Some of my favorite sentiments on music...

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Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.

Plato

Without music, life would be a mistake.

Friedrich Nietzsche

Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.

Jimi Hendrix

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.

Victor Hugo

I think music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves music.

Billy Joel

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.

Aldous Huxley

Music is everybody's possession. It's only publishers who think that people own it.

John Lennon

Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.

Lao Tzu

Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.

Martin Luther

Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.

Ludwig van Beethoven

Music is the movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virtue.

Plato

Music is my religion.

Jimi Hendrix

It is cruel, you know, that music should be so beautiful. It has the beauty of loneliness of pain: of strength and freedom. The beauty of disappointment and never-satisfied love. The cruel beauty of nature and everlasting beauty of monotony.

Benjamin Britten

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

Berthold Auerbach

Music can change the world because it can change people.

Bono

Music is the shorthand of emotion.

Leo Tolstoy

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Instrument Practice And Us

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Daily instrument practice really means more to our personal growth and wellness than simply having greater veracity on an instrument. As a professional musician practice time can be scarce. “We practice on the gig” as they say. The truth is the solitude needed for a true connection to practice is best done in the practice room, away from anyone else. It is a sensory meditation of sorts. The sound of your own instrument speaks to you. It tells you every bit of information you need. Just the single stroke of a cymbal hit and its resonance can be therapeutic. How does the cymbal sound? How am I reacting to it today? Where then does it direct me musically? As we play we must listen to ourselves intently. I want to be clear about the idea of listening to ourselves, not to be confused with judging ourselves as we play. That is the mental/emotional trap all artists fall into. Playing is output time. When we play if we listen without judgment our stream of consciousness will direct us and our performance output will be optimal. If we judge ourselves it only hinders the flow. The hindrance comes from the notion that we only have so much mental capacity, and all of it must be on the experience of creating music. When we choose to split of mental energy into judgments of our playing, we are not creating and growing at our optimum. There is plenty of time to criticize ourselves to improve. Recording devices do just fine. Even just reflecting on a performance after the performance is a helpful tool for improvement. But we must honor the power of music with our greatest focus and being to serve when playing. We serve not only for others listening, but for ourselves. The service to ourselves is about our spiritual expression and growth as a human being. If mental occupation is all you seek out of instrument study there are better devices out there designed to focus on just that. Playing music is an infinitely greater experience that challenges the whole of our being. Playing music is an expression and communication of emotional and transcendent connections between us and others, as well as us to ourselves. Back to daily practice- How and what we are playing is what connects and communicates to the transcendence of our life beyond the instrument play. For example, when I practice if I notice that I am clenching the sticks, it definitely has a relationship with my life. Perhaps I am fixating on something unhealthily, or afraid to let go of something. Just like I would choke my flow and sound clenching the stick too tight, I choke out the flow in my life by fixating or not letting go of something. Then there’s the practice session where I am a franticly forcing things in, and not letting a flow of ideas stream, even if I am technically sound and relaxed. I explore where in my life does this notion of forcing things persist? Where am I forcing something that just doesn’t fit my path? Our music practice and life are one in the same. Both interrelate to affect our sound performing, and daily experience. I have worked with countless students, from the young to professional colleagues on this concept and see their playing and life (as mine), change for the positive instantly. Art is life. Never forget that we play music for that which transcends us. The growth and exploration is infinite, the power to transform us a divine gift.

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Music Teachers...

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When I finally got to a private teacher on my instrument a world I never new existed opened up for me well beyond instrument study. My teacher was not only an instrumentalist craftsman, but a mentor, therapist, life coach and even financial advisor at times! A doorway opened up that took me into a world that explored art, music, and myself well beyond my imagination. Making not only my passion for music and instrumental development thrive, but that of the ensembles I participated in as well.

In todays school music educational programs it is impossible for the music directors to cover the material needed for individual growth that a private teacher provides, which enhances the development of the music ensembles as a whole. A band director’s responsibility is well full in just rehearsing and preparing the ensembles. It is near impossible for the directors to give the students the individual education that is necessary for the ensembles growth- they have more than enough on their plate. How does a private teacher work hand and hand with today’s music programs? As every student and parent have expectations for school ensembles to excel and sound great, so do the directors of course. As a private teacher not only am I coaching the material given by the music programs, but I make sure to keep the students music education growing as far ahead as possible. This then enable the ensemble levels to grow, where as directors can focus their talents on doing what they do- making the ensemble sound great, and teaching students the art of music through ensemble play with ever more challenging material. In other words the need for private instrumental teachers is vital to excelling ensemble situations, and a school’s music program as a whole. The private teacher/student relationship creates a passion and understanding of art and music that transcends into the class environment. It is all about growth and how we are all a part shaping future generations of musician artists.


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Meditation And Music Study

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I have ALL my students meditate- from the elementary school beginner to the aspiring professional. What is meditation ultimately? Mindfulness. Focus. Internal awareness. Clarity. Stillness. Theses are all attributes that are vital to a student beyond the music lesson. In today’s multi-tasking society mindfulness and focus is paramount. What instrument study and meditation create is a mind-body training to be fully engulfed in your work, enhancing learning capabilities as well as creativity. Distractions run amuck these days. Students are constantly struggling with simply keeping attention. Many sociologists believe we are designing an ADHD society. The answer is in the paradox. One must learn and train to think in a singular fashion. Truth is it is biologically impossible to do otherwise. For example, learning drum set is about four-limb coordination. (You know, the rubbing of your belly while you pat your head kind of thing.) Truth is the method is actually “interdependence”. The idea that all limbs work together as one, but seem independent. So the irony is… To play an instrument where four-limb coordination is key a student must train singular focus to achieve success learning. Even a 60 second breathing meditation produces huge leaps in their development. The students who then take the meditation practice to academic and sports activities have found great success. For years I have worked with ADHD students in musical study. The notion of having a low pressure, positive, creative environment to grow in leads to great success beyond the lessons (some ceased to use medication all together). Shawn Anchor, a Harvard professor found meditation to positively affect ADHD students both academically as well as emotionally. The idea is simple. Meditation positively trains focus and mindfulness, a tool vital in learning music and being creative. The more one puts in and gets out of their music study, the more that success transfers to all areas of their life.


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