Much has been written on Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" this year and how this amazing music literally shook the music world in Paris 100 years ago. I don't wish to repeat what has been said by music critics or commentators but I wish to show you what young students' perception of this amazing music is. Just look at the colours and subject matter! They get it.
There is such deep sadness in the top left figure - almost like a grieving parent. Meanwhile, I am struck by the peaceful expression of the young girl - even in what must be a horrific death.
Absolutely terrifying. Blood, words begging for help and the rejection of that plea for assistance.
The top middle figuring is so sadistic and menacing. The presence of ghosts is haunting.
The inclusion of the grieving mother is heart-wrenching. Again, we have an evil character who is perceived as a bigger size. The curves and lines bring a sense of chaos.
I absolutely adore the pop art approach to the sacrificed young girl. The artist told me that they hope the girl sacrificed is now an angel but still carries the marks of her death with her.
And here is one of the best recordings of Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" out there.
This was my third visit to the Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC.) It is hosted in the most beautiful spot imaginable - the Banff Centre for Arts. Nestled in the majestic Canadian Rockies, this competition brings the world's top string quartets to play music for an adoring and discerning audience.
The Tunnel Mountain West loop - great for hiking!
There is a wide range of opinions on music competitions. Some people champion them as the only way for young classical artists and ensembles to get their careers off to a start. It is undeniable that the career support and recital engagements offered with most competitions can help springboard the career of a musician. The BISQC is no exception to this. The support offered to the winner is truly incredible and quartets that have won first place have certainly enjoyed success. You've surely heard of a little group called the St. Lawrence Quartet I'd imagine? Yep, they're past winners! This would certainly be placed in the "pros" column regarding music competitions.
Hoodoo Lookout Point over the Bow River
Another great feature of music competitions is that the musicians get to share the music so close to their hearts with an audience. Some members of the audience could be concert presenters or may be able to financially sponsor a recital for these ensembles or artists. In this way, it is beneficial for artists to participate in competitions. The simple fact of having that kind of exposure can mean that quartets or musicians are able to break into a new market.
Unfortunately, I witnessed firsthand the negative aspects of competition. Essentially, many aspects of the decisions are left entirely to chance and some of the decisions made by juries are simply unexplainable. If one is on the wrong side of these results, it can be completely discouraging. I found myself in the position of having to comfort a friend who was disappointed with their results in the BISQC. They truly did not understand how the jury could have made such decisions. With all of the effort that musicians put into when preparing for a competition, the question remains: is it worth it? If the decisions are subjective and slightly, dare I say it, arbitrary, why go to all that work?
Well, because between the good and the bad of music competitions, there is the beautiful. Now, I will preface this by saying that perhaps the Banff International String Quartet Competition is unique in this aspect. Nonetheless, I have to remark that what I saw was musicians bonding over what we all love - the music. The quartets, with very few exceptions, all got to know each other and some even developed close friendships. These relationships may not have formed without the competition. The collegiality and genuine warmth that the musicians showed each other was simply heartwarming and encouraging for me to witness.
Essentially, the Banff International String Quartet Competition brought together a community of wonderfully talented musicians who were able to bond over their deep love of chamber music. I could not have asked for a more inspiring weekend of music. As a musician, I am now motivated to practise my art more when I return home to Vancouver. Moreover, I am grateful for the new friends that I have made who share the same passion for the great art of music. The Banff International String Quartet Competition is a testament to the power that music has to build community and relationships. I am deeply sad to leave this magical place but I am grateful that this competition offers musicians a space in which to share their art with the public. What a special week it has been here in Banff!
I've been teaching music all summer. It's been fairly wonderful 87% of the time. The other 13% of the time it has been challenging and frustrating to say the least.
Mostly, I've been teaching young children using an Orff Schulwerk philosophy. Their average age is five, which means that they are completely open to new experiences on one hand but also come with a variety of skills and developmental levels. Our activities have ranged from dancing to music, creating beats with percussion instruments, and a LOT of music appreciation. Oh, and we have sung B-I-N-G-O at least 232 times in the last six weeks. That is not an exaggeration.
