Musical Energy and Playing with other Humans

This summer I had a few gigs, in itself nothing extraordinary. But I've been doing so much orchestral playing, that I kind of forgot how much I dig playing in smaller groups.

It's not chamber music as such, don't get me wrong, that has its place, but when you're there at a wedding or a community function your job is to entertain people, creating a great atmosphere, not being intrusive, but also not necessarily being listened to - it's not really a performance in that sense, but if there is a great spark between the musicians, it will set up a vibe for the event that everyone will love. (Honestly I've done quartet gigs that there has been zero spark, and not only has the music not been great, but the guests hardly even noticed when we finished up)

This summer's gigs were great though. It started off catching up with my old friend Louise from the Beaumont Belles, she's recently come back from exploring Europe (and playing the odd harp along the way). So we hadn't really played together much for a long while, and it may have just been a few classic carols for a Christmas fete, but it was fun, and the visitors loved it, partly the harp has such a dominating presence, but also we both know what the other can do, how our sounds can weave together and when to let the other cut loose and run with it. That's the beauty of a duo really it's so easy to communicate and let the music flow with how you're feeling.

Hot on the heels of that came some pre-concert entertainment for audience members while they enjoyed drinks on the veranda. Myself and some friends, namely my brother Dave on guitar and his mate Earl on a variety of percussion. Again playing familiar Christmas songs, changing up the styles, for example, my personal highlight, a ska version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer...pretty silly but really fun - and credit must go to those two, I was really along for the ride, we weren't taking it super seriously, but they really know what they're doing, enjoying themselves and making a great sound and the atmosphere of the event being as it was familial and relaxed, the audience LOVED it, it set them up for a really good show.

Finally, in the new year, I was asked to fill in at a wedding with other members of The Black Quartet. I've played with a couple of them before but not since the Aotea Youth Orchestra days. It was great catching up with them again. These folks are fabulous musicians, so much energy and connection between them, so coming in like that, for the most part, it was pretty easy to gel in - there were, if I'm honest a couple of numbers where it became apparent I wasn't entirely match fit on my sight reading (....where does that freakin' repeat go back to?!?), but aside from that it all went pretty well.
And it would have been even better had there not been 30kn winds playing havoc with the pages and at one critical moment (as the happy couple walked off down the aisle) knocked my entire folder clean off the stand! Happily my improvisational skills have improved since the old Aotea days. But it's been that long since I've played an outdoor wedding - I didn't even think about pegs, should know better really.

I think at the end of the day, playing gigs like these, with different people, in different places, gives us a bit more freedom to express ourselves. You have to connect with the other players at quite a fundamental level, read the crowd to an extent and deal with unexpected environmental forces. Playing in a larger group in an orchestra or a show is great too, I love the energy, the bigger the better, but it is more prescriptive, we need to follow the conductor, manifest his (or her) interpretation of the work, the performance is a lot more formalised.
Whereas when you are playing in a small group, particularly with people you know well and play with often, you have the liberty to express yourself more freely. Take your emotions of the moment and send out a tear jerking version of O Holy Night, for example, or equally feed off the others energy with a croony version of Embraceable You. The whole experience is a lot more collaborative, and the energy can be a lot more direct, between the players, through the music and out to the guests - a bit more grass roots I guess. And if you are having a good time, so will the guests, even if they are not particularly paying attention.

Performance can take on so many forms it's hard to decide which I like to play best - on reflection, if the collective energy is there it doesn't matter what it is.

2018 - A Year to Remember?

Another year has come to an end, 2019 has dawned. I always find this a good time to reflect, the warmer weather is here, we are stuffed full of treats from Christmas and probably indulging in a few wines in the back yard.

As I recall this past year, there have been many ups and downs, my teaching practice took off, there were many interesting performances, and, having set substantial goals for myself, I was very motivated to practice.

A highlight early on in the year, was playing in the theatrical piece "Think of a Garden", met some fabulous people, played some interesting music and was honoured to be involved in such a dramatic production.

To get some of the lowlights out of the way. I was a little what one might call 'a victim of my own success'. I was called upon at the last minute to take over cello lessons at 2 new schools, that alongside an increase in private students and a period of intense rehearsals, I was totally exhausted, resulting in a (very minor) car accident, it was the shock more than anything. At the time I was averaging around 220km per week in my Honda Logo, such a great little workhorse. It got a much needed wake up call, that we cannot do everything and we need to make sure we are looking after ourselves, especially when our schedule is full to bursting.

