We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jenn Cornell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jenn below.
Jenn, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
Thank you for having me. It’s a pleasure to be included in Bold Journey’s conversations.
Developing resilience is essential for living. Beyond just it being key in making it through life, it is the way to a deeper enjoyment of being alive. Everyone has ups and downs and I have had my fair share of trials. When faced with painful experiences, I find my resilience through key areas of coping: 1. Reflection: I ask myself what I can learn from the experience and how I might not get myself into those situations again in the future. I use journaling, walks with my dog, time in nature and therapy for reflection. 2. Finding support from loved ones: When I connect with my deep friendships and share my feelings or just spend time with those who love me, I become more able to cope and bounce back. 3. Spiritual nourishment: If I tap into my faith of something more in life than just the daily trials and ‘rat race’, it gives me strength. I pray. I ask for guidance. I trust. I always feel like I can face the world’s troubles better if I open my heart to the potential of magic in the universe. 4. Reset: I give myself permission to get away from it all (getting lost in music, dancing with my husband, drinking a glass of wine, eating a delicious meal, basking in the sunlight) even if it’s just for a moment. By stopping to smell the roses, it reminds me what I’m living for and I become fortified to be resilient again.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a cellist who creates compositions for my own performances, composes for films and in collaboration with other artists in a fusion style of classical music. I play the cello with my own unique style of technique that incorporates technology and effects to better express what I feel. I am passionate about helping others learn how to play the cello and bowed string instruments; so, I teach all ages of students and also lead several student mixed instrument chamber music ensembles. As a performer, I have had the opportunity to play prestigious concerts around the world; but my bread and butter has always been steady engagements in Atlanta where I live. One of my regular performances is at the world’s busiest airport, Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport, where I get to entertain travelers from all walks of life and places. It has ended up being one of the most influential performance opportunities of my career because of all the different kinds of people I meet and the sheer number of them (250k everyday travel through). Even though I have played cello for almost 37 years, I released my first solo album in April of 2020 (yes, right at the start of the pandemic!) which I recorded at Fame Studios and followed that with several self produced albums all through the pandemic. I’m proud of the catalog I have created during the past few years. I am enjoying regular performances again and look forward to upcoming tour dates.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Not giving up when I fail or things get difficult. Doing anything worthwhile takes jet fuel, time and effort. Learning to play the cello and developing a career in music took a long time, lots of effort, and many rejections. My step dad told me once that ‘if you’re not getting no’s then you’re not trying’, meaning that you have to fail to learn your path to succeed!
2. Patience. I have the skill of staying calm and to endure things that are tedious. It has helped me achieve the level of playing cello I have and now continues to help with teaching others how to play. This quality gives me courage in trying situations that the outcome is worth the effort.
3. Dreaming Big. I know there is nothing to lose in going for it. Only everything to gain.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
Once my parents understood how important music was to me and the true connection I had to becoming the best cellist I could, they always kept my lessons and time for music a priority. Even when things got tough financially, my parents kept my cello lessons in the budget. My parents are divorced and I was lucky enough that both of their new partners also agreed with the idea that music was something important to invest in for my well being and development. They all helped me along the way with their unwavering support of time, money, and emotion.
Contact Info:
- Website: jenncello.com
- Instagram: @jenncello
- Facebook: @jenncornellcello
- Youtube: @jenncornell
