The conductors
They play a crucial role in the orchestra performance. A good conductor has the power to grow the orchestra level and to inspire the musicians to play at their best potential during the rehearsals and concerts. They are the leaders and most of the times they are also responsible for a successful concert or a poor one.
The orchestra musicians are open and willing to follow a good leader, but I repeat, a good leader! And the truth is that`s not easy to find very good liders. Many conductors are speaking a lot during the rehearsals, but their words have no essence, no meaning and are not helpful for the musicians performance. With this style of work the musicians become tired, are not concentrate anymore, and their performance is a mediocre one, without energy and soul inside. Arrogance, rudeness or speaking without meaning has nothing to do with a good conductor. This attitude will never inspire the musicians to play at their best potential. I know that`s not easy to find a complete conductor: charismatic, talented, precise, organized, very good prepared and polite. But when you find one of them, you need to know that he can make a real difference into the orchestra performance. The great conductors know how important is also to give freedom to the musicians to express their own ideas and feelings through music. They know how to ask for the artists involvment and to create a beautiful atmosphere for the musicians and for the public. Their hand gestures are more than 1000 words and express all what they want. And in the end, the orchestra is really playing music!
That`s why we are looking for Great Leaders!
Wednesday, 25 March 2015
Saturday, 28 February 2015
Fun, pleasure and appreciation
Well, this is a very delicate subject especially for artists. The desire of recognition and appreciation is coming so naturaly and we believe that this will define us as musicians. I`m not so sure if we are teached in this way, or this desire it`s coming more from inside.
First, let`s try to explain the terms of hobby and profession. It`s a big difference between a child which takes private lessons and is learning to play an instrument just for fun and pleasure and a child which takes lessons in order to pursue a career in this field. Until now, I didn`t hear teachers from the schools telling the students to play WHAT they want and WHEN they want, just for fun and for their pleasure. This can happen just into the private classes.
Later, those students who are doing music for profession will become teachers or maybe orchestra players. This are stable jobs and are good for a regular income. But remember, this are jobs! In the orchestra is almost the same. Somebody is organizing a schedule with the pieces for the entire season. So the musicians can`t choose the program. We play what we SHOULD play. Maybe the most happy musicians are those who are amateur or freelance. They have not a stable job and an irregular income, but in the end they are more free to choose their program for performances.
I don`t know if I was very precise, but the idea is that the professional musicians are not FREE to play WHAT they want and WHEN they want. It`s more about DISCIPLINE instead of pleasure.
About the appreciation I can say that this is a strong desire for all artists. Being the best, the most talented and famous can be a goal for many musicians. I don`t know if the most famous or talented musicians are more happy. It seems that NO, they are so busy with concerts, so obsessed to work hard and maybe sometimes they are more UNHAPPY than the amateurs who are playing what they WANT just for FUN!
My message will be: Let`s keep the music also for fun and pleasure and don`t transform it completely into a job!
Well, this is a very delicate subject especially for artists. The desire of recognition and appreciation is coming so naturaly and we believe that this will define us as musicians. I`m not so sure if we are teached in this way, or this desire it`s coming more from inside.
First, let`s try to explain the terms of hobby and profession. It`s a big difference between a child which takes private lessons and is learning to play an instrument just for fun and pleasure and a child which takes lessons in order to pursue a career in this field. Until now, I didn`t hear teachers from the schools telling the students to play WHAT they want and WHEN they want, just for fun and for their pleasure. This can happen just into the private classes.
Later, those students who are doing music for profession will become teachers or maybe orchestra players. This are stable jobs and are good for a regular income. But remember, this are jobs! In the orchestra is almost the same. Somebody is organizing a schedule with the pieces for the entire season. So the musicians can`t choose the program. We play what we SHOULD play. Maybe the most happy musicians are those who are amateur or freelance. They have not a stable job and an irregular income, but in the end they are more free to choose their program for performances.
I don`t know if I was very precise, but the idea is that the professional musicians are not FREE to play WHAT they want and WHEN they want. It`s more about DISCIPLINE instead of pleasure.
About the appreciation I can say that this is a strong desire for all artists. Being the best, the most talented and famous can be a goal for many musicians. I don`t know if the most famous or talented musicians are more happy. It seems that NO, they are so busy with concerts, so obsessed to work hard and maybe sometimes they are more UNHAPPY than the amateurs who are playing what they WANT just for FUN!
My message will be: Let`s keep the music also for fun and pleasure and don`t transform it completely into a job!
Sunday, 1 February 2015
Expectations vs Reality
I will start this interesting topic from the point of view as a performer. We all have expectations before a concert, audition or exam. We know the program, we practiced enough (or not) to be good prepared and this gives us the feeling of predictability. Most of the times, the result is more or less right with small variations. Sometimes it can happen a big surprise like for example to be very good prepared and suddenly your performance is very bad or the contrary, to play much better than you expected. Why? Our feelings are very exposed in the moment of performance in front of a public. It is not so comfortable for everybody to be so open. Some of us will experience nervosity, fear, anxiety. For some of us little from this feelings will be perfect to push us to perform at our best level but for others will be an inconvenient. So, it is absolutely clear that we are different and here is the beauty! Still, I believe that the results are quite predictable in our case, as a performers.
Now I would like to speak also from the point of view as a teacher. It`s almost the same. Our students are facing also anxiety before playing and they have also some expectations, but I saw one difference. Their results are not so predictable as our results! Simply, we can see a lot of variations between our expectations and the reality. I can give you an example with one of my students which was good prepared. Before the exam she was so happy, so full of energy and so excited to play! I was expecting a good performance, but the truth is that during the performance she played really bad. A weak tone, lack of concentration, many mistakes and some memory lapses. I was astonished! It was a change of 180 degree in her attitude. Well, I couldn`t guess what will happen so I was not able to help her. I felt frustrated, but then I understood that she was also surprised about what happened. Now I`m more prepared and from this experience I`ve learned something. The next time I`ll be more reserved with the predictions and more open to a real result vs an expected one!
I will start this interesting topic from the point of view as a performer. We all have expectations before a concert, audition or exam. We know the program, we practiced enough (or not) to be good prepared and this gives us the feeling of predictability. Most of the times, the result is more or less right with small variations. Sometimes it can happen a big surprise like for example to be very good prepared and suddenly your performance is very bad or the contrary, to play much better than you expected. Why? Our feelings are very exposed in the moment of performance in front of a public. It is not so comfortable for everybody to be so open. Some of us will experience nervosity, fear, anxiety. For some of us little from this feelings will be perfect to push us to perform at our best level but for others will be an inconvenient. So, it is absolutely clear that we are different and here is the beauty! Still, I believe that the results are quite predictable in our case, as a performers.
Now I would like to speak also from the point of view as a teacher. It`s almost the same. Our students are facing also anxiety before playing and they have also some expectations, but I saw one difference. Their results are not so predictable as our results! Simply, we can see a lot of variations between our expectations and the reality. I can give you an example with one of my students which was good prepared. Before the exam she was so happy, so full of energy and so excited to play! I was expecting a good performance, but the truth is that during the performance she played really bad. A weak tone, lack of concentration, many mistakes and some memory lapses. I was astonished! It was a change of 180 degree in her attitude. Well, I couldn`t guess what will happen so I was not able to help her. I felt frustrated, but then I understood that she was also surprised about what happened. Now I`m more prepared and from this experience I`ve learned something. The next time I`ll be more reserved with the predictions and more open to a real result vs an expected one!
Saturday, 17 January 2015
Simple melodies
I`m glad to share this with you. Sometime I desire to play simple melodies. It gives me a feeling of joy. When we play things which seems to be easy for us, we don`t need to concentrate too much about technique, rhythm, intonation or interpretation. We feel relaxed and this allows us also to enjoy what we are doing.
Our comfort zone is a natural state, where stress and anxiety are almost nonexistent. Being in the comfort zone from time to time will give us a good feeling. I know, it`s not challenging or demanding and will not help us grow, but look also on the good side of playing simple studies or pieces: you can do it very easy, without to much effort and without mistakes. And above all, you can feel pleasure and joy!
As a professional musicians we need to arrive at a certain level in technique and interpretation. For this reason we should learn also difficult studies or pieces. This it`s not so enjoyable because they are more demanding and often we are facing stress and anxiety. It requires a high level of concentration, patience to resolve the technical issues, patience for finding the right interpretation and to assimilate the entire piece. This process of learning a difficult piece it can take one or two weeks, or maybe one month, it depends on each individual level. Sometimes you work on a difficult piece or study for some days and after this you see nothing, absolut no progress! For sure you asked yourself: "What`s wrong?" Well, it`s nothing wrong. Just take a short break for one or two days and then come back to the piece. You`ll realize that some technical problems are resolved and it sounds better. I can give you this example with the flute passages from the Firebird Suite-Stravinsky. There are some bars, technically difficult and in a very fast tempo. I played this passage every day, also in a slow tempo, but still, 3 or 4 days I saw no progress. It took me more than one week to play all the right notes in the right tempo! Simply, some difficult passages or pieces need time and patience.
Taking risks and going out from our comfort zone will help us grow. It`s the only way to progress if we want to become better musicians and to reach a higher level. Still, let`s not underestimate the easy studies and pieces. I think it`s good to play from time to time simple melodies. In the end, the essence of music, that feeling of pleasure, relaxation and joy, it should be not only for those who are listening, but also for those who perform it!
I`m glad to share this with you. Sometime I desire to play simple melodies. It gives me a feeling of joy. When we play things which seems to be easy for us, we don`t need to concentrate too much about technique, rhythm, intonation or interpretation. We feel relaxed and this allows us also to enjoy what we are doing.
Our comfort zone is a natural state, where stress and anxiety are almost nonexistent. Being in the comfort zone from time to time will give us a good feeling. I know, it`s not challenging or demanding and will not help us grow, but look also on the good side of playing simple studies or pieces: you can do it very easy, without to much effort and without mistakes. And above all, you can feel pleasure and joy!
As a professional musicians we need to arrive at a certain level in technique and interpretation. For this reason we should learn also difficult studies or pieces. This it`s not so enjoyable because they are more demanding and often we are facing stress and anxiety. It requires a high level of concentration, patience to resolve the technical issues, patience for finding the right interpretation and to assimilate the entire piece. This process of learning a difficult piece it can take one or two weeks, or maybe one month, it depends on each individual level. Sometimes you work on a difficult piece or study for some days and after this you see nothing, absolut no progress! For sure you asked yourself: "What`s wrong?" Well, it`s nothing wrong. Just take a short break for one or two days and then come back to the piece. You`ll realize that some technical problems are resolved and it sounds better. I can give you this example with the flute passages from the Firebird Suite-Stravinsky. There are some bars, technically difficult and in a very fast tempo. I played this passage every day, also in a slow tempo, but still, 3 or 4 days I saw no progress. It took me more than one week to play all the right notes in the right tempo! Simply, some difficult passages or pieces need time and patience.
Taking risks and going out from our comfort zone will help us grow. It`s the only way to progress if we want to become better musicians and to reach a higher level. Still, let`s not underestimate the easy studies and pieces. I think it`s good to play from time to time simple melodies. In the end, the essence of music, that feeling of pleasure, relaxation and joy, it should be not only for those who are listening, but also for those who perform it!
Saturday, 10 January 2015
An unexpected break
Dear readers, this year I`ve decied to write on my blog more from my own experience and less from the general problems or situations which appear sometimes in our career as musicians. Your feedback was, it is and will be very important for me, also from now on!
Everything happened during and after the travel back home from France. Nothing serious, just some digestive problems, but enough to keep me away from playing the flute for some days. So, I was obliged to take a break, an unexpected break. Maybe some of you had to deal with this in the past and you know what I`m talking about. In this moments we are facing the feeling of not being able to do what we can normally do without problems. Unpleasant, isn`t it?
Sometimes is good and very useful to take a break. If is planed, in my opinion. But when is coming suddenly, it`s not so easy to handle this situation. Because I`m an organized person and I like the predictability. In fact I can see that life is absolutely unpredictable and maybe this is a good start for me: to accept that in some moments we don`t have control, we are absolutely without the power of decision and still, we must go on. Easy to say, hard to do!
In the first day I was very sad and frustrated. I was thinking just to my break without playing the instrument and this was not good because it made me feel little anxious, nervous. It was the most difficult day from all this period. The second day it was little better, but not very different: the same mood. My brain was full of worries and it was impossible to relax, to see the good side of this unexpected break. But you know what? Today is the first day when I feel better! I`ve realized that I`m able to do what I want to do and this is a very good feeling! I`ll not play the flute for some days, but apart this I can write, read, sleep, take a walk, watch a movie whenever I want during the day. No plans, no working hours. Now I`m able to see also the good side of this situation with much more optimism, trust and freedom! After some days of worries, I made a big step: back to normality!
When we are able to see also the benefits of an unexpected break, we are able to go on with a totally different state of mind! Believe me, it matters!
Dear readers, this year I`ve decied to write on my blog more from my own experience and less from the general problems or situations which appear sometimes in our career as musicians. Your feedback was, it is and will be very important for me, also from now on!
Everything happened during and after the travel back home from France. Nothing serious, just some digestive problems, but enough to keep me away from playing the flute for some days. So, I was obliged to take a break, an unexpected break. Maybe some of you had to deal with this in the past and you know what I`m talking about. In this moments we are facing the feeling of not being able to do what we can normally do without problems. Unpleasant, isn`t it?
Sometimes is good and very useful to take a break. If is planed, in my opinion. But when is coming suddenly, it`s not so easy to handle this situation. Because I`m an organized person and I like the predictability. In fact I can see that life is absolutely unpredictable and maybe this is a good start for me: to accept that in some moments we don`t have control, we are absolutely without the power of decision and still, we must go on. Easy to say, hard to do!
In the first day I was very sad and frustrated. I was thinking just to my break without playing the instrument and this was not good because it made me feel little anxious, nervous. It was the most difficult day from all this period. The second day it was little better, but not very different: the same mood. My brain was full of worries and it was impossible to relax, to see the good side of this unexpected break. But you know what? Today is the first day when I feel better! I`ve realized that I`m able to do what I want to do and this is a very good feeling! I`ll not play the flute for some days, but apart this I can write, read, sleep, take a walk, watch a movie whenever I want during the day. No plans, no working hours. Now I`m able to see also the good side of this situation with much more optimism, trust and freedom! After some days of worries, I made a big step: back to normality!
When we are able to see also the benefits of an unexpected break, we are able to go on with a totally different state of mind! Believe me, it matters!
Sunday, 21 December 2014
Why do we love Christmas songs?
Personally I like them and I play christmas carols each year with the same pleasure and enthusiasm. They are simple melodies, but touching. I saw that my students love this songs.
We associate this carols with a feeling of joy, the special feeling of Christmas.This can be a reason but the question still remains:
Why do we love Christmas songs? Share your opinion!
We associate this carols with a feeling of joy, the special feeling of Christmas.This can be a reason but the question still remains:
Why do we love Christmas songs? Share your opinion!
Sunday, 30 November 2014
What does it take to become a professional musician?
We often attribute career success to fate or destiny, like being in the right place at the right time or just being lucky. In fact we are the architects of our future career as musicians. This is a process which takes time and is developed over years. There are no shortcuts.
The question is: what does it take to become a professional musician? We all know that hard work and talent are essential. This is true, but a career in this field requires also other important qualities like: passion, motivation, flexibility, creativity, self-discipline, enthusiasm, perseverence, networking skills etc.
And still, I belive that the most important quality is to love music, to make it every day and to be dedicated 100% for it! This is not a complete answer to the question, is just a way to see the things from my perspective. I`m looking forward to see Your Ideas and Sugestions on this topic!
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