Is there ever an end? Will you ever be the absolute best? Life long learner; what does that mean? Top of your game? For how long? Until what time or event in your life? I just spent a few minutes reading and then re-reading an article that I think might inspire (that is what it is intended to do I believe) or discourage some. Author Brinton Smith shared a quote from Heifetz that sheds some light on to the reality of the musical journey. I think Casal's gave us all hope and inspiration and a reason to continue working hard when he replied to the question "Maestro, why do you continue to practice 4-5 hours a day, at the age of 90? Because I think I am making progress" was his response. I hope I will be able to share the same response when I get to that age. Just the same, I think Smith has many strong points in this statement. What do you think? by Brinton Smith, principal at the Houston Symphony and professor at Rice University I have been almost as lucky as you can be in this business. I’ve had countless disappointments of course- some deserved, some not. That is the nature of the business. But I have a good job, a happy reputation, a balance between solo, chamber, orchestral playing and teaching, the good fortune to be friends and colleagues with some of the musicians I admire most in the world, and the respect of some of the peers that I care the most about. I’ve had the chance to travel, play concerts, enjoy the camraderie and live some of the enviable life. I haven’t had everything, but I’ve had as much as I could dare ask for a life in music. I have been very lucky, and you will be very fortunate if you are as lucky as I have been. And I’m telling you that even if you get all that – even if you get all that and more… it isn’t enough. It will ultimately feel hollow. In the end, concerts are just concerts, victories are fleeting, fame is shallow, and easy praise dulls the senses. Dark moments will come, and your life in music, no matter how succesful, will be empty unless it is about something greater than your career. You must protect your belief that the music is part of something greater than yourself- greater than any of us. You have to keep studying and improving and trying understand more deeply. Believe in yourself, but believe also that you can do better- not just in a technical sense, but more beauty, more insight, more heartbreak- more music. As Mr. Heifetz said “There is no top. There are always further heights to reach.” We have never before had so many musicians of amazing proficiency, and yet it is rare to hear someone make truly beautiful music. Whatever you do, whatever comes of your life in music, no matter how celebrated or ignored your role is, you must know why you have chosen to spend your life on this. As you face the harsh and humiliating aspects of our industry you must protect your belief in yourself, and in music and what it means. We live in the world of the automatic standing ovation, where praise is lavish and indiscriminate, and criticism is suspect. But in your internal world you must believe in a right and a wrong way, and that it matters. Make your life about something more than your job, your reputation or your ego. Be an example of what a musician should be.The moments of greatest happiness for me have ultimately not been some career milestone, but the moments when I learned something new, when I got one step closer to the unattainable. Love the details, know that they matter even if they don’t change your career, and never stop learning. This is not an easy path, but it is the only way to a meaningful life in music. My wish for all of you is that music will mean more to you at 60 than it did at 16, and that you will know the joy of humility, love and service to the most profound art I know in our world.
0 Comments
It does not happen, typically, as a youngster who is first learning how to find 'middle-c' or add their 4th finger on their violin, but eventually, something often clicks in a developing musicians brain and after that, they are committed to a life of exploring what music can do for and to them.