Another thing of equal parts plus and minus, was that surges of new private students meant that I actually had to make a waiting list and even turn some people away. I did consider extending my hours, but decided it would be counterproductive - I didn't want to risk any more accidents!

I guess THE highlight of the year, was playing the Saint-Saens Cello Concerto with the Philharmonic Society Orchestra in August. I'm the type of person that needs concrete goals to work towards, and for a performance musician, that means... performance. I can learn a particular piece, or work on technique, but if I don't have the culpability of actually performing soething in front of an audience, I find it difficult to stay motivated.

Believe it or not, this is the first time that I have learnt a work of this magnitude in its entirety and to performance level. There is an awful lot of work involved. Which I put in over a long period of time. My timetable as it is, this seemed the most reliable plan of attack, not to mention a work like this needs an element of maturity, much like a good Bordeaux, to be truly at its best.

In preparation, I found it best to look at it from many angles, the concerto, while not in movements as such, has several distinct sections, which can be worked on as bite size chunks. Rhythm, tone, style and speed were all elements that needed attention. There was a lot of work done with the metronome, which paid off in the end as far as the orchestra were concerned, however some may have considered it a bit too square.

In the process I sought out to have some lessons. Sometimes you just need someone else to point things out. Andrew Joyce, principal cellist in the NZSO, was so inspiring, his enthusiasm and passion emanates in all directions. He was very helpful in giving some ideas for the quick passages, preparing the left hand better and deciding on some phrasing right from the outset, often this is something I add in later on, especially for technically tricky bits. I also had the pleasure of working with Edith Salzmann, cello professor at the University of Auckland. She too was very encouraging, pointing out how there comes a point where we should shift the focus from the left hand to the bow, the fingers can do their thing essentially  on autopilot, and sound production will be optimal. She also advised me on the importance of 'leading' the orchestra.

As the concert date drew nearer there were many times of doubt and nerves, but finding the will to keep chipping away, I knew somehow it would all come together.

The performance itself was the most emotionally and physically draining thing I think I've ever done. By no means perfect (at the previous rehearsal, I'd peaked too soon), but good enough. The audience loved it, I was literally trembling at the end, played a short encore of Bach Sarabande from Suite II, then as recent tradition dictates (round the cellists I know) I joined the back of the orchestra for the second half - a symbolic effort only, as my brain had crashed entirely.
In the days following a serious come-down ensued.

So now looking ahead...

As far as performance goals, I do have something in mind and will certainly be sharing that with you as it unfolds.
My main goal for 2019 is to keep on top of my timetable, being rigourous with planning and organisation, so that I minimise risk of things falling through the cracks, also benefitting my students, and being careful not to take on too much. And, just as importantly, keeping fit and healthy, more regular exercise (also for my poor somewhat neglected dog), and eating healthy which also requires forethought and preparation especially on those rehearsal heavy weeks.

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As always if you enjoyed this post please click the like button at the bottom and subscribe to my feed. If you'd like to share your goals for the coming year or you have any questions, just add them in the comments section below, I love to know what your big plans are for 2019. Let's make this another great year to remember.

Review - Johannes Moser plays Shostakovitch with the NZSO

This last month I've had the good fortune to be able to satiate my appetite for the works of Shostakovitch. Firstly with the Borodin String Quartet on their New Zealand tour, with a fabulous performance of Shostakovitch String Quartet no.9 at Auckland’s Town Hall. On this occasion I was lucky enough to get seats in the circle overlooking the stage, here we could really feel a part of the drama, the serious determination and passion really gave the impression blood had been spilled. I was particularly drawn in by the extraordinary cello solo accompanied only by the light tremolo of the upper strings.

I then attended this past weekend's performance of the Shostakovitch Cello concerto performed by Johannes Moser and the NZSO.
Once again at the Auckland Town Hall, the city’s premiere classical venue. Tickets are pricey though, especially with all the added fees, so this time we were at the back of the stalls, but it didn’t matter, the sound was great and although I do like to observed peoples technique, I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the energy, even at that distance.

