First-world problems

So many times I want to complain: Why can't it be like THIS? Why did they do THAT? WHAT is going on? Why does the good stuff have to end? Why are so many things vying for my time and effort?

Jealousy is one of those first-world problems I suffer from. People have nicer stuff than me. People have more time to do stuff than me. People look like they have better relationships with others around them than me. People have the means to go do exciting overseas holidays. People have their life-plan worked out.
Among many other things.

But you know what? I've had a most wonderful long weekend.
I got to celebrate my birthday. Many children (who grow to be adults, or don't....) don't make it to this age. And many that do don't have the luxury of celebrating it with friends. I was blessed to be surrounded by friends who care enough to send me some well wishes and love.
I got to go to church and hear some truths about the reason we celebrate Easter. I got to hear about suffering and sacrifice and about resurrection and hope.
I got to go to see one of my favourite bands play a gig. I got to catch up with a few old friends.
I had time to practice. Admittedly, probably not as much as hoped or intended, but I did. And I got to have a few rehearsals with some friends in preparation for things coming up.
I got to play music in a style that I don't get to every day.
I got to hang out with some friends being myself, without pretension and purely for the enjoyment of each others' company.
I got to catch up with several friends today. I got to eat yummy food cooked by them, gorge myself on chocolate (yum!), ride out on a tram to a nice part of town, have coffee with another friend, have another one come over for a bit and catch up, and celebrate another friend's birthday.

I have so much to be thankful for.
I am thankful that I am able to live in a such a free country.
I am thankful that I can practice my faith without persecution.
I am thankful that I can hear, listen to music, and play music.
I am thankful for family and friends.
I am thankful for the money that I have.
I am thankful for a healthy body that can walk, dance, run (if really required....), feel and see the sunshine, taste food and drink.
I am thankful for the sacrifice made for me.
Among many things.

Third Day: "You are Mine"

It doesn't take much
For my heart to break
And you have done it
For what seems the millionth time

Whenever I hear
Of your saving grace
And how you gave your life
In exchange for mine

Sometimes I wonder why you even love me
And why you ever chose to call me child
Then I remember
It's by your sacrifice
I can say that
I am yours and you are mine

It doesn't take much
For me to shed a tear
And you have done so many things
To make me cry
Whenever I think
Of all that I've done wrong
And everything that you have done
To make it right

It doesn't take much
For my heart to break
And you have done it
For what's seems the millionth time

I have to pinch myself sometimes

So I've technically been on holidays for a week now. Of course, we all know that this just means that there is no compelling need for me to turn up in South Melbourne for classes unless I schedule anything myself. And you probably already guessed that meant that I was in South Melbourne pretty much every day. I'm proposing that the term 'holiday' be removed from a list of possible terms applied to my study and work situation. I prefer 'day(s) of rest'. Far more appropriate and descriptive.

Anyway, it has been good in any case. There was time to practice, and just chill out a little bit without having specific times to be anywhere. I also filled up my evenings because I could...! I taught on Monday evening, saw a Peter Wispelwey recital on Tuesday (solo Bach and Britten suites), saw the Easter Musical on Wednesday, and went out for birthday fun on Thursday.

So many good things. The sunshine. Friends. Music. Concerts. Rehearsals. Switchfoot gig!!!! (amazing!!! So. Cool.) Hot cross buns. Dancing. Singing.

And I was reflecting on how amazing this week has been, even though it's been busy and I haven't really gotten back into my proper sleep routine. And even though it has been incredible, how much MORE incredible this celebration of Easter is. I really enjoyed the sermon last week at church, and the truths about why we celebrate Easter. What it means for us. One of the things that really struck me was that the Passion story is not one of accident, nor a conspiracy, nor an unfortunate set of circumstances with unfortunately endings. These events were all ordained and were set in motion as a matter of choice and response.

Now that's incredible.

Extemporisation, Classical Improvisation and playing Harry Potter. And are you a Mozzie?

You may wonder how extemporisation, classical improvisation and playing Harry Potter are related. The answer to this is the not-so-tenuous link of David Dolan, a pianist and expert in these three things (although one may argue that Daniel Radcliffe is much more famous for the last activity). DD (as he will now be referred to) came to ANAM for a two-week residency and to workshop all sorts of things with us.

The first session raised lots of issues: what is improvisation, and why are classical musicians so scared of it? My friend ventured that it's because there is nobody to defer to (ie. Beethoven says this in the score) and one has to be responsible (and take ownership of) but nobody wants to be exposed as a fraud. Yep, tick tick. That's me. What if I improvise and I'm accused of being bad at it, or being unmusical?!?

