Monthly Archives: May 2021

Memorial Day 2021

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Memorial Day is the day we remember and honor those military members who have died while serving.  Serving to keep us safe and free and often blissfully unaware of the evils that walk the earth.

To honor the sacrifices of our fallen, one thing we must do is make good use of the days they have made possible for us.  We are free to celebrate and enjoy and this includes celebrating with the music we make.

One of the most important parts of the military services is the music of the Service Bands.  I wasn’t a musician when I was in the Navy and I have unceremoniously pinched this from the US Navy Band YouTube channel.  I hadn’t seen it before, possibly lost in the flurry of covid-eos that came out over the last 15 months.

Many don’t know that the US military employs more full-time musicians than any other employer in the world.  They’ll be busy working this holiday weekend – but you can enjoy the harpists of the US military including counterclockwise from bottom right – US Navy Musician Chief Emily Dickson, US Coast Guard Chief Musician Megan Sesma (the USCG’s first harpist!), US Marine Corps Band (The President’s Own) Master Gunnery Sergeant Karen Grimsey, US Air Force Concert Band’s Technical Sergeant Greta Asgeirsson, US Army Field Band’s Staff Sargent Grace Bauson, and US Army Band (Pershing’s Own) Sergeant First Class Nadia Pessoa.

To all our military musicians (but especially for our military harpists!) –

Thank you for your service!

US Military HarpistsThe video is here – it’s a beautiful listen…and a great opportunity to explore some excellent arrangement ideas.

I hope you have a wonderful day celebrating your unofficial start of summer while honoring those forever in the sun.

Perfect – It was so much better at home

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As a teacher, one of the funniest things you hear in lessons is,

“It was so much better at home!”

It’s funny because we have all uttered those words as a student at some point.  Of course, at this point in time, it’s especially funny because… we’re in zoom lessons – you ARE at home!

This does speak to an important point – it’s easy to be comfortable and low key about everything when you’re home, by yourself, doing your thing practicing or playing for yourself and it’s Perfect. 

PerfectBut it is completely different and more difficult when the situation changes and you’re in a lesson (or your family is actively listening, or you have a visitor who begs you to play for them, or the window is open and the neighbors might hear).

Back to the lesson – isn’t making mistakes in a lesson precisely the place you want to make an error?  Why do we always fret when we make a mistake in a lesson?

  • We’re afraid our teacher will be unimpressed with our work effort for the week, or we’re embarrassed because we think all the other students were perfect.  
  • We feel like we haven’t practiced as much as we should have and so we are unimpressed with our own work effort for the week.
  • We have set some arbitrary schedule for ourselves and we haven’t met it.  As in, “I learned Katie Bairdie in a week, so I should only need a week to be able to play the harp solo from Lucia di Lammermoor!”  Maybe that’s a bit unrealistic?
  • We didn’t set aside the time to practice and so we know we’re not as prepared as we would have preferred to have been for the lesson.

Does making mistakes in lessons matter?  YES – but maybe not for the reason you think.  Your teacher does not expect you to play perfectly (and if your teacher does expect you to play everything perfectly, you might want to find someone else to work with).

What do you learn from mistakes?  LOADS

First, repeat after me – each “error” in a lesson is a learning opportunity…AND a teaching opportunity!

  • You learn where the music in your head is a little thin.  When you’re practicing you get through it just fine but add just a smidgen of stress (now that you know your teacher is listening and your performance anxiety kicks in) and the veneer of “knowing it cold” may dissolve to “barely hanging on”.  That helps highlight where you should focus as you continue to practice the music.
  • You get a different point of view.  I used to have a student who always answered the question, “How did your exercises go this week?” with, “Perfect!”.  Hmmm, maybe not so much.  Sometimes you get a different perspective, or a calibration of your perspective.  And that tweak to your perspective allows you to practice better and possibly to learn more.
  • You get feedback.  It is frustrating when you keep hitting the wrong string or can’t preplace fast enough or just can’t remember the phrase.  But your teacher will see all that from a different angle – and give you insight into what you are doing (and/or not doing) and what you might do get around the issue.
  • You get to learn from your teacher’s experience.  One thing you can be sure of – your teacher has more experience than you do, both at playing well…and at making mistakes!   The point of the lesson is not only to share that experience but to pass it down to you.  It gives you a chance to learn about hard won gains so you can go on to make other, better errors!

Each time you make a mistake in your lesson, you have PERFECT opportunity to learn.  In addition, you present a teaching opportunity for your teacher.  And as you learn, what you can learn shapes and grows what you will be able to learn next.  And frankly, as a teacher, I kinda live for that moment when it’s clear that you “got it”!  I think all teachers feel that way.  Some are exuberant about it, some are sotto about it, but the thrill of seeing that light bulb go on is central to teaching.

So, as you look forward to your next lesson, I challenge you to predict which mistake you might make, why you’ll make it, and what you think you will learn from it.  And you know that Practice Journal I’m always going on about?  Those are the sort of thing you might consider jotting down in there.