In my experience growing up as a student musician and then when I became a music educator, I quickly discovered that the lessons learned in the rehearsals, classes, performances, travel to and from festivals near and far, were going to be some of the most important lessons that my students and I could ever learn. The struggles of getting the instruments to 'do what I want it to do', making it sound 'just like the record' or trying to recreate moments that made me 'feel like I had never felt before' were going to impact on me as a performer, teacher, and audience member, like nothing else. I learned discipline as I tried to tame my clarinet, I learned team work as I tried to make my part fit in the quartet we were learning and I learned how to deal with 'no' as I did not earn a seat in the honour band. The countless hours in lessons and masterclasses, driving to and from, purchasing reeds and better mouthpieces, sheet music to learn another piece that would challenge my technique and musical development; all of these purchases were sound decisions that were made along the journey I chose to embark on. I wanted to (and still want to become) the best musician I can be whether it is in the jazz ensemble, in the pit orchestra or in front of the full orchestra and choir. Sharing my love for music with the musicians that choose to participate in ensembles with me will, I hope, get to experience my dedication to making music at the highest level. I often reflect on a quote attributed to the guitar master, Andres Segovia. He continued to practice daily well into his later years and someone asked him 'why do you continue to practice as much as you do?' His reply was, 'I feel i am making progress.' Music is something that we all can do for as long as we choose. Learning will never end as a musician. And when it does, it will probably be time to take up another passion, something easier, like hockey. As an educator, performer and an adjudicator, I get the chance to work with musicians in many different circles daily. Recently I had the opportunity to hear an ensemble that was loud; really loud. I was told by the leader of this group that 'we are are really loud', almost as if she/he was proud of this moniker. I did not make much of this statement until I heard the ensemble begin to play. He/she was not kidding....they were really loud. So much so, that I inserted my ear-plugs so that I could comfortably listen to the entirety of their performance. I was about 60 feet from the front row of musicians.....there were audience members sitting about 10 feet from the front row....what did they experience? What do the musicians in those ensembles experience on a regular basis in their rehearsals? Needless to say I was uncomfortable, even with my ear-plugs in so I can only imagine how the students in the ensemble feel. Or do they even realize what damage is occurring every time they meet to rehearse. What would you do? In the moment I chose not to single out what was happening, but at the end of all of the ensemble performances at this particular festival, I took the time to mount my soap-box and preach about the need to protect our ears from harmful levels of sound. (Note: this particular group of students was unfortunately not in the auditorium as they had left shortly after their last ensembles performance.) The students and adults who were in attendance listened as I shared some information about what happens with regards to decibel levels and identified a couple of inexpensive but functional products that are available that will help ensure that they are able to hear their grand-children's voice calling them when they get to be of that age. Marshall Chasin is an audiologist and Musicians injury specialist based in Toronto. Long ago, I had the chance to hear him speak at an OMEA conference. What he said rang loud and clear for me....I needed to do something. And I did. Shortly after that conference, I visited a local audiologist who fitted me for a set of form fitting, musician designed ear plugs that I still wear today. I bring my ear plugs to the movie theatres, I use them on long drives to and from different events and I wear special ear muffs when I complete jobs around the house (lawn mowing, snow-blowing, chainsaw work, vacuuming, etc.) I rely on my ears for all that I do pretty much everyday. I can not risk damaging or losing my most prized sense....the ability to hear everything around me. Just cut the 'Arts' has been the knee-jerk decision for years...Isn't it about time to change?3/17/2017 The proof is everywhere....children who have the opportunity to participate actively in the Arts will be more successful in life. Period. There have been studies, with data collected, that prove this point but still, the Arts are still seen as frivolous and unnecessary. Whether it is playing tuba in a band, painting a landscape, singing in a choir, learning to dance or writing a haiku, a creative outlet will be something that helps improve the life of the 'creator' more so than a pill or elixir. The recent (within the last 20 years at least) rise of Music Therapists (as well as many other art therapists) has been as a result of the understanding between an individual who is dealing with the pain or symptoms of an illness and the therapeutic benefits to practicing an art form. The number of people who participate in a 'Paint Night' at local restaurants or pubs is proof positive that a night out with your friends, trying to reproduce something that an instructor has chosen as the model for the night, is more likely to improve your mental state than a bottle of pills and a night in solitude in front of the TV.
