I was actually a little bummed that I bailed on my regular TCI gig this past Sunday (I had friends visiting, so it was a great reason) - I just realize how gratifying it's been, getting back to performing regularly. Before June, I hadn't really performed since my graduation recital in April (well, no, I guess there was Bach double in May, but that was pretty low key) so I was initially a bit jittery about getting out there. We musicians are usually holed up in practice rooms and, quite honestly, it's hard for many of us to be really driven in our practicing without the impending prospect of a public performance. As I feel I'm so often telling my students, practicing is not performing - and vice versa! So I've been needing to get clear and remind myself (and my flock!): what is the difference between practicing and performing? Performing is easier and more fun imho, so let's deal with that first: Performing is not obsessing about technique, but rather, having spent some time with the work and having a sense of what you and the composer want to say, trying to express the meaning of the work to an audience (or, for a variety of reasons, it may not help you to think of the audience in particular, so let's just say, trying to give birth to the work in its entirety, to put it out into the ether). That's all well and good, but in the moment lots of things can arise (ego, frustration, tension, etc) and letting all of that go is part of what keeps you in the flow, creating continuous phrases. If you start beating yourself up about a gaffe, or admire that last shift you played, or your hand cramps up, the audience will feel that you're no longer present and they'll turn off as well. Performing is also helpful because it shines a spotlight on what we've been neglecting in the practice room. Some things don't come as a surprise; I know my left hand can be sluggish, my vibrato inconsistent, but there are also those slippery little mistakes - the ones that went just fine in the practice room - but passages that, on stage, will not get under your fingers. And you won't know until you put yourself out there. Practicing, on the other hand, is being a mindful detective. Staying absolutely present and noticing each note, assessing each phrase for technical errors, effective and musical phrasing, unnecessary physical tension. This can sometimes mean beginning your practice session with a play through to find the weak spots (and to practice performance - ie. physical and artistic endurance), but it most often involves dividing your piece into small chunks so that you can really break down your analysis into four distinct categories*: 1. Pitch 2. Rhythm 3. Tone 4. Phrasing (I would add a fifth, the awareness of one's body and the prevention of physical tension) Basically all musical hindrances fall into one of these categories. And our brains and bodies focus most efficiently when we break problems down. So begin by grouping your piece into tiny phrases (later you should make longer ones - when you're truly working on phrasing). Play the small phrase with an ear to what aspect may not be most reliable. Figure out why (easier said than done! But this is really where the fun work lies. I think it was Dorothy Delay who once said that errors only lie between two notes, so try to isolate an issue to two notes max). Once you've come up with a solution, repeat it a few times - enough that it begins to feel more solid, but not so many times that you go into autopilot (that's something that only comes after several days of this kind of isolation and repetition). And move along to the next mini phrase! After you've done enough to make a long phrase, you can play it through for musicality and just cause that's the fun part - reaping the benefits of your hard work! Many people have already written voluminously and compellingly about practicing, so please forgive any errors of omission, and please comment below if you'd like to add or disagree with anything! Finally, on the subject of practicing, for a long time, I've been wanting to write about the different ways to practice (ie. exactly how to solve these errors once we've uncovered them). Michael O'Gieblyn's YouTube video about the 17 ways to practice is pretty awesome for advanced players, and I highly recommend watching it and putting it into practice. But I was thinking of something more encyclopedic and maybe organized into categories (eg. speed, shifts, intonation, etc). Please feel free to comment below about things you would like help practicing and/or practice techniques that you find helpful. I love performing so much! Even my little gig here - where no one's really listening - makes me so very happy to send these notes out into the universe, so thinking this way really helps me - and I hope, you too! copyright © cicely nelson 2016
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copyright © cicely nelson 2016
