THE SEXIEST MAN ALIVE - AND WHAT WE HAVE IN COMMON
In case you haven't heard, People Magazine has once again crowned "The Sexiest Man Alive!"
And no, it's not me, but we do have some things in common. We both:
Are wildly handsome and charismatic (okay, I'm one of the two)
Have abs (his look a little different than mine)
Have formal training in acting (I have a minor in drama)
Have hair (albeit he has more and it's not grey)
And...
We can both play the clarinet.
To be clear, our relational skills in playing the clarinet are similar to our abs, which is to say, I can play the clarinet - but similar to everything else, he exceeds me in every way.
And I mean EVERY way.
Yes, that's right, the star of Bridgerton, who also plays Prince Fiyero in the smash duo-pic Wicked, and also played Henry Loomis in the smash hit movie Jurassic World: Rebirth. Though Jonathan Bailey did more than star in Jurassic World, he played the haunting clarinet solo when Loomis first came in contact with a real dinosaur. The moment and the music are touching even without knowing that the actor on stage is also the soloist in the soundtrack.
By the way, he didn't just play clarinet, he played THE clarinet solo. He did this with the finest players in the world at Abbey Road Studios (famed Beatles recording studio), with a John Williams score.
I could explain it more, but trust me, hearing the story from Bailey himself is worth the three minutes. He called it "A dream come true and the highlight of my life."
This really is worth watching and perhaps showing your to your classes
Playing clarinet (with the London Philharmonic clarinets) was the highlight of his life!
That's saying something for someone who has starred in extremely successful movies worldwide, an enormous Netflix hit, and is one of 37 people named People's Sexiest Man Alive.
Let's revisit that statement. Playing clarinet was the highlight of his life!
Yes, you could say it was because he was with the London Philharmonic clarinets - but I would argue that this man is used to being around famous people and jaw-dropping experiences. It's not like they grabbed some shmo off the streets, or someone like me who is trained to appreciate that opportunity.
This guy has memorable moments just about every day. In fact, being in a secluded room with a bunch of violin and flute players recording the solo to a film score might be the least jaw-dropping thing he will do THAT WEEK!
Just moments after recording the John Williams score, Bailey shared his thoughts with young people who make music:
"Find something you love and just keep going. Because you never know when it will all come into alignment like that."
In an article for NBC News, Bailey explained that he was already in London for a stage production of Shakespeare's Richard II and eagerly asked if he could attend the recording session. "Just to watch," Bailey said, and he did. "I got goosebumps — 105-piece world-class orchestra," he raved.
"Because I played the clarinet at school," Bailey explained. "I told you it was a nerdy story! And on the Friday, they said, 'Look, you can come.' And I just wanted to play one — just even if it was like one slightly sharp note in a John Williams score. It would've been my dream come true."
But, out of respect and fear, he declined.
Conductor Alexandre Desplat persisted.
Bailey thought, "I'm gonna regret that for the rest of my life." So he accepted.
Now, Bailey joins the pantheon of famous people who were once a part of their school music programs. The likes of Jennifer Garner, Jimmy Kimmel, Hugh Jackman, Queen Latifah, Tim Cook, and Albert Einstein.
Now is where I would typically ask why they aren't advocates for this profession. Or how they should give back and show support.
Instead, I am just going to ask you to stand in front of your groups today and wonder - "Will one of you be next?"
It might even be a fun start or end-of-class discussion.
Because the next Sexiest Man Alive is probably in a band room right now, trying to figure out why his reed tastes like cardboard. And the next Broadway star could be sitting in the second row, learning that a wrong note is not a moral failing.
After all, you're not just creating great musicians and even better humans. You're creating superstars!
Have a great week, everyone!
Scott