But still, government leaders can not make the connection and cut any funding that will ensure the future growth and development of a population that understands and wants to learn about the Arts. Some societies in our world believe that it should be the last thing removed from their people because they have grown up with it and have come to understand that Art is as essential as having a fire hall with trained individuals to take care of incidents that could cause people harm. These same societies ensure that the concert halls, museums and theatres are updated and refreshed so that they are welcoming and prepared to care for the next audience or group of visitors. They also work to ensure that there are a multitude of experiences for their population to partake in, banking on the health benefits the individuals will gain by attending an exhibition, a performance of 12th Night or singing the Hallelujah chorus with their peers in the annual Christmas choral concert. Thanks to folks like Julie Andrews and her daughter Emma, the public is crying 'foul'. Here is hoping that the people are listening. I believe Churchill said it best, “The arts are essential to any complete national life. The State owes it to itself to sustain and encourage them….Ill fares the race which fails to salute the arts with the reverence and delight which are their due.” I have a problem.....I am not one who will typically gravitate to listen to current pop music. The 'compositions' that are currently played on mainstream radio rarely grab my attention. There are the odd ones that have an interesting rhythmic pattern or melodic riff that will tweak an emotional response, but honestly, they are few and far between. If I was to go back about 20-30 years, I can point out many different 'radio-played' tracks that would fit on to my 'mix tape' because they sound interesting and are appealing to my ear. Does that make me a music snob? I don't think so. I agree wholeheartedly with Gordon Goodwin, front-man for the 18 piece jazz ensemble, the Big Phat Band. At one time Gordon was a film and movie score composer, writing 'what the director wanted'...translated meaning, not what he was feeling and wanting to express. I encourage you to read this article, taken from Gordon's most recent FB post, following his appearance at the 2017 Grammy awards in LA. I think he nails it. Contemporary music is based on comfort and the fear of stretching our audiences ears because they 'do not like' it. I think that fear is exactly why I regularly look for music to program that is pliable and out of the 'easy lane' of traffic. Frost had something I believe; that trail to the left looks really interesting.....I wonder where it is going to lead me. Eventually, it will probably bring me to the same place the other one is going. I wonder what I might come across if I take that path? I hope I see something cool....take the path and see where it leads you. It might change you forever. Here is hoping it does.
Please read Gordon Goodwin's Facebook post below..... When discussing the problem of American pop music the base issue is not the performers. Many of them are talented and capable. But the industry has adapted a musical language that is striking in it's banality. I believe that this is largely due to a shocking lack of chromaticism in the music. Not to get overly pedantic about it, but simply put, these composers and performers use only the white keys on the piano. Their melodies and the chords they choose are based solely on the diatonic scale of whatever key they have chosen. This is akin to the elimination of adjectives in the written language. It's the difference between the sentence "I was mad." and the sentence "I was shaking with violent and uncontrolled anger!" One wonders if they ever wonder what those black keys on the piano are even there for? I was at the Grammy Awards last night and kept track, and it wasn't until Bruno Mars' song(s) that you had any chromatic intervals in the music. For me, this is why so much of American pop music is uninteresting. Chromaticism adds nuance to music. It adds tension and ambiguity. The proper balance between diatonicism and chromaticism is the key to music with balance and appeal. If you take a song or a composition with those elements, and then add the emotion of the performers we heard last night, then you have something! But today's pop musicians never really learned how to incorporate this language in their work. Singers are unable to navigate chromatic intervals with their voices. This is not to say you cannot have effective music without chromaticism. But composing should be a series of deliberate choices. Choices informed by your training AND your intuition. Many of today's performers rely on the latter and have neglected focusing on the former. I am less qualified to comment on the lyrical content of some of the material we heard last night, but I doubt it's a stretch to say that the lyrics to much of today's pop music suffer from a similar lack of nuance and content. The line I am trying to walk here is a subtle one, because I believe that people should create the kind of music that sounds good to them. But underlying that statement is the assumption that artists take responsibility to learn as much as possible about their craft, and to keep learning, keep growing. American popular music has ignored the lessons of the past for decades now, and the coarseness and simple-mindedness of the music seems to be reflected in our culture as a whole. So, those of us that believe otherwise have a responsibility to fight for quality, To fight for excellence. What do you think? Your comments are welcome and appreciated. As someone who has spent better than 42 years studying music, I think I am in a position to comment on what music and the practice of studying music can do for anyone who honestly puts effort into their practice.