You stand on the shoulders of those who came before you so you can see over the wall, not so you can be on the top of the pile!  What mistakes will you make in your next lesson?  I’m looking forward to hearing about it – let me know!

Be Brave

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Being creative is a risky business. 

Every time you sit to your harp, you are taking a risk.

Why do you think there are so few musicians (relatively) in the world?  Or even more broadly, so few artists in the world?  Because being a creative requires a lot of bravery.  And we know that bravery is uncommon.

You probably never really think about being brave, but if you meet people as a musician and performer, it is something you hear from others –

“I don’t know how you can be so brave to get on stage – I could never do that!”

“Wow – how did you learn to play the harp?  I don’t think I could – I don’t have any talent.”

Sometimes you don’t know you’re being courageous, but every time you make music, you’re flexing your creativity and your bravery!  Maybe you don’t always feel brave.  That’s ok – as long as you keep on making.

Be Brave

How are we brave?

1. We show up! It seems like such a minor thing, but there’s no dragon to slay if you don’t go to the den.  When you sit at your harp (the den), you’re going to create (the dragon).

2. We keep going. One path of courage is to keep going, even when your heart is in your mouth and you can barely breathe from the anxiety of doing.  Especially if you’re worried that what you make may not be good enough or if what you’re making won’t even come to be (you, know – if you fail).

3. We put on a game face – like the commercial says, “never let ‘em see you sweat!”

4. We keep on going on. Even when nothing works, we try again and again and again and again and again and again…

Why are we brave?  Well, first off, being creative means you’re never really on solid ground and that’s kinda scary.  Nothing is set in stone.  There is no right.  But we creatives are often the kind of people who get off on that shifting foundation (maybe just a little).   A little uncertainty can be a wild ride!  One of my favorite t-shirts says,

“If you’re not living on the edge,                                             you’re taking up too much room!”

Ok, really, it is hard to be brave – especially day after day.  So, how do we do it?   

1. Fake it. Yup, pretend.  Put on your game face and do the thing.  Write a composition.  Develop that improv.  Interpret that piece like you feel it.

2. Name the monster – like anything that goes bump in the night, simply saying the names of your fears – out loud – diminishes their intimidation factor. The names are usually short – embarrassment, fear of failure, fear of success.  When you say it out loud, its ridiculousness becomes apparent as it shrinks back to its appropriate size and you can laugh.

3. Keep good company. I was fortunate to have a demonstration.  It was seeing my all-time harp hero have a really bad day on stage – mistakes all over the place…and a serene facial expression.  Lesson learned?  Fear faced down + audience ignorant and happy = successful brave performance.

4. Breathe.  Yup, breathing makes everything a little easier.  Especially anything that requires thinking.  Breathing also helps ameliorate anxiety.  Being clear headed can only help when you’re scared.  So, take a breath, feel your fear recede (if only just a little bit), and forge ahead.

5. Say yes.  Just do it.  Dragging your feet won’t make it any easier.

6. Don’t take yourself too seriously. We’re making nusic, it’s not Rocket Surgery.  No one’s going to die if you compose a poorly constructed phrase!  Cities don’t go dark because you’re improv isn’t ready for prime time yet.  Lighten up and enjoy making your music. 

7. Perspiration.  The Great One (Wayne Gretzky, not Salzedo) said it best –   

You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. 

And you’ll probably miss a high percentage of the shots you do take – do it anyway – take the shot.   Do the work, face the fear, enjoy the reward.

8. Be good to you – no matter how much you push yourself, be aware of when you’re about to go too far. My rule of thumb – if it’s too mean to say it to your best friend, then don’t say it to yourself.  And don’t be your own horrible stage mother.  Don’t expect from yourself something you know you’re not ready to do.  Be brave, not unkind or stupid.

9. Practice. Of course – my solution to everything!  You’ll find it’s easier to brave if you practice doing it.  And the more you practice, the easier it is.

10. Put on your cape. Even if just in your head – be your own harp hero.  Be proud of all the notes you have saved from a future of never having been heard and enjoyed!  You’re not just brave, you’re a superhero!

Did you know that you’re brave?  If not, do you know now?  Do you do any of these things?  How are you brave?  Do you have other ways of being brave (you know I’m always looking for more new ways to do things!)?  Let me know in the comments!

Check Please!

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I don’t know about you, but the days are flying past and I need to check in to see how I’m coming against the things I thought I wanted to do this year. 

I realized, with a start, that we’re halfway through the second quarter of the year. That’s not bad, in and of itself, but it does mean that I completely missed my first quarter check-in.

Check please!

If I don’t check in, how do I know how I’m doing?  How do I know if I need to step up my game or if I can coast?  

Yes, this is a rhetorical question. 

No, I never can coast.

I’m an inveterate To-Do list maker.  I have lists of things to accomplish daily, weekly, monthly.  And I have a list of things I’d like to get done this year. *  And you already know I’m 100% a product person so I do these check ins to make sure I’m making products!

