I think I should call this past summer “adventures in technology land”. Any of my students know that I rant and rave about their addictions to cell phones and Facebook…and this summer I decided “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!”. So I now text, use Facebook (only on occasion since I still think this eats up WAY too much time I don’t have) to touch base with alumni (only alums…sorry, kids. I see you at the campus every day…no need to Facebook with you at night!), check email from my phone and now…I am launching this “Notes from the Director” blog.
This actually has been something I’ve wanted to do for some time. I need to reflect after every rehearsal and would love to provide a model for my students to do the same. It is my philosophy that the performance is only one tiny piece of the musical puzzle. Most of the learning happens in the preparatory phase…i.e. the rehearsal and any score study that goes along with it. And if I reflect out loud here, I can devote more time to music in the rehearsal. Seems like a win-win for all concerned.
One of my conducting teachers in grad school impressed me with this statement: any good teacher or conductor worth his/her salt will spend reflection time (often, for her, at 2 a.m.)…thinking about the successes, the failures. Analyzing why something worked…why other things “crashed and burned”. It is the kind of analysis that pushes us all to be better at our craft (remember that term from last year?).
I will also be referring often to the book The Creative Habit: Learn it and Use if for Life by Twyla Tharp. This book is part of a Major Field Reading Initiative being piloted by our CCFA. Your colleagues in theater, art, journalism and languages are also reading this book with you.
This blog will be a work in progress. You’ll get to know more of what makes me “tick” as a musician and pedagogue (scary!) and hopefully, learn more about yourself as well.
Maybe even learn more about the art of making choral music. To me, there is nothing more beautiful than corporate music-making. More on that later…Dr. O
The blog looks great. Can't wait to see more.
ReplyDeleteI think I could get used to this...Holla??? :)
ReplyDeleteYou did this? You? My brilliant, creative above all others, Di, did this? I remember a time when there were shutters and goosebumps I could actually feel ON LINE when I suggested a project involving scanning photos to discs and adding some of the beautiful music you had sent me, creating a family history that could be copied for family members and played on DVD players or computers.
ReplyDeleteIt was the shortest reply I ever received. "Char, I do not do that, scan and all. You speak as if it were the same as brushing your teeth." You did explain that you had never added a scanner at home.
Ah, I thought, my friend's head and heart is so full of melody that the practicality of our everyday world has marvelously escaped her!
I am happy but not amazed for you may find life was easier when the blue skies and white clouds communicated with you and keyboards weren't always so necessary. For now, I am wildly impressed! You did say you had lots to share!
Di, you really did this? You can be assured I will be stopping by to see what my talented friend is up to now. Well done. Charlotte