Music, Mind and Humanity

Improvising In Styles: A Workbook for Music Therapists, Educators and Musicians

2011-02-08T18:09:00.008-05:00

During the last 3 years I've had the opportunity to work on a music therapy book publication with my Wilfrid Laurier University professor Colin Lee. When he approached me about the idea of co-authoring a book, I was more than thrilled! He has been my mentor and inspiration throughout this project, and although it has been a long ride, I am now proud to present the results of our work. Several music therapists have also contributed chapters and essential parts which complemented the rest of the book's content. I wish to extend my gratitude to all who were involved in this project directly and indirectly.

The book is designed to explore musical improvisation from the perspectives of a variety of musical styles ranging from classical music to jazz, blues and other world styles. Although it is designed primarily for music therapists, this workbook contains mountains of ideas for general improvisation which any musician can benefit from. The book is available at Barcelona Publishers:

http://www.barcelonapublishers.com

The following is a description from the publisher's website:

Although improvisation is a therapeutic method that has been known and used in many music therapy settings, it is surprising there are only a few published practical guides on how to learn to clinically improvise. This publication aims to redress this gap by providing a comprehensive workbook specifically designed to give music therapists the tools to successfully improvise in their work.

This book was inspired in large part on the pioneering work of Paul Nordoff and Clive Robbins through their books Creative Music Therapy and Healing Heritage. It is also philosophically grounded in the ideas put forth in Colin Lee’s Aesthetic Music Therapy and Ken Aigen’s Playin’ in the Band. While Nordoff’s texts explore the most basic properties of music starting from intervals, scales and triads, this book addresses these aspects but within the context of fully formed musical styles, ranging from classical music to popular and world styles. Aigen explains the rationale for such an approach to clinical improvisation:

Nordoff-Robbins work is predicated on a belief that the properties, which define musical styles and scales, are reflective of their cultural contexts. By this it is meant that different kinds of music, from different cultures and time periods, have essential, defining qualities which are shaped by, interact with, and embody the experience and world view of the original creators and performers of such music. These personal and communal experiences—these ways of being in relation to other people and the external world—find expression through the appropriate musical forms and tonal relationships, and because they are archetypal experiences, their significance can often transcend cultural boundaries and the limitations imposed by disability (Playin’ in the Band p. 11-12).

Musical forms should never be studied in a social void but should be understood within proper musicological contexts. Knowledge of the formal properties of music and associated cultural contexts will inform and influence the practice of clinical improvisation. This book is designed in a way that reflects this balance.

Each chapter focuses on a different style of music and begins with a discussion of its historical/musicological context and relevance to music therapy. Then follow exercises for solo and duet practice that are built on each relevant aesthetic/musical component of the style. Solo exercises practised alone give the musical building blocks to begin using the style. These are meant to be fully experienced separately before improvising communicatively. Duet exercises are designed to allow a partner or soloist to experience the style while being supported by the accompanist, therefore mirroring the roles of client and therapist.

The concluding chapter on authenticity provides additional exercises geared towards readers developing their own unique style. It is important for therapists to recognize their tendencies, likes and dislikes and to take time to reflect on the music they connect to. This chapter moves beyond the conventional renditions of styles and gives suggestions to help therapists develop their musical imagination.

In addition, two accompanying CDs provide examples from the text that serve to demonstrate beginning ideas and how to formulate the exercises presented. These are seeds give readers concrete ideas before beginning their own unique explorations. Each player and therapist must find their own way of playing so that they can bring musical authenticity to their work. Just as piano students explore different interpretations and meanings of the same Beethoven sonata, so each exercise can be interpreted and applied differently according to the therapist’s own developing voice. The listening examples and exercises provide only a few of the limitless possibilities available in each exercise.

The layout of the workbook was carefully designed to make the content practical, accessible and concrete, complete with appendices of instrumental combinations, jazz modes, and international scales. A listening guide provides readers with authentic audio recordings related to each chapter. We believe that by basing oneself in authentic musical renditions, readers will be able to experience the subtly inherent in each style that cannot be described in traditional music notation or words. This publication can be used both as a reference, in order to address specific clinical situations, and a daily practicing guide for long-term study. Readers may note that similar musical components and techniques are revisited in several styles. It is possible therefore to cross -reference between chapters to experience how the same technique is realized in various stylistic contexts.

We hope that this publication will be an addition to the existing texts on clinical improvisation and one that is unique in its emphasis on the duet (soloist-accompanist) relationship and its concrete step-by-step explorations of musical/aesthetic components. This thought workbook contains something for therapists, educators, and general musicians interested in developing or perfecting improvisation. (2010, ISBN 978-1-891278-58-7, Spiral bound paperback, 430 pages, 2 CDs, $65).

References
Aigen, K. (2002). Playin’ in the band: A qualitative study of popular musical styles as clinical improvisation. New York: Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy, New York University.
Lee, C. (2003). The architecture of aesthetic music therapy. Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.
Nordoff, P. & Robbins, C. (2007). Creative music therapy: A guide to fostering clinical musicianship Barcelona Publishers. Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.
Robbins, C. & Robbins, C. (1998). Healing heritage: Paul Nordoff exploring the tonal langauge of music. Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.

