Making Music = Being Alive


My orchestra is preparing for its April 27th concert. I rushed into rehearsal after their break last night, after my school's Open House. My plan was to use the remaining 45 minutes to work through the most challenging pieces. And so we started with Romberg's "Blossom Time", and proceeded to Borodin's "On the Steppes of Central Asia", Smetana's "Moldau" and Macdowell's "Woodland Sketches". Perhaps it was my wild energy (adrenaline after a performance) or perhaps it was just a tired evening for all, but I felt that the orchestra just wasn't focusing the way I knew they could. The Moldau isn't worth performing without passion, and my theme for the orchestra this year is playing with passion (because I'm stubborn!). So, I stopped the piece after two false starts and gave them a thoroughly Emily spiel. It went something like this:

When playing music, you have the choice to be fully alive. Each millisecond has meaning. Each movement you make helps convey your passion. You need to be so aware of every speck of ink on the paper, and every breath of every person around you. When you apply yourself this much, the music can be truly great.

I begged (exhorted?) my musicians to lean forward in their seats and play as if their favorite musical friend was in the audience. It takes a risk to put your full energy into work. You are risking failing with the knowledge that you tried (because you no longer have the cop-out response of "oh well, I could have done it better had I been focusing.")... You risk being exhausted afterwards. You risk standing out as the only wide-eyed and eager person. However, you also risk creating something truly phenomenal....or, perchance, growing.


I was so thrilled. Everyone sat up a little straighter and played with more energy. The music swelled when it was supposed to, and subdued, too, as Smetana intended. It was music. We were alive, and we were together.

Most people don't CHOOSE to be this alive all the time. I know that Thornton Wilder knew about this when he wrote Our Town. I know *I'm* not this thoroughly alive all the time; I think we all have a need to daydream at times, and relax, and vary intensity. However........to be able to choose to focus this much and create with this intensity is a true gift. I hope the orchestra will be able to do this again.




Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 13, 2008 at 9:57 PM

    hi emi :)i love the picture of your orchestra (and the story accompanying it!) well, its almost 10 and i have to go

    Love, Mimi

    p.s. thanks for helping me with my "cootie catcher"

    ReplyDelete
  2. Emily BengelsApril 13, 2008 at 11:57 PM

    Hi, Minita!--I was so impressed with your question on the "cootie catcher". (In NY, when I grew up at least, we called them " fortune tellers." Funny slang phrases....)

    Yay for focusing on the piano, too!
    Your amiguita,
    Emily

    ReplyDelete
  3. rbuchananApril 20, 2008 at 1:08 PM

    Yes, you are so right about making music. My choir's concert was yesterday, and it was transcendental. Transcendental by choice, though - you have to be willing to let it be transcendental. Sometimes I spend the concert focusing on my mistakes and the mistakes of others. Sometimes I focus on the music and the sound and amazing wonderfulness that is created - that is the better focus. Good luck with your concert!

    ReplyDelete

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