Becoming a horn player is characterized by extreme path-dependency. Horn player’s skills are highly specialized, developed over a long period of time. To perform as a horn player professionally one is dependent on following a relatively fixed path. Changing the profession to horn playing in mid-life is therefore quite unlikely (if not impossible). Preparation for the professional life, some would argue, starts already before entering the formal higher/professional education.
These formative years play an important role in one’s self-understanding.
“Out there” the identity of the person who plays the horn is often defined by that activity. An orchestra conductor might talk to a horn player as “Hey, 2nd horn do this and that”. The person and the instrument is treated as one.
In many ways horn playing is a very consuming/demanding/immersive activity. Performing at a high level according to cultural standards requires constant practice, physical shape. The combination of high specialization and being consuming shapes the self-understanding.
Horn Playing as Identity thus connects Profession and Hobby metaphors.
Logics:
- you are what you are
The notion of life-long learning and the development of identity might contradict a strong focus on the Identity-analogy. However, fixed mindset is also quite prevalent and arguably is codified into some legal systems.
Internal Tensions
Tensions with other views
the metaphors of Identity and Profession are in tension. How big part of the identity is horn?