Interestingly, there have been a flurry of critiques of big time yogis this weekend with regard to their silence in the wake of these latest murders of black Americans at the hands of police. The critique is essentially, you have a platform, you're in the business of making people feel better, step up. I could not agree more. Evil is perpetuated by those who see it happening and don't speak up. I don't care how much you purport your business or your platform to be "irrelevant" or "apolitical;" there's no such thing as an "apolitical" member of society. If you're in the business of -isness, Black Lives Matter needs to matter to you. As religious freedom issues continue to be brought before the Supreme Court, we see that there's strong legal precedent for having one's constitutionally-enshrined right to express political views and yet still being obligated to carry out your business impartially. Yes, of course I'll be kind and loving towards all that I teach, but this is my political bent and I speak out about it because I understand it to be my human obligation. I'm by no means a particularly visible teacher, but I'll say here that that if clients feel differently (and personally, I've only ever heard support for BLM on the job) they can keep quiet, chose the door, or, hopefully, wake up. copyright © cicely nelson 2016
Happy International Day of a Yoga! Been learning a lot recently about body literally "knows" more than your brain. How cool is that? Move mindfully and pay attention every day to tap in to this source of wisdom - it's kind of why yoga IS 💚 This lovely blog by Rachel Scott, the head of Yyoga's teacher training program, is also on point http://blog.healingradiuspro.com/2016/03/rachel-scott-say-no-to-self-limiting-beliefs/ copyright © cicely nelson 2016
TVA (transverse abdominal) engagement can be abstract and tricky. Practicing TVA disengagement (let the contents of your abdomen fall towards the ground, as in the bottom picture) can sometimes help confused students identify its function, as they feel their organs and their spine lose this vital support, and then, having identified this heaviness, they're better able to find the gentle "drawing-up-the-belly-button" feeling that supports these organs (top pic). We just all have to be careful not to make the motion spinal, but keep it purely muscular. You'll feel it! Bonus points: initiate from pelvic floor. copyright © cicely nelson 2016
Cat stretch on the mat is nice. But kneeling cat on the cadillac and, even better, on the chair, that's yummy. I love the elements of spinal articulation and scapular stability. And the fact that you have this added element of potential free-fall (use your abs or lose your nose!) makes this one a barn-burner. I have to be careful to keep my lower legs glued to the mat (a connection that I lost a bit in the second pic) and to not overload my lats by overly extending - so you should too. Do try this at home! copyright © cicely nelson 2016
Early on in my teaching career, when I was green and impressionable, a colleague somewhat imperiously advised me that I would do well to remember that Pilates and Yoga are customer service professions, and to make pleasing clients my priority. At the time, I could do little more than nod with a furrowed, but respectful brow. In the years that followed, two experiences contributed to me forming my own opinion on this subject. The first is that I certified as a Suzuki Music Teacher. Of course, there are differences between teaching a child and their parent how to be a violin-learning dream team and teaching an adult how to manage their body - but far less than one would think. In the Suzuki Method, the parent, teacher, and child are a trifecta - no one party alone carries all the responsibility, but all equally support one another. The teacher gently and supportively advises the parent how to practice the instrument with the child at home and the parent-child team follows the teacher's instruction, requesting help as needed. I began to see that this teaching model of honesty, cooperation, and pacing progress resonated with me and could potentially be applied to other disciplines. The second experience that liberated my teaching philosophy was a wonderful yoga teacher training bridge program that I was so fortunate to stumble upon in Vancouver in 2012 led by the ever-inspirational Shannon Cluff. She firmly iterated to us mentees repeatedly not to ape other teachers or cater to clients but to hold firm to the knowledge that our students would find us if we stick to our path of personal development and continuing education with steadfast conviction and discipline. I am a great teacher. While I am also opinionated as hell, I do try very hard to assess how much of my honesty a student can emotionally and intellectually handle. My most long-term students know that I'm excitable and committed and in my enthusiasm, can be demanding. But they stick around because they love me for it and they also know that I am continuously in search of greater clarity for all of us. copyright © cicely nelson 2016
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