So DD started playing some games. With some brave and willing volunteers, he played games of classical improvisation, posing a musical question and letting somebody answer in a similar fashion. These extended to playing together in some sort of Question-Answer-together thing. He emphasised that there are no wrong notes - and what we consider to be 'wrong' notes are often the most interesting notes, because they form the distension in music.

What a fortnight it was. I was fortunate to have about seven sessions in total with DD in various forms - trio, instrument class, duo. Many visiting artists who come in to give any sort of class approach the student with some sort of finishing polish or a few ideas about how to approach things. This is not a bad thing in itself, but what DD was completely different. We were encouraged to approach pieces from a compositional point of view, particularly in terms of the harmony. We did structural and harmonic reductions of passages, looking at the bare bones of the music. We actually played these (he said to perform them like you would the actual written stuff!) and things became clear. We also acted and spoke the  music (that is, not singing..!) to hear the direction and the intensity. We reduced the melody as well (reminded me of the Schenkerian analysis stuff we did in first year..!) And we played games! This was actually far more enjoyable than I thought it was going to be - the fear of 'what if I make stupid and bad noises?' was shelved in exchange for fun and experimentation. Even more enjoyable was the Neo-Classical style I was able to employ - Classical structures without Classical tonality. Here I found that rhythmic and shape elements were of greater interest and importance.

DD also gave me (us) tips on how to approach certain passages, making certain things so much clearer and easier to follow. All these thins: singing, acting, reducing, playing of games - DD did them all; he demonstrated to us and made us feel really comfortable about doing the same. What really struck me too was that he was so encouraging and positive and so open to sharing some of his genius with us. I was struck by his genius, his perception and his enthusiasm for helping us to uncover all these things in the music, and for his humility. At the end of each session, he would remind us that he didn't teach us how to play certain things (indeed, he didn't teach any specific technique of playing one's instrument to, for example, the violinists) but stressed that his work was to encourage us to think in a different way, and that we were all capable of doing this ourselves, and that we had! Such affirmation.

The other interesting guest we had in these two weeks was Dr Phil Jauncey, a performance psychologist. He has worked with some of the most successful sporting teams in Australia (and I'm sure, beyond Australia, and beyond the sporting domain too!) and is a fascinating speaker. I almost expected him to tell me 'This is how you can control your nerves and this is the magic formula.' So NOT what he was talking about. I shan't bother to sum it all up - it is quite a lot and also quite concise at the same time, but there are so many thoughts to it that perhaps I shall tell you if you're interested. Let's just say that I think his method of approaching psychology is quite different to what traditional Western medicine prescribes. One of the things we also did was to do a personality test (different to others, such as Myers-Briggs) where our results were then compiled and we were 'measured' on two different axes: External/Internal and Structured/Flexible. These formed four quadrants with the prevailing personality types of Mozzie, Enforcer, Thinker and Feeler. One can be a combination of these types too. It was certainly interesting to see my own results, and also discuss others' with them! How fascinating it is to see a broad spectrum of people at ANAM and how we can adapt how we work with the different people.

Les entretiens de la belle et de la bête (Conversation between Beauty and the Beast)

From Ma Mere L'Oye (Mother Goose Suite) - this text precedes the movement

- "When I think of your kind heart, you don't seem to me so ugly." - "Oh!
"Indeed! I have a kind heart, but I am a monster." - "There are many men who are greater monsters than you." - "If I possessed any wit, I would pay you a fine compliment by way of thanks, but I am only a beast.
...Beauty, will you be my wife?" - "No, Beast!..."
- "I die happy because I have the pleasure of seeing you one more time." -
"No, dear Beast, you shall not die: you shall live to become my husband!"
...The Beast vanished and she saw at her feet only a prince more handsome than Love itself who thanked her for breaking his spell.

(Mme Leprince de Beaumont)

Voyelles (Vowels)

This poem was the first performed preceding the first movement of Richard Meale's "Incredible Floridas" on 9 March 2011.

A Black, E white, I red, U green, O blue : vowels,
I shall tell, one day, of your mysterious origins:
A, black velvety jacket of brilliant flies
Which buzz around cruel smells,

Gulfs of shadow; E, whiteness of vapours and of tents,
Lances of proud glaciers, white kings, shivers of cow-parsley;
I, purples, spat blood, smile of beautiful lips
In anger or in the raptures of penitence;

U, waves, divine shudderings of viridian seas,
The peace of pastures dotted with animals, the peace of the furrows
Which alchemy prints on broad studious foreheads;

O, sublime Trumpet full of strange piercing sounds,
Silences crossed by Worlds and by Angels:
O the Omega, the violet ray of Her Eyes!

- Arthur Rimbaud, as translated by Oliver Bernard: Arthur Rimbaud, Collected Poems (1962)

Find out more about Arthur Rimbaud and his poetry at http://www.mag4.net/Rimbaud/index-en.php