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What do musicians actually do? The ability to process emotions
As far back as I can remember, there has been at least one person who actually came up to me after I conducted a concert or show to say something. Most of the time it was pleasant, but occasionally it was a passive-aggressive dig about something they didn’t like, usually shared as a “you could have done that better” demand. Or maybe even a blatant “I deserve my money back” complaint. This is music. Go figure. Here’s the thing: Everyone had space. Processing deeper thoughts, emotions and feelings Most people don’t realize it, but whether they’re silently listening to a gentle Adagio by Mahler, or yelling and screaming with lungs…
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Technical precision or delivery of “goosebump moments”…choosing your focus
You can be a better musician by choosing to focus less on technical and functional precision, and more on what’s behind the music… the event, circumstance, environment, and combination of organized sounds, that create an as yet unexplained “goosebump moment.” Both are needed. But what’s your focus? It’s easier to make good music as a Brit. You may have heard that the British are generally a “reserved” people. We live on an island where, once upon a time, most everyone in the village knew your business. Therefore we learned to keep our lip tight and not divulge TMI (too much information) – especially gossip that is actually nobody’s business. Because…
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The Allure of the Single-Minded
In a world constantly bombarded with information, options, and distractions of all kinds, it can be difficult to remain attentive to one thing for five minutes, let alone long enough to see a goal through to the end. Perhaps this is why we are so impressed and attracted to people who know what they are about, what they are doing, how to do it, and how their contribution fits into the whole. Regardless of the reason, the calm energy of single-minded focus not only helps us achieve our goals but also draws people to us. What is focus? Focus is the ability to aim at one outcome – zero in…