I would describe Shawn as fearless. Does Shawn get nervous or worry sometimes? Of course. But he is not afraid to step out and give it his all.
Shawn is incredibly inspiring. His experience in the arts is diverse and rich (as you will read below).
Shawn has never shied away from an opportunity or challenge that interests him. Even if it makes him nervous or he’s unsure, he DOES 👏 IT 👏 ANYWAY👏!
Are you afraid to share your art?
Does the thought of performing scare you?
DO IT ANYWAY! 💥
No one is born with the “natural” ability to perform. No one.
Performing and sharing your art with others takes PRACTICE.
The more you practice, the more comfortable and confident you will become in performance situations. 🙌🏽
The more you practice, the more you will TRUST and BELIEVE in yourself and your abilities. 🫶🏽
Start small. Share your art with family and friends in a cozy and encouraging setting. Video chat with a relative and perform a song you love.
Sharing something as vulnerable as your art with someone is scary, but DO IT ANYWAY‼️
I have been teaching both Shawn and his wife, the beautiful Mina, voice lessons for several years. They are an absolute joy to work with each week. I learn just as much from them as they do from me. Shawn and Mina are pursuing voice studies in their retirement (a young retirement, I might add), demonstrating that it’s never too late to follow your passion. We truly are limitless once we move fear aside!
Your voice and your art matter. They are instruments of inspiration, capable of uplifting and transforming lives – yours and others.
So, are you going to play it safe OR be an adventurer like Shawn?
Keep singing,
xo Andrea “sign me up for adventure” Donais
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I had the great pleasure of interviewing Shawn Bastani and we had the chance to explore Shawn’s history with the arts, and his perspective on how the arts shape the world.
Shawn began playing the classical violin as a teenager in Iran and studied under three different teachers. He had joined a few orchestras and was so inspired by music that at age twenty-three, he decided to start a choir with the help of the conductor of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra. They had an eighty person turn-out! It was incredible and continued on until Shawn had to leave for his compulsory two year army enrollment.
Shawn taught saxophone and high level theory in the army in Iran and then eventually came to Canada with his wife and started several choirs. He then joined Donais Studios shortly before COVID so that he could help the choirs a little more vocally, and is now pursuing the Royal Conservatory Exams in his retirement as an outlet for his passion for music!
In our interview I asked Shawn “Do you believe the arts are meaningful and transformative?”
He said, “Of course yes. All kinds of art are meaningful. I believe music is the most complicated to understand, but also the most inspiring one”
In our conversation, I asked Shawn how he believes he has transformed through his experiences with his art form. Shawn said that he has learned a lot, has developed friendships with so many people and has enjoyed listening and playing and exploring music in all of its forms.
I asked Shawn to describe one way that the arts impact his life every day and he couldn’t pick just one way. He said, “art is everyday. Singing with my wife, going to concerts, producing the choir and music at my Temple.” What a beautiful thing to hear, life is so much more fulfilling with the arts.
I wondered what Shawn’s perspective is on how the arts affect communication, and if the arts can influence relationships and he said “yes for sure because you communicate with your teachers.” You need to learn how to communicate together within different levels of understanding between teachers and students, which improves the quality of understanding.
Music lessons and studying the Royal Conservatory levels have become a shared passion with his wife, Mina, and they attend lessons together each week and support each other in their learning. The arts definitely bring people together, and it is so nice that Shawn has completely jumped into the arts in his retirement.
~An interview by Amelia DePiero, Donais Studios