"Do not fear mistakes, there are none" Miles Davis.
I read this quote tonight and it really made me think. I have a real bee in my bonnet about people actually enjoying playing music. So many peoples musical hang ups are based on fear.
I remember on my first day at the Royal College Of Music having an opening talk from one of the professors. I remember him saying "Anything you play may be taken down and used in evidence against you". WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT!!.
I remember carrying that with me through conservatoire, and being absolutely terrified!!. I played some wonderful music in those four years but much of it was tainted by the fear of the wrong note, and the people waiting to pounce on it. I have many friends who had that experience at college and who still experience it to some degree playing in orchestras now. I have one friend who recently visited her old music college and she said she got "that" feeling again as she walked through the doors.
Thankfully I was set free from that musical straight jacket mainly by contact with open minded musicians (mainly jazzers) who maintained that there was more to it than that.
I have spent the past few years on a personal crusade to introduce people to "No fear" improvisation, a freedom in music ( while still maintaining good technique etc) and above all enjoyment.
So many gifted professional musicians are terrified of any sort of music that isn't written down.
DISCUSS!
I read this quote tonight and it really made me think. I have a real bee in my bonnet about people actually enjoying playing music. So many peoples musical hang ups are based on fear.
I remember on my first day at the Royal College Of Music having an opening talk from one of the professors. I remember him saying "Anything you play may be taken down and used in evidence against you". WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT!!.
I remember carrying that with me through conservatoire, and being absolutely terrified!!. I played some wonderful music in those four years but much of it was tainted by the fear of the wrong note, and the people waiting to pounce on it. I have many friends who had that experience at college and who still experience it to some degree playing in orchestras now. I have one friend who recently visited her old music college and she said she got "that" feeling again as she walked through the doors.
Thankfully I was set free from that musical straight jacket mainly by contact with open minded musicians (mainly jazzers) who maintained that there was more to it than that.
I have spent the past few years on a personal crusade to introduce people to "No fear" improvisation, a freedom in music ( while still maintaining good technique etc) and above all enjoyment.
So many gifted professional musicians are terrified of any sort of music that isn't written down.
DISCUSS!
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2 comments:
AMEN sister!
Hi, I thought you made a really good point. I have to say that so many musicians are competitive. I had similar experiences at music college, a cloud of anxiousness, waiting for that wrong note to surface and everyone turning their noses up like a bad smell. However, I was lucky, I had a fantastic jazz/world music tutor who would frequently comment how wonderful my 'outside' notes were!!
I have to say that my cloud does reappear every so often and did so not long ago in a staff concert. When given my part to sight read, not far into the piece a flying comment hit face on "We'll try that again shall we!" It really does make you want to blend into the background.
I've written an essay! This is good therapy, it's nice to know other people aren't perfect as well.
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