The brilliant cellist and pedagogue Pablo Casals was once asked why he maintained his practice regime, even into his 80's. His simple reply, "I think I am starting to make progress." Few of us will ever rival Casals, Andre, Brain, or Heifetz, but we will learn many things that will impact not only our music making but how we live and learn with others and about our self. The article attached below, by Andrew Schwartz, is a simple reflection on some of the lessons learned by a young tuba player as a result of his study of music. It is rare for any musician to not learn about themselves as a result of what they do when they practice making music. Music making is one of the few activities in our world that is so all encompassing; it stimulates the brain, is a physical work out, generates positive emotions and is something that can improve the life of those who listen to and share in our music making. Like many have said, maybe music should be a compulsory class for all students. It can be a vehicle to teach language, mathematics, science; it is a physical workout, it helps with coordination, it improves an individuals attention span and develops the participants ability to cooperate, be empathetic and work together with others towards a common goal. The chance to make music, for some, is a fleeting opportunity. To get to the point where we can do whatever we wish with our chosen instrument never comes or it comes with a price. The article attached is a very poignant look at what can become if we overlook the 'prime objective--making music'. The act of colaborating with one or one hundred others is where the emotional charge comes....making music has an impact on what we do and it affects the spirit of everyone who experiences that 'event'. Depending on what place we are on that journey of music making or understanding, will dictate how our being responds to the musical event; the more we understand or have an appreciation for music (of any stripe or flavour) the more the emotional impact will be on us. Sometimes the act of learning how to make music can become the focus to the point of blurring the 'moment' of enjoyment and appreciation, which for many, is what that journey is or should be all about. It is a fact that there will be those who are destined to be soloists and 'top-shelf' performers, but there will also be those who need and should be performing and practicing their art, knowing full-well that they will not ever grace the stage of the Philharmonie in Berlin, or Albert Hall, or the Sydney Opera house. Their thrill and prize may come from a small intimate performance in some bodies living room, maybe their own, when they can reflect on a moment just passed that speaks to them, telling them that what they have accomplished is right for them. Please click this link to read about Arianna Warsaw-Fan Rauch's personal story.....I think it is worth the time.
This statement is true or at least I have not ever come across anyone in my lifetime who has regretted learning how to sing or play an instrument. There is something that happens to an individual when they take the time to stop, listen, learn, practice, and then share what they have been able to master with anyone. As an educator, I have had the pleasure of introducing this opportunity to countless numbers of 'youngsters' who to this day have either kept up their 'chops' or who are passing it on to their own children because they value the skills and lessons that they learned in the bands, choirs or ensembles that were oh so important to them back in the day.
The title to this blog-post is even more telling I believe. Having had the chance to meet and work with a lovely group of 'New Horizon-ers' this year, the proof is in the pudding as they say. Watching these folks prepare for their next gig for their friends and family or for the residents of a retirement home or at the local outdoor concert venue confirms what I already knew....Music will keep you vital, connected and young at heart. Working together with others on something that you feel and believe is important and worthwhile gives us all meaning and worth and will help make somebody else feel honoured to witness what we have worked so hard to master over the past number of weeks. So if you are not prepared to pick up your trumpet or warm up that voice, the least you can do is volunteer to support your local choir, band or orchestra and buy a ticket or sit in the park and enjoy the efforts of those who have mastered the music to share with you. It will make a difference in your life, I guarantee it. Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter are probably two of the most seasoned jazz artists on the planet. Between them they have performed thousands of shows on every continent. They have worked with thousands of musicians and have encouraged countless others to chase their dreams and live their lives in the creative realm. Their letter to the artists of the future is a treatise on how to live and how to coexist in our world with everybody. I would encourage you to take the time to read this and if you are not already doing so, embrace what it is that they espouse and live themselves.
In an article published not too long ago, Roger Scruton suggests that because of our society and the propensity to be 'plugged' in for virtually every waking hour, music is no longer something special but it is rather just another element of our social fabric, something that we choose to engage in so that we are comfortable in our surroundings as we move from place to place. There is also something to be said for the sounds that are broadcast for all to hear but are not necessarily something that we would choose to be 'entertained by'. As the author states, virtually every public arena we find ourselves in, coffee shop, book store, shopping mall, will have a 'sound track', chosen by the establishment to set a tone or a mood for those frequenting the space or who just happen to be passing by. Many jurisdictions have laws against second hand smoke but nothing against 'audio' by chance. Many times I find myself being 'attacked' by some pulsing sound track that encourages me to quickly get my business done and move along.
The fact that we are so frequently exposed to 'sound' is diminishing the beauty and 'special-ness' of music that has been composed and performed by real, live musicians as opposed to the synthetic creations, by a likewise creative individual in front of a computer and a microphone. That is not to say that those creations are any less important but I think it is making music less of a special element in our society because it is not being created, and recreated by a group of like-minded human beings to be shared with others in the moment. What do you think? |
I invite you to come by......This section is composed of observations or impressions I have, or others I value, share about music and its power. Archives
August 2019
Categories |