The concert started with the Borodin Overture to Prince Igor. This was a delightful entree, as with any fine meal, the entree should be not too heavy but enough to whet your appetite for the main course, this did exactly that. As someone said to me, it could have been the soundtrack to a western, it did have that kind of feel.

Johannes entered the stage to great applause wearing all black, his top, half something shiny (vinyl maybe?), reminiscent, I thought, of Star-trek, a welcome variant to the traditional tails. My thoughts were that this guy is a bit of a rock star, I would not be disappointed.

This first concerto by Shostakovitch was written for Mstislav Rostropovitch in 1959, who remarkably memorized it in just 4 days. There is so much complexity both technically and emotionally in this work, listening to it I find myself being put through the ringer, to play it, undoubtedly even more so.

From the first opening theme, the passion and vigour with which Johannes plays is evident. He is an extraordinarily physical payer, but not in a forced or pretentious way. He appears to be enacting the music, he and his instrument are one being, and the sound and energy is mind-blowing. Fairly near the opening, one particularly wide and energetic bow release knocked the concertmasters stand, recovery was instantaneous, there was an authenticity to it, sometimes unexpected stuff happens, I like that.

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The second movement follows with a dreamy folk like melody, where the first movement was smacking you in the face repeatedly, this has a weeping, heartfelt type of intensity. Johannes transitions seamlessly between the light, almost hopeful and innocent themes, to those darker and more intense, his presence soaring above the orchestra even in the most delicate of moments.

The movement culminates in the theme once again but this time as flawless and haunting harmonics. When I’ve taught my young students to play harmonics for the first time often their reaction is that they sound scary, like a horror movie. I don’t recall ever hearing them that way, until now. It was terrifying!
Clearly not everyone around me was as transfixed, with all the shuffling and wriggling and squeaking chairs, it was quite off putting.

The cadenza which follows essentially takes the form of an unaccompanied third movement. Critic Lev Ginzburg reportedly described it as a monologue-recitative and a deep meditation. I really felt it, more so in this performance than any recording I've heard, perhaps that is the magic of live performance. This was a truly magical performance, I was mesmorized (restless wrigglers notwithstanding)
I'm not sure if it was written to be comical, but the jumping five note runs leading in to the 4th movement lead me to start giggling. I wonder if it was more a reaction to the nervous energy, the way some people start laughing as a defence mechanism when witnessing something gruesome. Johannes and the NZSO had me so immersed in this music that this type of visceral reaction was inevitable.

The final movement burst forth with the same, if not more, raw passion and energy as the first. There was a fabulous connection between the soloist and the orchestra. Johannes physically connected with the a players, they were connected as people as well as through the music, we don't always see that, and it really elevates the overall experience.
At the conclusion, to a rapturous applause, the only word I could utter rhymed with duck, it was such a phenomenal performance, I was otherwise speechless.

The encore came shortly after, apparently to "clear the air" They played Elegy by John Williams, indeed a very beautiful work, still full of sadness and anguish. But on second thought anything lighter and more uplifting would have been incongruous.

The second half the NZSO played selections from Prokofiev's Ballet Romeo and Juliet. I am a big fan of Prokofiev and love to hear the Dance of the Knights. But for me there was something lacking in this as a programme choice, despite the intention as a stand-alone work, it felt disjointed and long. I would have preferred maybe one of Prokofiev's Symphonies to keep the momentum going.

All credit to the NZSO it was a massive play and under the baton of Peter Oundjian, his debut performance with the orchestra, they gave us a stunning evening out.

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Courtesy of RNZ National

After the weekend of concerts, Johannes did a great interview on RNZ with Kathryn Ryan that you can listen to here. What in interesting person, his character clearly comes through in his playing.

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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Just Do It - How and Why to get fit and play music

Musicians are athletes of a sort. Producing music can be extremely physically demanding, not in the same sense as  a marathon runner or a footballer, but it can nonetheless be very demanding on our body. So when i comes to getting fit, the 'Why' is easy; improved physical well being, improved mental well being, better stamina, endurance, focus, alertness, strength. All things that are certainly useful when faced with a grueling rehearsal and performance schedule. The 'How' is not so straightforward to answer, it depends a lot on us as individuals as to what we need and like to do. One thing is sure, when we are plying music, sitting or standing for long periods of time using the many muscles in our arms and hands and each instrument uses different muscles. But they tend to be the smaller more delicate muscles and the essentially repetitive nature of the movements, if we're not careful and don't do it correctly  or without adequate training and fitness we can do ourselves serious injury.