Some of the young children have been enthusiastic about trying to produce rhythms and dancing to music. Others have been totally reluctant. When I have done music appreciation activities and shared my heart regarding pieces of music that matter a lot to me, I have, on occasion, been met with blank stares. Many of the students simply considered music class as a time to be goofy, silly, and down right poorly behaved. That is a far cry from when I had piano lessons and was expected to sit respectfully and listen attentively. Nonetheless, I have had to adjust my expectations. What I wish to share today is about how teaching music, when you're in love with music, can require adjusting your expectations.
With the students at summer school, I've had to adjust my expectations about how they will respond to being asked to sing or play music. If someone asks me to sing, I will gladly smile and harmonize along. I will find meaning in the text and enjoy the melody. After trying countless ways of getting children enthused about singing, I've realized that it just isn't everyone's cup of tea. Due to anxiety or shyness, playing an instrument in front or even with a group may not be for every learner. I simply have to make each experience with music as enjoyable and authentic as possible.
Another way in which I have had to adjust my expectations is with my piano student. Her Royal Conservatory Grade 8 Piano exam is tomorrow. Frankly, she has not sufficiently prepared and I do not expect her to receive a very shining report. I would never personally entertain the thought of sitting for an exam with the level of preparation that she has done. This point is criticalas a music teacher. We are teaching music because we are head-over-heels in love with it and are passionate about the repertoire. I'm here to state that we are not the majority. We may be surrounded by other music enthusiasts, but that does NOT guarantee that our students will come to us with the same motivation.
So, this begs the question: how do we respond when a student is not as enthusiastic as we are? My piano student told me tonight that "she is not sure if she even likes music anymore." That statement, for me, is the key to how I approach teaching music. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is worth the student losing their love of music. There is no competition, exam, or performance that is worth risking a student losing their desire to create and enjoy music. If my piano student simply does not care about the mark she will receive, at some point I have to relinquish control of that. I would not make the choices that she does in terms of practice routines, but then again - I am not her. I can not reasonably expect her to be as in love with Chopin or Bach as I am. I have to realize that I am the outlier.
I am not suggesting that we simply allow our students to perform music as they wish and have no standards. The music that we love demands that we approach it with the utmost integrity and preparation. However, what I am arguing is that we can only do so much in our circle of responsibility and may just simply need to release the anxiety that we have over what kind of musician they become. Their passion or interest for it may simply not be motivating enough for them to make progress. In this case, we should strive to make lessons enjoyable, positive, encouraging, and honest. Allow students to express if they do not appreciate a particular piece.
Many of us have taught this type of music student - the one who is fed up with practising and really does not have that great of a passion for music. However, today, I also experienced the joy of teaching someone who is truly engaged with music. I am preparing another student for her Royal Conservatory History exam in December. Today, I got to teach her for nearly two hours on the life, music, and influence of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Ok, stop right there.
I got to teach on two hours about a topic on which I'd love to speak all day. Oh, and I got paid while I was at it. Are you kidding me? They are paying me to discuss and share about my life's passion and love? That is what it is to teach music. We get to share one of our life's greatest loves. As I taught her about the operas Mozart composed, the life he led, and what influence his music had on Western culture following his death, I thought to myself: "I am the luckiest person alive." What a privilegeto teach music to others.
Why is teaching music a privilege? Simply put, it is a privilege and honour because we are sharing a deeper part of ourself. We are exposing students to the world of music in which they can fully encounter what it means to be human and experience a vast variety of emotions, colours, and moods.
So, the next time a student has not practised as much as necessary, or potentially bombs an exam, I will try to be grateful. At the end of the day, I've shared with them what I love and surely I can strive to find joy in that simple fact!
Beethoven Sonatas: Volume 1 (edited by Heinrich Schenker), Dover ($15)
Beethoven Sonatas: Volume 2 (edited by Bülow-Lebert), G. Schirmer ($20)
Both of these books are in MINT condition and have never been used.
The two Beethoven Sonata books I'm selling.
