Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Laura Camacho. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Laura, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Music has always been a field that I felt deserved a good amount of respect. I simply put my head down and did the work I thought was required to move ahead in this endless path of self-improvement. It’s true that imposter syndrome affects most of us to a certain degree at some point or another. When professors and colleagues kept hiring/recommending me or asking me to teach them, the self doubt would arise but I still took the jobs—most of the time, that is. I didn’t rush anything, and I probably put too much agency in other people’s opinions and not enough in mine. The instances that made me gain some confidence were as simple as feeling comfortable doing certain performances or instruction, receiving validation from figures I respected, or seeing colleagues with a similar toolkit or even a little further back on the same path , who were actively working In recent years I found my perception of the music or technical work required in musicians I was hiring were more and more accurate and proved right. I should have made my voice heard when older colleagues tried to convince me otherwise. I realized I knew right away what needed to be done, and I needed to trust myself. At the same time I’m always learning from other professionals, since the road never ends. It’s basically a fine balancing act of continuing to acquire skills while using and perfecting what you already achieved.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
As a double bass player from Buenos Aires, my focus is on classical and tango music performance, their sub-genres, and their instruction to other musicians. I’m the Music Director of Athens Tango Project, which is a professional training ensemble for musicians in Georgia who want to learn to play this complex and rich music I grew up with . I’m sure I’m not original when saying this again, but I love what music creates in terms of human connection, communicating what words cannot describe, beauty, and as a tool for self-development.
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?
I’ advise anyone starting out to find a teacher and learn as much as you can from them. Follow instructions, trust the process, and always test things yourself. Give it time. Then find another teacher and repeat the cycle. Record yourself when you practice. Listening to your own playing will save you years of wasted practice time. Record yourself live and compare to practice. Music is not about ego, it’s about the process and about the result. Don’t beat yourself up but be realistic, and don’t forget to enjoy the process !
Finally, play as much as you can, and aim to play with those who play more than you.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I’m always looking for musicians who love the music and want to perform seriously. I collaborate with colleagues from all over the world, be it for live performances, recordings, or new compositions for albums or soundtracks. I also coach musicians with less experience. If you’re interested in connecting, feel free to write to me through social media or our website!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.athenstangoproject.com
- Instagram: laura_camacho-bass and athenstangoproject
- Facebook: Athens Tango Project
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-camacho-music
- Youtube: Laura Camacho Bass
- Other: I have music on Apple Music, Spotify, Bandcamp, and more.
Image Credits
Fotos by Suzannah Evans and Daniel Borremans.
