Being A Beginner

Practicing Learning

Never did I imagine that I would be flying on a trapeze or doing Parkour.  Nor did I ever imagine that I would learn SO much from these activities for my playing and teaching.

I was practicing a piece I have played many times this morning.  This time was different.  I did not work hard to create dynamics and contrasts, instead, I enjoyed the ease of the inhale and the changes in color that movement quality allowed me to create.

In my musical training, there wasn’t much mention of movement, other than noticing the evenness of finger movement or the movement of air.  Yet these elements only scrape the surface of what we can be aware of in movement.  Clarifying the “how” of our music-making, actually knowing how a movement can be made, and putting this knowledge into movement. 

Movement holds the solutions to our challenges.  Do you want to play louder?  A specific set of movements will allow you to change dynamics.  You want to take a bigger breath or blow the air out more slowly?  There are specific movements that allow you to do this efficiently and with precision.

Supplementing my practice time with movement away from the flute was essential for me.  I had to experience movement in big ways doing novel activities.  Going into an environment that was unfamiliar facing fear, awareness, and movement challenges was my way in.  I also wanted to learn from great movers (which I found at the trapeze rig and in Parkour). Additionally, stepping into the shoes of the beginner immerses me in the powerful process of learning from the ground floor.

We are musicians 24/7.  We have unlimited opportunities to practice movement and awareness throughout our day whether we are practicing, playing, or not.  Harness the power of your day to inform your musicianship.  Go play on a playground, navigate obstacles or meditate.  Each activity is a chance to learn to strengthen poise and coordination. (If you do Parkour or trapeze you will even have some amazing FUN!)

Be curious!