Meet Dave Dvorak

Dave, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I try to always be open to new experiences, reading, learning, interacting with people outside of my usual social circle as a means of creative stimulation. But just as importantly, I think it’s important to regularly disengage from our world of hyperstimulation, so I try to seek out quiet time, free of distraction, to allow the creative part of my brain to roam. It’s been said that the best ideas come to you while you’re in the shower. That also might be a hike or a bike ride, or just sitting quietly–no screens, no ear buds.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
In recent years, I have embraced my passion for songwriting and performing music. About 10 years ago, I started venturing out to some local open mics to nervously perform a few original songs I had written. For quite some time, it was scary to get up in front of people and play–to be out of my comfort zone–but with continued practice I eventually received encouraging feedback and grew more comfortable and confident in this new world.

I recorded my first solo album in 2016, and shortly thereafter formed a new band with some good musical friends, called Zoë Says Go (www.zoesaysgo.com). We play a mix of Americana and rock, with lyric-driven songs, often interwoven with socially conscious themes. We released our third album last year, and have stayed busy playing live shows regularly at clubs and festivals around the Twin Cities metro area. Our music is available on Spotify, iTunes, and all the streaming platforms. All proceeds from the sale of our music benefit a nonprofit called Unite 2 Fight Paralysis (u2fp.org).

I also play regular solo gigs and am excited to soon launch a musical side project called WonderCurrent (wondercurrent.com) of original songs that have a more intimate vibe than the music we typically perform in the band. On this project I’m collaborating with a brilliant local musician/producer by the name of JJ Benson.

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?
For my musical journey it has been repetition, practice and just showing up and getting out there. I came to music somewhat later in life, never even picking up a guitar until I was in my late 20’s. At first I was sure that my fingers could not possibly ever form even basic chord patterns on the fretboard, but with regular practice, guitar skills that seemed out of reach eventually became automatic and effortless. The gains came incrementally, not day-to-day, but more week-to-week or month-to-month.

I think it’s important to remember that nobody is proficient when first pursuing a new endeavor, so the challenge is best viewed as a journey. And that journey involves patience–lots of thankless hours of learning, practice and spending time with those who have a higher level of proficiency and experience.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
I got involved with a local meetup group called Songwriter Circle Twin Cities, led by a veteran musician-producer named Don Strong. Don showed interest in my early songwriting output, and urged me to keep at it. He became an important mentor, providing keen advice and encouragement. Eventually we teamed up to head into the studio to record 10 original songs for my first studio album. Prior to meeting Don, I doubted whether I had any business calling myself a songwriter. I easily could have lost interest and moved on to some other hobby–who knows, maybe water color painting or archery. So I think the most important role that Don played was believing in me, giving me confidence to continue down a challenging but gratifying new road.