.

Get In On The Action!

If you live in the Greater Philadelphia area, please join me at the concert on April 19th! Tickets are available here. If you are going, please contact me or tweet me and let me know to look for you! Also, you can pre-order the book now before its release date on April 27th. I'm looking forward to sharing my experience after attending this event with everyone.

P.S. - Father Warren Got In On The Act!

A friend of mine sent me a link to an NPR broadcast from October 4th, 2008 describing how Warren Buffett joined Peter on the road that fall as a guest ukulele artist! Enjoy this short recording (5 min.)

This article (c) 2010 Thomas J. West. If you wish to reprint this article on another website or offline, please contact the copyright holder before using.