Here's an interesting interview about just that thing with some of New Zealand's leading musicians:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/secretlife/audio/201760118/the-secret-life-of-musical-injuries

In the last few years I have made it  priority to get, and stay fit, and I must say I feel great, I'm more alert, have more energy.  And, having had problems with my hands in the past from bad posture and overuse, I am very aware of keeping good form when I am playing, and exercising. However a recent lapse of concentration combined with over-enthusiasm at Bootcamp has left me with a wrist injury. And a brace for 6 weeks to go with it. All being a big wake up call that I do have to take care of myself.

This has made me reflect on how important good exercise is and how we mustn't push the limits too far when we rely on our hands in particular to play.

With everything in our body being connected, we can do various types of exercice on different muscle groups and see beneficial results in other areas as well. For example, improving our cardio fitness can have many benefits to our health, and is generally not too risky on our playing. Cardio, or cardiovascular exercise, is the kind that really gets our heart pumping. Something like running, skipping, or stairs for example will quickly increase your heart rate. Getting the blood pumping round efficiently, gets more oxygen going round. Better circulation can help us play faster, longer, all the things that any other athlete will benefit from with an increase of oxygen in the blood. 
Cardio is also great for your brain, keeping you sharp and focused, not to mention the increase in 'happy' hormones in the brain, which are always useful to get through a grueling practice routine.

Certainly mix it up, it's more effective if your body doesn't have a chance to get used to doing one thing all the time. So it's a good idea to combine some strength and endurance training with the cardio. You don't need massive weights to improve your strength, body weight exercises do just as fine, we really don't need massive guns to play the cello and working with too heavy weights can do serious damage, but some good muscle tone in our arms can help a lot. Endurance training is great, if we are going to survive hours of practice and rehearsal. And throwing in a bit of high intensity intervals will improve recovery rates. It's all about being in the best physical condition we can to be able to put in the energy we need to into our performances.

On of the most important things however is posture and balance. When sitting or standing for long periods of time rehearsing, we are exerting a lot of energy, but we remain for the most part stationary. With bad posture, weak balance and core strength there are many things that can go wrong over a long period of time, neck or back injury, overuse syndrome, trapped nerves .... these can be extremely serious especially when performing essentially repetitive movements for long periods of time.

I would recommend at least doing some Yoga or Pilates. Or if you're keen, do it as well as the outdoor training!
I must stress that it's super important to do these types of positions correctly, so going to some classes to begin with is a good idea. I have practiced both Pilates and Yoga but at the moment I'm enjoying the calming and mental stamina of Yoga. It is excellent for stretching out.... well, everything.... releases built up tension in your back and shoulders, builds core strength, balance and most importantly of all, awareness of your body and form. So that in time, through long rehearsal sessions you can be noticing any tensions that are building up, and relaxing, rel time, so that it does not become a bigger problem later on. Yoga also works well on improving breathing, and breath control, which is essential for every musician, and is often, especially with string players, neglected.

If you have particular issues related to playing it is worth investigating the Alexander Technique. Many musicians use this to correct bad playing position and other strains and long term injuries. Here is a link to some further information:
http://alexandertechnique.com/

For me, many of the principles of Yoga align with those of the Alexander technique, however Yoga does not have the same level of hands on reconditioning with an experienced person showing you how to hold and position yourself, and of course it's much more targeted in its approach.

At the end of the day it's a personal choice. But for general well being,  we all should practice some physical activity. It improves your physical and mental health, helps you play better, longer and faster. We must though, look after ourselves, if we do too much and injure our hands it can be a long recovery, and all the tiny and repetitive movements required to play music can have unexpected outcomes if we don't maintain good balance and posture.

So, just get on with it... the hardest part is always putting on your running shoes.

Here are some other interesting articles with varying opinions to help you decide what type of exercise is best for you.

http://billplakemusic.org/2014/04/10/fitness-and-exercise-for-musicians-choose-wisely/

http://www.bulletproofmusician.com/the-impact-of-exercise-and-physical-fitness-on-performance-under-pressure/

https://blog.key-notes.com/a-musicians-fitness-routine.html