Book Review: Whenever You’re Ready: How to Compose the Life of Your Dreams
by H. Murray Published March 15, 2022.
I stumbled upon this book in the Denver airport during the mania of holiday travel. I picked it up with great curiosity because it’s not often that a concert pianist has a book for sale in an airport. When I finally started reading, I discovered a delightful and inspiring handbook of sorts that covers everything from the practical life lessons one learns in music AND how to create a life you love that defies genres or expectations. Jeeyoon Kim has created a beautiful life centered on her passion for the piano, and she shares everything from her daily routines to her diet and movement recommendations. Since reading this book, I have enjoyed her YouTube channel and tuned in to several episodes of Journey Through Classical Piano, a podcast she created to further share her love of piano repertoire.
I found this book so delightful and inspiring. It made me excited to craft my dream career and life instead of waiting for an invitation. Her writing is refreshing and intimate but full of real-life examples and manageable ways to take the next step towards your most vibrant life. It was especially meaningful to read this message of entrepreneurship from a fellow musician and learn how she created a life founded on her passions. It feels like you are learning from a friend. Her tone is loving, kind, and inviting and inspired me to believe in myself. Kim tells you exactly how to start crafting the life of your dreams, no matter your career path. She gives readers a personal glimpse into her life. She elegantly structures it like a concert she might perform – opening with a prelude followed by five movements, each focused on a different theme. The last page of each section is an opportunity to explore one of the concepts through a journal prompt or idea to ponder. Following each movement is a brief intermission where Jeeyoon shares intimately about specific pieces close to her heart.
If you’re looking for some inspiration or a little motivation to start that project, organize a concert, or reinvent your life in music, you should read this book.
