Good, Right vs. Depth & Beauty?

Thinking about the idea of "making something good" or "getting it right" vs. learning something deeply. I will always choose depth... I love to learn. For me, for something to be considered beautiful it has depth. I am more interested in the process than the outcome. I do believe that it may be right and good via my path to depth. I do believe that something may be simple or complex and still have depth. I do believe that the path to learning something deeply is a very worthy, engaging, and an important subject to share with our young people and all people. I feel that it may be lost to many as to why it is important and    the how, the process and mindful awareness of what we are learning is what is truly important and interesting. 

So, what is depth... I think that learning an art form creates depth in a person and the outcome is art. I think that diving into any great subject, creates depth. I believe in the importance of learning things and in knowing something or someone over a long period of time creates a relationship that has the potential for depth, for knowing yourself and the "subject". 

The idea that the "subject, love, people, animals, science, religion, poetry, nature, music, art...  is worthy... We all have something to contribute to a great "subject of depth" to learn from , is worthy of our in depth study. 

It is a way of knowing more of your self, of growing, of learning, of creating depth and beauty, art... in this world... It is sharing deeply a perspective that only you can give, given that you are a one of a kind creation never to be created again...  It is opening up the light of potential that is present, it is an unveiling of the beauty of this world and... that can not be found in a good or bad, right or wrong, but is found in the depth of you, shared from your human heart... to another heart... it is beautiful...

Thank you for your heart, your willingness to dive deeply into a subject of your choice and share your light...

Happy diving into your depths of de-light,

Jennifer

Mystery of Music and You and Me???

How did I find music? I came to music because when I heard classical music... Its unseen beauty was a sympathetic vibration that resonated in me, that it was like me... and I was and am, attracted to unexplainable vibrational sounds, to it's mystery, depth, and infinite possibility for expression...

The Mystery of Me

Music and I are revealed 

through the mystery of the unseen,

hidden in the waves of sound,

inside the nuance of the subtle,

felt in the heart,

expressed in e-motion,

an invocation, 

music, 

is returned in kindness...

JSK ~Jennifer Shawn Keeney

8/11/12

How did you find music? Or how did it find you? What was and is it that you connect to, that is unique to music and to you? How did you and do you identify your self with music? 

Please share...

Heartfully,
Jennifer

Free Things for TMEA All-State Flute Etudes

I have a new page with free information about the TMEA, All-State Flute Etudes for 2012-2013, available on my website,www.creativeflutist.com or www.jenniferkeeney.com

TMEA: Texas All-State Flute Etudes: (just click on TMEA Flute Etudes on the home page of my website)

Free Practice Parts, Etudes broken down into small parts and many ideas on how to practice them.

Information on each Etude

Metronome Motivation guide

Duets by the composers of the Etudes


Links to other Editions available online of the Etudes for further study

Videos at practice tempo and performance tempo

Links to more information and listening
and more!

Enjoy and let me know what you think :-)

Creative Practice Circles, #9 - Finding your Design... What is next?

What is next? 

Your Design is unique!

Find, get to know and grow and express yourself...

How are all your Circles interconnected, balanced and full of possibility?

I would love to see your Circle Designs. Please send them to me.

Here is one mine that includes the Circles I have written to you about thus far in our Circle Adventure:

Here is another idea:

Start with an idea in the center of your circle.


What are the ripples of this principal idea?

How does this effect the whole of you and your playing?

The ripples are endless and infinite... 

Creative Practice Circles, #8 - Performing

Here is a Circle I created with an idea at the center of each Circle for you to add your own ideas about what performing is to you. 

remember that there may also be things in your Circles that you do NOT want in your Circle. Or, things that not in your Circle that you DO want to bring into your Circles. 

Take a class on Performance Confidence. There are so many wonderful people, blogs, websites that offering classes, workshops and education. 

Here are a few I recommend:

Musicians Way

Bullet Proof Musician

Peak Performance for Musicians

Perform Confidently for Musicians

Practice Ideas for the Whole Musician

Creative Flutist

Creative Circles #7, Technique

Here is another Circle that is included in everyones Practice Circles:

 Technique

What is it and how do we develop, refine and grow it? :-)

The more technique you have, the less you have to worry about it... ~ Pablo Picasso                                                         Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion...  ~ Martha Graham

In any work with scales, always practice with a sense of personal search and great integrity....

 Never practice for fingers alone. You must work for sound at the same time.... ~ Alain Marion

If you have a great technique then you have freedom. 

Freedom is gained through the mastery of a great technique. 

This mastery gives the musician the ability to express the music in an artistic way.

Thoroughly explore and improve your technique! Play with it, bring it to life!

Be disciplined, passionate, refined & creative in practicing technical studies. 

Always practice artistically, with awareness of the whole and with great musicianship. 

Remember - all this technical practice is - for the music.

As you play your scales, arpeggios, trills, tonguing patterns, chromatics, thirds...

They are music!  All the parts matter & make up the whole of music.

Always play with your best, most colorful tones. Use your most curious and alert attention.  

  Engage your genuine care for the music and for yourself. 

Activate all of your senses!

Feel the gratitude you have for being given the gift of playing a musical instrument.

Here is a Technique Circle I created:

Creative Practice Circles, #6 - Tone

One aspect of our practice is in creating our Tone, our Voice for making music. I have not yet met a musician that does not have this element in their Circle of Practice.

This is another circle that is full of infinite possibility... and a lifetime of education, listening, play, thought, practice and performing... that go into it's Creation.

There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique...~ martha graham

Each of us has an individual voice as a person and as a musician.

 Since music asks us to express an infinite variety of sounds and shapes, how do we get to know and develop our unique Voice on the flute? As you explore and enrich your voice consider what each of these words below mean to you? Play with the words below to give them more meaning to you.

Use your imagination, creativity, artistry, curiosity, engaged mind, heart and spirit to find your voice.

Every note resonates inside our body and somewhere in the flute... ~  Rampal                                                                                                A Generous heart creates a beautiful tone ~ Moyse

How you create your tone, your sound is the artist in you. Your heart, mind, body, spirit are unique and whole. So is your tone.  It takes a lot of energy to create and develop 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 revealed. Invest in your tone practice and reveal your jewels! 

• 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 learn to refine your ear and to define what is is you are hearing and like in great sound. Keep listening in great detail and delight to what you hearing in these great sounds. The next step is to learn how to play what you listening to by these great artists. Also, ask your teacher to help you and to demonstrate what you are trying to emulate.

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

What is in your Circle? 


Here is a link from NPR called 50 Great Voices... It is a great place to hear 50 unique, authentic voices~ enjoy!!!

Here is a circle that I created on Tone: