The Power of Music
I had the great fortune these last school holidays of assisting in taking a local youth orchestra on a tour to France. The trip surpassed many of my expectations and I found the reaction of both the young musicians and our audiences inspiring.
Music traverses cultural and linguistic barriers. It was fantastic seeing these kids really getting involved and how much they just love music...
I had the great fortune these last school holidays of assisting in taking a local youth orchestra on a tour to France.
My role was 3 fold really,
1. As a responsible adult
2. To help and boost up the small and relatively inexperienced cello section
and most importantly 3. Having lived there for some years, as a translator/interpretor.
The trip surpassed many of my expectations and I found the reaction of both the young musicians and our audiences inspiring.
The combined Orchestras play to a great audience in the Place de Celestins in Lyon, France. Photo courtesy of AYS
This is the power of music, it traverses cultural and linguistic barriers. It was fantastic to see the kids really getting involved and how much they just love music, any spare moment or opportunity to play or to try out a new acoustic:
- Improvising 4 part a capella harmonies in the glass roof top dome and ballet rehearsal space of the Lyon Opera House.
- Busking in the Place des Heros in Arras, surrounded by small kids in awe of what they were doing.
This little guy was just fascinated by the cello section when we played in Arras. So I gave him a quick lesson. Photo courtesy of AYS
One of these young buskers said he didn't care about the money, he just wanted to play. But seeing those kids so excited to drop a few coins in the case, it seemed as if it were of more value to them as a whole experience, showing appreciation and understanding maybe, learning the value of the performance.
(The pros and cons of that value being monetary
is beside the point of this story)
On the other side of it, we visited large towns & small villages, and everywhere we went the welcome was outstanding.
In some ways this is part of the European way, I recall with the OSL, many shared meals, drinks and nibbles while playing and touring with the orchestra.
But also to receive this orchestra of young New Zealanders was a real community event, to come and see a visiting orchestra play.
The two 'Chefs' Paul Harrop and Jean-Pierre Prajoux sharing the podium for our final number in Lyon. Photo courtesy of AYS
Amongst all the hatred, fear and strife occurring in the country, even whilst we were there, luckily at the other end of the country, the terrible tragedy in Nice on the 14th of July. Not to sound twee, but our concerts brought a moment of calm, a moment of joy and happiness to what were frankly, very good sized audiences. And at many we passed a moments silence in thought of Nice.
Even when playing in competition to the final of the Euro Championship between France and Portugal, with thousands of people trying to cram into the FanZone just two blocks away, our combined Aotea Youth Orchestra and Orchestre Symphonique de Lyon (a mere 100 musicians) managed to more or less fill the Place des Celestins. I would have said maybe 200 or so, young and old, some who came especially but many passers by stopping to enjoy some music on a very warm summer evening, despite the untimely car horns growing ever more incessant the closer it came to kickoff.
The NZ troops were instrumental in liberating Le Quesnoy. Their gratitude shows in the street names.
All this to say that our music could bring people together, both within a community and between nations. A cultural exchange that benefits both sides, whether it be sharing stories and ideas with our wonderful homestays, playing alongside the OSL under the baton of the fantastic Jean-Pierre Prajoux, enjoying the music of the Le Quesnoy Concert Band, entertaining audiences and paying tribute to our fallen NZ soldiers who served in the small towns in the North of France during WWI.
It was always a pleasure for me to speak to and interpret for members of the public as well as some dignitaries following our concerts. Their apprecation for our music was very humbling, to know we had come so far to play for them, they had enjoyed our music and were impressed by the sensitivity, enthusiasm and musicianship of all these young people.
Calm before the storm, our final performance played to a packed audience in this fabulous room in the Versailles Town Hall.
It made me think that so often music can become an elitist institution, what is 'proper' or 'good' music and anything else is not worth playing, what are 'we' going to get out of it musically - and I am as guilty of this as anyone (don't even get me started on the X-Factor and its genre). But in fact music is for the people, as an artist you must be able to express yourself, and you don't always want to sell out to the commercial masses, but there is a time and a place for both. And as a musician we can feed off the energy of an audience that loves what we are doing, even if it is playing Lord of the Dance for the 50th time, the audience love it, and I loved that they loved it, that was all that mattered.
Entertaining visitors to the Chateau Villandry in it's central courtyard, near Tours.
Music truly is a universal language, music connects people, to each other, to emotions and memories. We must remember this and not be precious or pretentious and keep it all to ourselves, but instead use it like a superpower for good.
Are you Listening?...Now I'll begin
When we really listen to music, we are paying attention, it's not just going on in the background while we think of what we are having for tea or ticking things off the To Do list. We notice the rhythm and harmonies, changes in key or tempo.
When you are playing the music, you must be aware of all these things as well as create them.
It takes concentration...
If you have read my previous posts, you will know how crucial listening is. Of course we are talking about music, so this might seem obvious, but listening is a lot different from hearing.
I've been playing all sorts of different things recently with lots of different people; good musicians, students, a whole mixture. The common thread of whether the ensemble and the music works is the level of listening that is going on. A bunch of people playing instruments at the same time does not an ensemble make.
Small groups, especially when talking about classical music, are often referred to as an 'ensemble'. This comes from the French meaning 'together'. When everyone is listening, and reacting, the music comes together, it becomes music not just notes, the different parts bounce off each other and blend, and a musical energy is created. Essentially all the feeling and emotion from music can be thought of as energy.
The word there that makes the difference is 'reacting'. When we really listen to music, we are paying attention, it's not just going on in the background while we think of what we are having for tea or ticking things off the To Do list. We notice the rhythm and harmonies, changes in key or tempo.
When you are playing the music, you must be aware of all these things as well as create them.
It takes concentration:
- Listen to everything that is going on around you (in the music that is)
- Fit in with the rhythm, pitch and dynamics of the other players. If you have sheet music it should all be written there for you, but it is often elastic, especially tempo and dynamics.
- React to what you are hearing, if another part has the lead (or tune), follow, if you have it, lead the others.
- Anticipate the changes, you can hear when things are building, harmonies often lead into one another. When reading music always be looking a bar ahead.
Think of it as a jigsaw puzzle where each person has only some of the pieces, everyone must put the right pieces in the right spot for it to all join together and make a picture.
Each players pieces are made up of their own intonation, tone, rhythm, dynamics, expression etc. even lyrics.
When all the pieces fit, you have some great music.
As I mentioned in an earlier post Ear Training Part II what you hear and can react to depends on what you are familiar with, there are so many different rhythmic patterns and harmonies that are involved in creating the right feel for any given piece of music. Classical, pop, jazz etc all have different rules and conventions that make up the texture and style of the music.
If we are not familiar with that particular style it can be very difficult to fit in with it. You can be listening and concentrating but it can still be difficult to slot your part into the puzzle.
It takes time, in the same way as learning a new language. If you have ever been in a foriegn country, even having studied your phrase book, you can't differentiate where one word ends and the next begins. After a while your ear becomes familiar with the sounds and you can start understanding more of the words.
Listen to recordings, listen to the other parts, listen to how your part fits in with the other parts, listen out for cue notes, beats or words. Take notice of the harmonies, where are the parts working together, where are they doing their own thing, where are they heading?
Pay attention to the changes in energy, it would be dull if it were the same the whole way through. there are ups and downs, louds and softs, angry parts, peaceful parts, happy and sad parts, take note of how these make you feel and then replicate it.
For musicians who don't often play in a group, there is not always the same need or opportunity to develop these accute listening skills. For example;
- A pianist can play in his own style and the feel will be consistent, he can always keep in time with himself,
- A singer can have one or more instrumentalists accompanying her who will follow her, and how she interpretes every phrase.
In my opinion every musician should hone their listening skills, being aware of everything going on, to be able to react and fit in with the other parts. I do admit it is a case of practice, and it is hard to do that if you are not putting it into practice, so to speak.
But you will become a better musician for it.