Thoughts on why Classical Music and why go to Live Concerts?

~Some Thoughts on Why "Classical Music" and why we go to Live Concerts?

Here are some thoughts for today on this amazing subject of  music and concerts....
What do you think and feel about this??? ~ Jennifer

Why does someone go out of their home to go to a concert?

~ to feel something, emotional message with a group of people, but in a private way

~ they may not feel things like this on a daily level, but can in this setting

~ Dynamic!- Energy! Alive!

~ Group Energy...

~ extended period of listening, feeling, experiencing- shift perceptions

~ inspiration

~ passion for music

~ knowledge

~ engagement, connection

~ entertainment

~ affect mood and brain chemistry- encoded, code...

~ How does music make us who we are?

~ relate to something together

~ art as relating to the human experience.. in its myriad of forms

Why Classical Music as an art form?

~ longer Art form than a pop song so.... Music is “large” a vast world... Encompassing of Whole

~ powerful message 

~ can explore something more complex, deep, rich, subtle 

~ without words- sound conveys something form another dimension

~ powerful nature of music

~ mystery of music

~ sets up patterns then fulfills or changes them

~ transformative - Music as “Genetic Structure”

~ elevates evolution 

~ cultivates the good - UP lifting!

~ looking at music connection between brain and culture evolution and society

~ affect mood and brain chemistry

~ music was shaped by a large number of refinements over time...

~ music is encoded in the brain- what kind of code is in classical music? deeply encoded in brain

~ change, shift perceptions

New Music ? -

~ creative not recreative... to be a part of the creative process... it is exciting! 

~ support our living composers and keep this form of music alive and thriving...

~ music of our time! are we a part of it? 

~ authentic voice , finding yours through composition and giving life to a composers musical voice

~ what is sound saying about the human brain and evolution? 

~ what is Music saying about evolution?

Intonation - Interval Intimacy Exercise

Here is an Exercise of mine for Intonation...

I call it:

Interval Intimacy...

Enjoy - Jennifer

~Jennifer

Connection to Sound and Music?

Involved -  Intimate -  Intune - Connection to Sound and Music?

Talking with my students about really connecting to their sounds, their unique voice on the the flute. How to  be involved, intimate and in tune with their tones, sounds and the music?  And, via this connection to creating their sound, how to bring the expression of the MUSIC to life.....  There are an infinite number of ways to make the connection. The question is : What kind of a connection are you making? How are you making that connection? Why are you making this connection?

One of my favorite ways to explore how you Make, Create, Express, bring Sound,Tone and the Music to Life is to use your Imagination and Ask yourself....

What kind of :

Emotion

Character

Person

Art

Color

Texture

Fabric

Element

Jewel

Stone

Pattern

Shape

Plant

Food

Feast

Animal

Body of Water

Planet

Light

Space

Mystery

is the Music?

This list is just a short list to spark your interest...  Bring this list, your tone, the sound the expression of the MUSIC to life with your imagination, interpretation, artistry, your passion and love for Music....

Heartfully,

Jennifer

Letting Go...?

There is the preparation and practice for a performance and then there is the letting go, trusting... enjoying the freedom of a performance...


How do we do this? By practicing letting go in our Practice! 
This is available to us anywhere in our life to practice... and in practice itself...
It is rare that people manage to stop and quiet themselves enough and get into a situation of non-doing. It is a choice to leave everything alone and see what happens. If you do this then you have to exercise control over your thinking process as well. You must really wish to do nothing and let go of any doing. It is not being rigid, frozen or holding as this can create all sorts of tension... It is a matter of leaving your self alone and letting everything just happen... 


During practice we spend a lot of time focusing on what we are DOING... So, if you are going to do something don't you want to ensure that what your doing is is what you truly intend? How can we measure doing vs. non - doing , letting go?
We cultivate AWARENSS... and at the very least you may become aware of how your BREATH changes... This alone is worth it... To find an ease to your breathing ...This letting go engages the cultivation of awareness. It is best entered into and built up over periods of time in practice...


Explore what it is like to let go and trust yourself ? What else opens in your practice? In your Listening? In your breath and body, when you let go? Are you hanging on to things, ways, ideas, perspectives, energy, habits that you no longer need any more? Let one go and see what changes. What are the possibilities that you did not see, hear, know, observe before that are now open to you? Just by letting go you may experience something fresh, new, and wonderfully different in your practice and in your life? 