I try to be organized and to have a measured approach.  I don’t always succeed.  But I do always try.  So, it’s about time for me to check.  So far:

  • I haven’t done very well on following my planned blog topics.  I dutifully made a calendar of topics before the end of last year.  I have actually been successful on all the holidays so far.  But I don’t think any other posts so far have been to plan.  There’s always some better idea that crops up.  Or one of you asks me a question either via email or through the comments on the blog (yes, I do read them!).  Or what seemed so clear and important then has either been overcome by events or just isn’t as captivating as it sounded when I was in planning mode.
  • I have done better than I expected with some other things though – I have learned more music to date that I had planned.  Ok, that’s double edged because I have learned a lot of things I hadn’t originally planned on learning, but I haven’t fallen as far behind on the things I had planned on as I expected! So, on balance, that’s good.
  • I have not done as well on some extra-music-y stuff I wanted to do.  I am very far behind on some creative projects that I wanted to take on.  Of course, I didn’t have much of a plan for inserting that into my schedule beyond, “I’d really like to include doing these creative-y things”, so who’s surprised I’m not getting anywhere? (not me)

So what have I learned now that I’m in the middle of the second quarter?  Here’s a list:

  • I am fairly pleased with my productivity to date.  I often feel like I’m not doing anything (or worse, wasting time doing pointless stuff).  And I’m a little behind on a couple of things, way behind on one thing but a little ahead on some other stuff.  That means I’m fairly balanced in terms of getting things done.  This is especially exciting since so many things are in flux for one reason or another – ok, really on one reason is plaguing my planning. (why, yes, I can make a pun in the middle of all this seriousness!)
  • What I didn’t build a plan for isn’t happening.  Of the things I’m not doing, I’ll review whether I care.  Because, if I haven’t left room for it, something will need to change.  I will have to spend a little time exploring those ideas and see if they’re things I think I wanted to do (probably because all my friends are doing them or because they look like they’d be fun) but aren’t really priorities to me.  Or if they’re things I’m a little afraid of, so I’m procrastinating (probably because I don’t know where to begin).  Or if they’re just no longer important enough to spend time on.  Once I know that, then I’ll know what to do – replan, postpone, or delete.  What I won’t do is beat myself up for not getting to it.
  • I’m going to spend a few moments rejoicing in the things I have done well on.
  • Then I’ll review the rest of the year and see what needs to be tweaked.  And what I need to add.
  • And then I’ll get back to work!

How about you?  How’s your stuff going?  What do you need to change? What are you going to drop?  Do you check in with yourself to see how it’s going?  Let me know – I’m always curious!

* Before you ask, no, I do not have a list of the lists!

Be Quiet

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Hey, I’m talking to you! (and me)

There is always so much to do. Take out the trash.  Make the bed. Do the work. Pay the bills.

The cacophony builds.  It can be deafening.  It can be exhausting.  And it feels unending.

But just like some of your favorite pieces have rests – you too need time to be quiet.

Be QuietStep away from the harp.  (bet you didn’t see that coming!)

Mozart is quoted as saying,

“The music is not in the notes,

but in the silence between.”

Just like music is in the spaces between the notes, you need quiet.  Silence speaks volumes.  Silence is home to a lot of stuff – stuff that you need to have happen.

Consider it self-care.  Consider it creative space.  Consider it a laboratory experiment.  But definitely consider it.

Why do you need quiet?  Well, you might have noticed that when your hair is on fire with all the things you have to do/to think about/to plan for/to regulate/to manage, there’s precious little time to be creative or artistic.  Without some quiet time, you are likely to be less creative – in any way – actually in every way.  This could mean stalled learning, stale arrangements, zero compositions, and forget any other creative outlets.  You might find that then your music suffers.

Quiet time allows you space to think (or not think), to observe, to question.  And all that makes a fertile playground for new ideas.

How would you get some quiet?  You will have to carve it out – it is something you will do for yourself.

What would you do in all this quiet?  Well –  

You could generate a walking habit.  This would need to be a solitary walk – social walks are fun and nice and serve a purpose, but they won’t serve for this purpose.  You need to bimble*.  Many great minds cultivated a walking habit.

You could meditate/pray/reflect.  These are all the same thing, dressed up pretty for different predilections, but this time does give you the quiet you need to be still which will generate some head space.

You can journal (yes, you could journal in your practice journal, but only if that makes sense to you).  Set aside time to journal.  That can be a writing journal, an art journal, a bullet journal – doesn’t matter as long as it is a tool that allows you to have some quiet time.

You could watch the clouds go by.  You could watch the ducks swim.  You could watch the grass grow.  You could let your childhood memories of things to do on long days make additional suggestions.

You need this time to be unpressured.  Your are, after all, specifically not being productive.  In fact, you’re almost being anti-productive.  You want stuff to just wash over you …. you’re being quiet!

Put your phone away!  You don’t even need your harp.  Just be. 

Develop a habit of making this time.  It doesn’t have to be bags of time – even a 15-minute window will work.

Do you already have quiet time? If so, what do you do to make quiet?  If you don’t, do any of these work for you?  What are you going to try to find some quiet?  Let me know in the comments!

 

*Bimble is an English English word that means to meander, often with no destination.  Perfect for quiet time.