Meet Peter Lin

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Peter Lin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Peter, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

Most of the time, when I’m talking about my profession and lifestyle to strangers, I find everyone to be confused and intrigued by my situation. I think I can safely say that I am one of the only professional Taiwanese-American jazz trombonists in the New York City area. Not only that, I also have been performing professionally for about 14 years now, and I truly feel like I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing. So, how does one exactly successfully go down a path that seems unlikely and uncharaceteristic to your surrounding environment? How does one find a way to survive, when everyone else around you doesn’t look like you? Honestly, at the end of the day, what I say might not work for you personally. However, I’ll suggest that there are some similar methodologies and traits amongst the trailblazers that help guide us through this journey.

First of all, if you are looking to be a creative or freelancing type, you need to be really exceptional in what you do and always do your best. I know personally that many have called me to take care of business on both the bandstand and off. Simply doing the job is not good enough, and you’ll need to do more than just answer the call. This means going above and beyond what is asked, and with a good attitude. It’s easy to blame your own failures on the assumption that people are judging you based off of how you look, but at the end of the day you will need to be critical of your own strengths and weaknesses.

Second, I would suggest that if you feel like you are the only one that goes through these feelings, that actually there are many others who feel the same way. Looking at the past in your own profession and seeing others who have paved the road for you to be where you are today, is important in learning more about yourself and how you can create your own path. You are not alone, and you must be vigilant in looking out for others who are out there. You must ask the right questions to the right people in order to gain a deeper understanding of yourself.

Finally, just to share a small obversation from my own experiences, I was able to break out of my mentality of feeling like the only one by actively creating a community around me that shared these same feelings. Like I mentioned before, most likely you’re not the only one, and so creating a space, event, or activity that supports your vision of a more inclusive world needs to become a part of your daily routine. Instead of trying to find the answer yourself, reach out to your fellow creatives and entrepreneurs who want to see your vision come true.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am a professional jazz musician (trombonist) in the NYC area, as well as the owner of Yardbird Productions and Producer of the AAPI Jazz Fest. I perform frequently in New York City with my own group, the AAPI Jazz Collective, as well with other bands including Catbus Collective which performs Ghibli/Anime covers. Yardbird Productions provided audio, video, and livestream productions for jazz creatives and organizations. We are now in our third year of the annual AAPI Jazz Fest, and will be having our next event at the American Dream Mall on September 22nd. I love creating music and events for the purpose of bringing communities together.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Learn how to ask for help! I found myself learning the most at times where I gave up my own ego to ask others for advice, assistance, or support. You can only do so much, so it’s important to learn how to delegate work out.
2. Play to your strengths, and work on your weaknesses. At the end of day, it’s important to be honest with yourself if you want to continue your endeavors and to improve as a human being.
3. Engage in the community. Don’t just focus on what you’re doing. Be the change you want to see.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

When trying to be a creative and running your own business at the same time, it’s important to know that you can’t have 100% time for everything. Try to set different goals for different lengths of time. For example, write down what you want to do for the day, what you want to accomplish for a week, and how you see yourself in a month. You’ll find breaking down tasks helps to focus on what’s important instead of thinking about the million of things you need to do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.peterlinmusic.com
• Instagram: @the_lintet
• Facebook: peterlinmusic
• Other: https://www.yardbirdproductions.com
  

Image Credits

Chris Drukker
Filip Wolak