I'll throw in your choice of Schubert or Chopin if you purchase one of the Beethoven books! If you buy both Beethoven, you'll receive both Schubert and Chopin! :)
For the last few weeks, my piano student and I have been discussing her future in piano and whether or not she will continue after finishing her Grade 8 RCM (Royal Conservatory) exam. She has scheduled the exam for August. Last week, I had told her that she would likely regret quitting piano later in life. She is currently thirteen years old and has simply lost a lot of her motivation. Nonetheless, my student, who we will call Mary, recognizes that she can't predict how she will feel about piano in the future and needs to think long term.
Jan Vermeer - "The Music Lesson"
Today, I asked her if she'd given her future in piano any more thought. In fact, she had. She says that piano has never really been enjoyable for her because she used to often cry while practising. I asked her what made her cry during her practice sessions. Mary replied that her father was always standing in the room waiting for her to make a mistake and then criticize her playing. In fact, he would yell at her. I instantly asked her if this still occurs. She said then the yelling has ceased in the last year. I was very relieved to hear that. Nonetheless, my student has extremely negative memories associated with practising the piano. She gets easily frustrated when she can not play accurately because there were emotional consequences from her father. There are a few important lessons to take from what happened today when I taught my student.
Firstly, we must teach students to practise wisely and in ways that can avoid frustration. Encourage students that practising three bars of music slowly and in detail is much more valuable than being overwhelmed by a whole sheet of notes and an entire piece. In particular, this is true of Bach. His contrapuntal music simply has a LOT OF NOTES! Keep it simple. Keep it focused. Have I ever mentioned practise slowly? You get the idea. Secondly, to the parents of children taking lessons: I have strong words. Music education is about fostering a love of music. It is NOT about winning competitions or receiving high marks on exams. Those things are not bad in and of themselves, but they are highly subjective and not often consistent. More important, is to have the student express their feelings as a human being through their chosen musical instrument. Music is, first and foremost, a way of sharing one's soul with an audience. Ask yourself, parents, what love of music is being fostered in your home is practice sessions are stressful, negative times which are marked by tears, yelling, or frustration?
Pierre-Auguste Renoir - "La leçon du piano"
I implore the parents of music students to praise their child's efforts, listen to them perform, and be realistic with their goals. The greatest tragedy will not be your child quitting piano, but abandoning a love of music.
It's spring time in Vancouver. The first weekend of May appears to be a beauty full of warm temperatures and lots of sunshine. My students are loving it and so am I. Vancouver is a truly stunning place to live -when it's warm and sunny. The light simply turns all of our greenery a gorgeous shade of emerald. Very few things compare to watching the sun set over vastness of the Pacific Ocean.
Gorgeous False Creek as seen from David Lam Park in Yaletown, Vancouver BC.
Many people are inspired to move to Vancouver simply because of it's stunning natural beauty and it's relatively moderate climate (by Canadian standards!) I will never forget my first two months in Vancouver. At times, I was literally breathless due to the natural beauty that I encountered. I am still so grateful that I am able to run, hike, and bike along the kilometres of seawall near my home. To say that I enjoy heading to the beach would be an understatement. In other words, living in Vancouver is a privilege and I consider myself extremely fortunate to live near such wonderful amenities.
Stunning "old music building" at McGill University in Montréal, QC. Autumn 2012.
Nonetheless, I feel a certain emptiness in this city - despite its natural beauty. This afternoon, a man my age got on the bus in a Montréal Canadiens jersey. Since I was wearing my Canucks jersey, a light banter naturally ensued. We instantly commenced praising the wonderful city of Montréal. The gentleman from Montréal mentioned that the playoff atmosphere is unreal. I kind of smirked when I reminded him that Vancouver gets fairly amped for playoffs too (this year being a slight exception.) But then, this kind Montréalais asked me to point out how many Canucks car flags I've seen recently. Answer: not a whole heck of a lot. It only took a few moments for another passenger on the bus to mention how, in Montréal, you can be in a coffee shop or go to a patio (terrasse en français!) alone and you'll still find great conversation. We all agreed that this is sadly missing from Vancouver. We talked about the affordability of housing and the selection of amazing food in Montréal. The conversation took a lighter shift toward the micro-breweries and their fabulous selection in Montréal. (C'mon - this is a REAL factor to consider when deciding where to live!) Although this bus ride was only a few minutes, the exchange was meaningful and got me thinking, AGAIN, about my two summers in Montréal. Yes, I missed the clean smell of refreshing, cool sea air of beautiful BC. Yes, I missed being able to sleep at night and not tossing and turning until 3 am because the temperature outside was 34 degrees. However, I was truly content while in Montréal. After two phenomenal summers, I was forced to ask myself why.
