--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Early on, I was a performer playing…" description: "\"Early on, I was a performer playing classical music. It's in my DNA in a way that I can't begin to extract it.\" — Bryce Dessner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/bryce-dessner-9086_classical_early-on-i-was-a-performer-playing-class_1773929.png" --- # Early on, I was a performer playing classical music. It's… ![“Early on, I was a performer playing classical music. It's in my DNA in a way that I can't begin to extract it.” quote by Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/bryce-dessner-9086_classical_early-on-i-was-a-performer-playing-class_1773929.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/bryce-dessner-9086_classical_early-on-i-was-a-performer-playing-class_1773929.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d0/bryce-dessner-9086_classical_early-on-i-was-a-performer-playing-class_1773929.png) > “Early on, I was a performer playing classical music. It's in my DNA in a way that I can't begin to extract it.” [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early musical training becomes an intrinsic part of identity, shaping creative expression. **In simple terms:** Music is ingrained in his DNA. Key Takeaway Embrace your foundational influences. Themes creativity identity music Mood introspective motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - learning an instrument - composing - performing live Key Concepts innate talent artistic lineage self‑concept Questions to Reflect On - How does your early training limit or free you? - Can you reinvent your artistic voice? A Different Perspective Risk of feeling trapped by past identity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Classical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classical/) [Classical music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classical-music/) [Dna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dna/) [Early](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/early/) [Early Performer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/early-performer-1803631/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Dna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-dna-389519/) [Playing Classical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-classical-1283805/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I started playing classical music, and I still do. I think music ultimately is kind of on a theoretical level, is about collecting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eldar-djangirov/i-started-playing-classical-music-and-i-still-do-i-think-music/) [Eldar Djangirov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eldar-djangirov/) > [Ask about music growing up, I'll tell you I grew up playing classical music, and I didn't grow up in a musical household.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-rogers/ask-about-music-growing-up-i-ll-tell-you-i-grew-up-playing-classical/) [Maggie Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-rogers/) > [I kind of grew up with hip hop and of course being from Detroit I'm a Motown man. Music is in our blood. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/i-kind-of-grew-up-with-hip-hop-and-of-course-being-from-detroit-i-m-a/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [Music is in my DNA!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rihanna/music-is-in-my-dna/) [Rihanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rihanna/) > [I started when I was really young. I was playing classical music when I was 4 and when I turned 11 I started to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/i-started-when-i-was-really-young-i-was-playing-classical-music-when/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [Me, who's educated classically, I went toward rock music 'cause it was sort of a natural evolution from where I was playing with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/me-who-s-educated-classically-i-went-toward-rock-music-cause-it-was/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [There is a reactionary conservative side of classical music, which is not the most exciting side of it. The side that draws me in,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/there-is-a-reactionary-conservative-side-of-classical-music-which-is/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [Being a classical musician, you can go to school for it; you can go get a degree. Even as a composer, there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/being-a-classical-musician-you-can-go-to-school-for-it-you-can-go-get/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [When I work on films, I like to be involved from as early as possible. I think this is really good and beneficial in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-johannsson/when-i-work-on-films-i-like-to-be-involved-from-as-early-as-possible/) [Johann Johannsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-johannsson/) > [There was never anything in particular that led me to music. Music is in my DNA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/there-was-never-anything-in-particular-that-led-me-to-music-music-is/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [Personally, I think young musicians need to learn to play more than one style. Jazz can only enhance the classical side, and classical can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-severinsen/personally-i-think-young-musicians-need-to-learn-to-play-more-than/) [Doc Severinsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-severinsen/) > [I spent ten years playing classical piano, and that was what led to keyboards and eventually to production and to Linkin Park.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/i-spent-ten-years-playing-classical-piano-and-that-was-what-led-to/) [Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/) > [I started getting interested in the notes that I could hear being generated when I hammered on while playing a classical guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-frith/i-started-getting-interested-in-the-notes-that-i-could-hear-being/) [Fred Frith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-frith/) > [My mom had this romantic notion of her children playing classical music. The idea is you learn it when you're still learning language. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/my-mom-had-this-romantic-notion-of-her-children-playing-classical/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [There was a period when I'd just come out of college where I'd been playing classical guitar and I suddenly realised that it wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-summers/there-was-a-period-when-i-d-just-come-out-of-college-where-i-d-been/) [Andy Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-summers/) ## More by Bryce Dessner > [Obviously there are pieces of classical music that are some of the most beautiful music ever written, for me anyway is a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/obviously-there-are-pieces-of-classical-music-that-are-some-of-the/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [You don't come to our shows if you want to look cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/you-don-t-come-to-our-shows-if-you-want-to-look-cool/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [Typically, people think, 'Oh the hippies and the punks hated each other,' or that those things don't go together musically. Sometimes that is true,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/typically-people-think-oh-the-hippies-and-the-punks-hated-each-other/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [Art is a way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/art-is-a-way-of-life/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [When I'm writing instrumental music, I try to find musical and non-musical inspirations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/when-i-m-writing-instrumental-music-i-try-to-find-musical-and-non/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [With 'Boxer,' we made the kind of music we wanted to make and didn't really worry about what the expectation was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/with-boxer-we-made-the-kind-of-music-we-wanted-to-make-and-didn-t/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [I like to write on tour busses and airplanes. Something about moving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/i-like-to-write-on-tour-busses-and-airplanes-something-about-moving/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [In terms of the music, it feels almost like trouble's a good thing - you never know when a song is going to surprise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/in-terms-of-the-music-it-feels-almost-like-trouble-s-a-good-thing-you/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [When we learned to play in bands, what we were covering was equal part the Velvet Underground and the Grateful Dead. That would defy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/when-we-learned-to-play-in-bands-what-we-were-covering-was-equal-part/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [I love the physicality of instruments, and instruments as objects, like dancers are bodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/i-love-the-physicality-of-instruments-and-instruments-as-objects-like/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [Me, who's educated classically, I went toward rock music 'cause it was sort of a natural evolution from where I was playing with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/me-who-s-educated-classically-i-went-toward-rock-music-cause-it-was/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [My background in music is classical - I did graduate school in music. At that time, I was studying composition, but I was studying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/my-background-in-music-is-classical-i-did-graduate-school-in-music-at/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [I've got this diverse education, growing up in classical music and existing between that and music that is more visceral, so for sure, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/i-ve-got-this-diverse-education-growing-up-in-classical-music-and/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [A good song is a nice set of chords and some good lyrics; a great song is a song that reinvents itself over time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/a-good-song-is-a-nice-set-of-chords-and-some-good-lyrics-a-great-song/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) > [The thing I realised about composition is, we remember most composers for four bars of music. Four singable bars of music. Pretty much any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dessner/the-thing-i-realised-about-composition-is-we-remember-most-composers/) [Bryce Dessner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) [Explore all 75 Bryce Dessner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dessner/) ## More Classical quotes > [I'm very fond of classical music, especially Mozart. I find it relaxes me and helps me concentrate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guler-sabanci/i-m-very-fond-of-classical-music-especially-mozart-i-find-it-relaxes/) [Guler Sabanci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guler-sabanci/) > [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/) [Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/) > [I bring my classical training - some of it, but not all of it - and also my background and culture, to spirituals. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-battle/i-bring-my-classical-training-some-of-it-but-not-all-of-it-and-also/) [Kathleen Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-battle/) > [To become a classical ballerina, you have to move to New York when you're 12 or 11 and that becomes your life. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/to-become-a-classical-ballerina-you-have-to-move-to-new-york-when-you/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [I studied classical opera, so I was always singing in Italian and German and French.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wang-leehom/i-studied-classical-opera-so-i-was-always-singing-in-italian-and/) [Wang Leehom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wang-leehom/) > [I listen to classical music very much. There's a lot of jazz that I don't enjoy listening to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-konitz/i-listen-to-classical-music-very-much-there-s-a-lot-of-jazz-that-i/) [Lee Konitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-konitz/) > [But if you listen to great piano players, both classical and jazz, there's a huge range of dynamics and colors and emotional expression that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-burton/but-if-you-listen-to-great-piano-players-both-classical-and-jazz/) [Gary Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-burton/) > [I would say 'Home' is a lot richer and deeper than my earlier classical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anoushka-shankar/i-would-say-home-is-a-lot-richer-and-deeper-than-my-earlier-classical/) [Anoushka Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anoushka-shankar/) > [“For eyes we have no models in the remotely antique.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/for-eyes-we-have-no-models-in-the-remotely-antique/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [First of all, we have to go back to the classical time control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-karpov/first-of-all-we-have-to-go-back-to-the-classical-time-control/) [Anatoly Karpov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-karpov/) > [Well, I very rarely watch classical adaptations, because they usually do very good books, and a lot of the things they do... I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-marsh/well-i-very-rarely-watch-classical-adaptations-because-they-usually/) [Jean Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-marsh/) > [I like to incorporate classical songs that people know and throw a beat and some guitars on it to make it real crazy. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-keys/i-like-to-incorporate-classical-songs-that-people-know-and-throw-a/) [Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-keys/) > [I love Adele and Lykke Li. I also listen to classical music as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/birdy/i-love-adele-and-lykke-li-i-also-listen-to-classical-music-as-well/) [Birdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/birdy/) > [Andres Segovia, the great name for guitar, he put classical guitar on the map. He was the proponent of it, the best in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-benson/andres-segovia-the-great-name-for-guitar-he-put-classical-guitar-on/) [George Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-benson/) > [I did stand-up for a long time, and I did classical theater. As much time as you could spend on a stage will always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durand/i-did-stand-up-for-a-long-time-and-i-did-classical-theater-as-much/) [Kevin Durand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durand/) [Browse all 601 Classical quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classical/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Early on, I was a performer playing classical music. 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