Take the risk to trust yourself and let go ... it is worth it...


This letting go, reminds me of the Alexander Technique idea of Non Doing...? Inhibiting your habits then not doing anything,  non doing. I believe this letting go, non-doing (that is itself active on another kind of level) is the return to our natural state, Alexander called it (Primary Control)...This is the peace and freedom...
I love this book Thinking Aloud - talks on teaching the Alexander Technique - by Walter Carrington.


Let's Design a daily practice that includes letting go, the cultivation of awareness, peace and freedom... in the of our whole life, as artists, musicians, flutists...


Ahhh, sounds like a worthy practice to me....


Letting go...
~ Jennifer


Here is a poem I like about this....

“Do everything with a mind that lets go.

Do not expect any praise or reward.

If you let go a little you will have a little peace.

If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace.

If you let go completely, you will know complete peace and freedom.

Your struggle with the world will have come to an end. “

 - Ajahn Chah

The 7 D's of Practice

It is the end of the semester and a good time for reflection, relaxation and remembering important things that make practice meaningful as we go into the summer months. Look at these words and see what you may be missing and would like to add more of to your practice and music making! 

Happy Practicing! 

Jennifer

Here are my:

7 D's of Practice

Desire    Dedication   Determination    Discipline  

Delight   Daring   Discovery !

Tone & Wine

Tone & Wine you say??? 


I was talking with my flute colleague Peggy Russell yesterday at Flute Juries about Tone and really developing and teaching a great sound. She said she had read an article about Itzhak Perlman and wine. In this article he was talking about the complexity of a fine wine and how a great sound is like a great wine, Complex.... 


A great wine and a  fine sound are complex, multi dimensional, rich in timbre and texture, have a fragrant bouquet, a unique character, are balanced, have brilliance, body, are bold, clean, clear, have depth, earthy, elegant, fruity, full, light, lively, luscious, mature, mellow, noble, powerful, soft, spicy, sweet, vigorous, woody,   smooth to the finish....


How we learn about complexity in a great sound is by listening... developing our ear to hear and discern what makes up a great sound. How we teach it is in playing for our students, having them attend concerts and classes, listing to recordings ( I love this link to NPR's 50 Great Voices NPR's 50 Great Voices) and in how they practice tone and how involved and engaged are they in listening with new ears and in opening and refining how they listen...


If we what to change, develop improve ourself as a musician?   We need to change, transform, develop, enrich, educate, attune, refine how we listen...




Some Ideas I have written about:

The Art of Listening http://www.jenniferkeeney.com/documents/ArtofListening2010_002.pdf

How you listen is what transforms you into a musician and The Art of Listening is the Path to becoming a great Artist, Musician, Flutist. What are you listening to?

How sensitive, aware, refined, integrated, fresh, are your listening skills? Make sure to cleanse, open and nourish your ears during each practice session.

There are many kinds of Ears you can use to enter the Path, to the Art of Listening. It is essential to learn about and Master all of these Ears and Levels of Listening.

Ears:

Physical

Mental

Emotional

Spiritual

Happy Listening, 

Jennifer

Thoughts and Ideas on Creating Your Tone...

Thoughts on Tone

Every note resonates inside our body and somewhere in the flute... ~ The Rampal School

• Some thoughts and ideas on creating your sound, your tone...

• The creation of your tone, your sound is the artist in you. Your heart, mind, body self are unique and whole. So is your tone. It takes a lot of energy to create your unique tone and it is worth it!

• You have a treasure chest of jewels inside of you waiting to be opened and expressed. Your tone is like this treasure chest, full of multi faceted beautiful jewels waiting to be discovered and uncovered. 

• Get curious about Tone! Educate yourself. What makes a beautiful, whole, exquisite sound? Begin by listening to great flutists, string players and vocalists. You will begin to refine your ear and to define what is is you are hearing and like in great tone. Keep listening to what you hear and how can you play what you hear.

• Your tone is a one of a kind, piece of art created by you! So what kind of art are you making?

• Know, grow and love your sound!

What do you like about your sound?

What would you like to enhance in your tone?

What would you like to change about your sound?

What are some specific ways you can do this?

Heartfully, 

                      Jennifer