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| Gartner's Cycle of Hype |
I just got this graph from Seth Godin which explains technology marketing (here's a link to that if you want to read it yourself). When I saw that, I immediately identify that with my situation, only I would like to think of it as "cycle of hope."
In my case, when I first started concert managing, I wasn't triggered by any technology. Instead, I was missing so much of good, high quality music and inspiring musicians and I think at some point God answered my longing by sending European Camerata to Bandung. I got the project. It was a huge success. There were 700+ people at the concert hall, and that pushed me to think that Bandung is indeed a promising land for classical music. So I was triggered by hope.
During the first 2 years, I went to the peak of expectations, but afterward, I went down the slope. After 5 years, I'm through with the disillusionment. Classical music, in my opinion, is one of the highest form of art. And to really be able to understand, enjoy and embrace it, you need the best of people to produce it, and the best of people to accept it. I have to be honest, good musicians are not enough. During 5 years I've met very, very good musicians with amazing talents, yet only very few can inspire. It's not easy. And when artists fail to touch the hearts of their listeners, it's not easy to convince them to come to the next show.
Of course, local concert-goers here are not the best, most loyal friends, either. Rainy day, difficulty in finding parking space, hot and humid auditorium will stop them from coming. Ticket price must never exceed price for movie + popcorn, otherwise I'm out of competition. There are so many things to think of when you're not dealing with classical music hooligans.
Now, after 5 years, there I am, at the bottom of the slope, and waiting for an enlightenment so I can climb up and restart productivity. And that is my cycle of hope. Like everything else in life, I'll lose it, but time will give back things that are missing in our life. Until that silver lining appears, I will enjoy my day under the cloud with my books, my music, my family and friends.