Yaletown and False Creek in Vancouver, as seen from South Granville. Yep. I live here.
What is it that Vancouver's missing? What can I do that will add that missing element to my community in Vancouver? Well, let me answer the first question. Vancouver is missing a sense of people being open to meeting new friends. Quite a few (but not all) Vancouverites tend to stay near to home and have had the same friends since ...oh, I don't know, preschool. That makes it very difficult to come in as a newcomer and meet new friends. Dear people of Vancouver, please don't fear people who have moved to your gorgeous city and wish to make new friends! We're not going to give you some disease that makes you no longer a West-coaster.
I desperately wish that my city, so full of external beauty, would more frequently reflect that beauty in its social interactions. People just seem to never talk to each other. I also hope that the people we elect to government will do their best to make this city a more affordable place in which to live. Perhaps once the cost of living decreases and people feel less financial pressure, the social atmosphere of Vancouver will similarly relax. Personally, I find it increasingly impossible to justify paying the housing costs that I do here in Vancouver when the cultural activities I would enjoy are more plentiful in Montréal, at a reduced cost.
Gorgeous fall colours at Université de Montréal, automne 2012
In the meantime, my heart is firmly torn between two cities that I love which have such different but amazing experiences to offer.
There are piano recitals, and then there are piano recitals. Two weeks ago, those in attendance at the Chan Centre were witness to the later. This evening solo piano recital was perhaps this year's most memorable classical music event in Vancouver. The Vancouver Recital brought in the incredible Macedonian pianist, Simon Trpceski. I have actually known about Trpceski from CBC Radio 2 for about six or seven years. Each time his performances were on the airwaves, I always enjoyed them immensely. Therefore, I was very excited to hear him perform live. Mr. Trpceski began his recital with Schubert's German Dances, D. 783. They were exquisitely performed. His phrasing was gorgeous. Mr. Trpceski really captured the delightful character of these miniature dances. What a wonderful choice with which to begin a recital - sort of like a terrific appetizer before the main course.
After the German Dances, Trpceski launched into the "Wanderer Fantasie", D. 760 by Franz Schubert. This is a mammoth work - to say the least. Mr. Trpceski played with the utmost virtuosity. His dynamic contrasts and the colours he brought out were remarkable. Moreover, the pyrotechnic display of technique was nothing short of marvellous. After the intermission, Mr. Trpceski played Liszt's arrangement of a Bach Prelude and Fugue in a minor. The performer brought out the chromaticism in this piece wonderfully. His attention the the bass line was superb. Moreover, Mr. Trpceski played with fullness of sound and rhythmic vitality. The next three selections on the program were from Liszt's Soirées de Vienne, Valses-Caprices d'après Schubert, S. 427. Mr. Trpceski played these with great clarity in the melody. Caprice no. 7 in A Major particularly had a crystalline bell-like quality. Caprice no. 5 illustrated great refinement and Viennese character. Caprice no. 6 was performed with complete technical command and Mr. Trpceski sensitively conveyed a sense of nostalgia that is so often present in Schubert's music - a sentiment which Liszt wanted to communicate as well. Mr. Trpceski (officially) finished his program with Liszt's widely-known and beloved Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2 in c-sharp minor. What great fun! This was a thrilling performance and even had slightly comic elements. Again, Mr. Trpceski's utter technical powers were on display. The audience was overjoyed with his performance and he obliged us with not one, not two, but THREE encores. This spoke so strongly to his generosity as an artist. We were so fortunate to hear Schubert's Moment Musical no. 3, Chopin's Prelude op. 28, no. 24 in d minor, and Liszt's arrangement of Schubert's Standchen. This program was highly enjoyable because of it's originality in conception. Moreover, Mr. Trpceski's ability to communicate with his audience is phenomenal. It was an exceptional evening of music and I am grateful to have been able to hear what Mr. Trpceski was communicating to us through this recital. It is a truly special thing when an artist shares their heart with the audience.
