Fermata • The Pianodao Blog
Short Reflections by Andrew Eales
I really believe that it’s imperative for us all to reawaken to the natural world around us, and to rediscover our place within it. Recognising and following the changing seasons, and making adjustments which bring our inner journey into harmony with the natural world is fundamental to our true wellbeing.
Throughout history, the Daoist philosophers and teachers emphasised this point. Alongside that, they were keen musicians and artists who demonstrated in their works that far from adding to our sense of separation from the natural world, our artistic expression can provide an avenue by which we can come much closer to it.
Let’s explore this idea of becoming a more natural musician, in tune with the seasons and the living world around us…
Music as a bridge
Music is not simply a bridge between the cosmos and the worldly, it is also a unifying factor that brings us together with each other and in our communities. As one of the ancient sages explained, very simply:
“As a general principle, music is the harmony between Heaven and Earth, and the perfect blend of Yin and Yang. Great music brings delight, enjoyment and pleasure to ruler and subject, parent and child, and old and young alike.”
The Annals of Lu Buwei, 3rd century BCE
Brindley, EF: Music, Cosmology, and the Politics of Harmony in Early China
State University of New York Press, 2012.
Those who want to tap into the natural power of music more fully need to shift perspective back to meaningful real-world interaction and performance.
This is not to say that the digital domain is without its own value. But living connections obviously happen more locally. And at a time in which many feel sucked into a virtual reality against their will, piano players and educators do well to remember the quiet power of human interaction and shared connection through music.
That personal, human connection formed through shared music is naturally rooted in who we are, and how that is expressed through our playing. So let’s dig deeper into this core strength, and learn how to be more natural musicians, truer to ourselves.
By “natural”, I don’t mean without discipline, cultural perspective, or historical understanding. Becoming a natural musician can involve years of learning and practice. Rather, it means finding a way of developing our musicianship that is authentic to who we are, integrating our training with our personality, while remaining attentive to our own continuing needs, limitations, and personal rhythms.
And perhaps we can begin by remembering that before music is something we make, it is something we listen to. The sounds of birdsong, wind and rain, footsteps and breathing all remind us that we inhabit an inherently musical world. Learning to listen more deeply to these sounds can, in turn, change the way we listen to the sounds we make ourselves.
Authenticity and balance
The Natural Musician is the one who has found ways to promote authenticity, balance and connection in their playing. Here are some possibilities for you to consider:
- Try to learn pieces and techniques at a natural, unforced pace.
- Learn to be mindful but non-judgmental as you practise.
- Aim to match the repertoire you tackle with your broader life experiences and goals, choosing pieces which inspire and enlarge who you are.
- Avoid competing against, or trying to replicate the path taken by other musicians. Develop your own voice.
- Always listen to your playing attentively, alert to the unique quirks and beauty of each instrument you play, immersing yourself with, and connecting to the source of the sounds.
- Balance time spent working at the piano with time spent playing it. Cultivate contentment rather than frustration and dissatisfaction.
- Remember to develop an Active Repertoire so that your piano playing has a “success foundation”.
- Listen to your body when practising/playing. What do you “hear”?
- And remember to breathe!
For all the hours spent practising, find balance by spending quality time away from your instrument. Even just a walk in the local park can have a positive impact on our wellbeing. Not only so, but it closes the circle, allowing us the time and space to engage with the natural world around us, renewing our roots, sense of belonging, and finding our bearings within it
The outside can only harmonise with the inside if we take the time we need to explore both. Our musical lives, like the natural world, also have their seasons: times for growth and activity, but also times for rest, reflection and renewal.
Let’s therefore consider our wellbeing with continuing care, reflect on our lives with more open honesty, and integrate our piano playing as a close and intrinsic part of our life journey through nature.
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