When your enthusiasm runs away with your brain
One of the best things my students bring to our time together is enthusiasm. They clearly are interested and invested in making music. They don’t all have the same motivations, but they each bring a big bucket of energy!
Let’s start by saying that I am supremely fortunate to be in that sweet spot of having a wide diversity of students – all of whom I really enjoy and look forward to seeing! Not everyone (including me) gets that all the time. It really does make teaching a joy and I am ever so grateful for it!
Energy is essential. It is also necessary – but it is not sufficient! To meet sufficiency, we have to add a little bit of focus. And some fundamentals. *
I know you’re excited to play. Of course you are – because – it’s a harp! Who wouldn’t want to do that?!
But let’s look at that sentence – you want to play the harp. Don’t be fooled by the word “play”, because while it’s fun and captivating, we know it’s not just play. We play based on our work on the fundamental elements of performing.
These basic elements of interacting with our instrument are so important not only for the music but also for ourselves. Good technique means we will be able to play easily and pain-free for as long as we like. Good musicianship means we will be able to participate in the music (and the wide world of music) comfortably and successfully.
It all starts with technique and continues through listening, hearing, feedback, focus, and thinking.** But the physical act of pulling sound from the harp starts with technique – learning the details of coaxing out music, not just noise.
I know you want to get straight to it. I know you want to play. I know you want to bring forth what’s in your head. And the music in your heart.
But here’s what I want. I want you to not struggle. I want you to get where you have set your sights – and farther. I want you to play forever (or at least as long as you want to). I want you to succeed.
The shortest path to where you want to go is to get that stuff you need to know into your head, into your hands, into your heart. Believe me – the music will be there when you’re ready. And when you are ready, the music will flow. Sadly, there are no shortcuts (don’t ask me how I know this).
Your enthusiasm will certainly help you – but don’t let it run away with your brain. First we work, then we play.
What do you think? Do you let your enthusiasm run away with you (and run from doing what needs to be done)? Let me know in the comments!
* If you think I’m talking specifically about you – I’m not, but you should probably hear what I’m saying.
** Yes, of course there’s more but I’m trying to keep this short!
What Kate said. It’s so true and it took so long.
Being able to play takes work.
But if you commit to the work, you can then choose to enjoy the work and express yourself with the work and make the work beautiful and create little games to make the work enjoyable until the work morphs into…. …play.
Well said!
Harp is a four letter word- so is WORK ( and ironically, “play” ).
When i first started, i thought I’d be able to “play” in about 6 mo.
i queried my instr. answer:
” it depends on how long you spend with your harp Every Day”. oh….
quickly revised expectation to 1 year, then 3 yrs, then 5. At 5, I had a discussion with Self- continue? or not?. it took 14 to get where i wanted to be !
Maybe we all go through that! When I was preparing for my first competition I saw that Master harpers had to have 50 tunes on their repertoire list. I calculated that was ten tunes a year and I could easily become a master well within five years. I look back and laugh and laugh and laugh 🤣. All this time later, I’m still working on it!