Coming Home

2007-08-12T04:21:00.000-04:00

So my contract is almost at an end now. One more cruise to go when we get to Amsterdam. I have to say that this trip definitely met and exceeded my expectations. I got to see a part of the world that not so many people get to see (Scandinavia, Russia, etc..). I got to do many free excursions in the many palaces, museums. The Hermitage in St-Petersburg is the most luxurious palace/art gallery I've ever set eyes on. But most importantly, I became good friends with my band mates and the other musicians on the ship. We had many laughs, playing cards, watching movies, bowling in Lithuania, eating pizza at midnight up in the guest area (when our dinner meals in the mess didn't satisfy), playing Scrabble (Sam still holds the championship title), and lets not forget drinking some beer together and venting on how bad guest entertainers can be--speaking of which, the singer last night (I won't mention his name), not only had a terrible voice, he also fell off the stage! No worries, he's ok. I just hope he takes that as a sign that he doesn't belong on the stage.

I'm happy I took many pictures this time, over 300, plus a few videos to make things more real. So I can't wait to come home and show everyone. I'll be back in officially 2 weeks from now. Time does fly on a ship.

If there is any lesson I've learned while in Europe is that the world isn't so different no matter where you are. Although architecture, languages, social systems may differ, people are people. You get the same joys and sorrows over seas. So in the end, there really is no place like home. I've learned the true meaning of what home is all about. All the treasures are there already, we just take them for granted. At the end of the day, I'll be happy with a house of my own, enjoying a satisfying steak meal with some wine with someone I love, and a job I enjoy doing. That means more than seeing all of Europe or any other part of the world.

Norway's 17$ Burgers

2007-07-17T11:57:00.000-04:00

These days, I am in Norway, in the Arctic Circle. It reminds me of Alaska. It looks and smells exactly the same. I didn't expect to be doing this run along with the usual Baltic sea run. But it's a very nice contrast to the business of Europe. Here there are only mountains and small fishing villages. The land of the Midnight Sun. I took some pictures yesterday at about 1am. It looked like 8pm after dinner.

The air is fresh and pure here. Yesterday I hiked up a mountain with a few guys from the band. I've never been more out of shape! But I no longer have a gut. It all got burned off from walking constantly in ports and climbing stairs on the ship. The lack of a car also helps I'm sure. So I'm about half way through my contract. The band just changed 3 members. The tenor sax player is from Russia. He's a virtuoso and monster player. Our jazz sets have gone up a few notches. Yesterday was a blast. We performed in the Micheal's club (the sophisticated dark lighting club on Deck 7). We also have 2 girls in the band now. Andrea is the drummer, Katrina is the alto sax player. Unfortunately, the airport lost her saxophone, so I didn't hear her play yet. We have to wait until we get back to Amsterdam. Hopefully they'll have it by then. It would be a shame to be sent back home because of this. I guess it's a nice free trip though.

After this run, there are 3 cruises in the Baltic sea left for me. I'm hoping to do a few free excursions (by volunteering for the passengers excursions). Everything is expensive here in Europe, especially in Norway. A hamburger costs about 17 dollars, no joke! That's all the news for now. I can't wait to come back home and show all the pictures to my family and friends.

Marc

My First Cruise Aboard the Century

2007-06-23T06:58:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

At the moment the ship is on a slant, which is sending more of my blood to my right brain hemisphere...maybe this entrie will be more imaginative.

We are leaving Estonia, on our way to Lithuania (never heard of it). They say its very nice in Tallinn Estonia, but I haven't been off the ship today because I had my last morning of training. Today I learned the principles of S-T-A-R:

S: Smile and Greet
T: Take ownership
A: Always professional
R: Reach higher

...Got to love that corporate bull$)($%#

The band sounds good. We have been playing the usual type of music: big band, jazz, ball room, singer entertainers, etc.. Tonight its big band sets and 1 jazz set. We usually play in the evenings between 7 and midnight. Tonight we have 4 sets spread between 5pm and midnight. It will be a longer night. I can't say I'm complaining though, cause its nothing compared to what my cabin attendant has to do. These guys usually work 14 to 16 hours a day. Not really fair. But I suppose they are bringing good money back to their countries, considering the exchange rates.

So far I visited Russia and Findland. St-Petersburg Russia is very different from the European countries. Not as pretty everywhere you walk, unless you are in the main square area where you will find a huge Russian style church with a large golden dome and many ornamental statues. On the other side of the square is a large palace, I don't remember what it represents. I explored the city with 2 other guys from the band. We were served beer by people who didn't speak a word of english. That's different! You just point to the beer you want that's on tap and you show them some ruples (russian currency). And they ask for a certain amount. A beer costs about 100 ruples. So you feel like you are rich holding 1000 ruples...but you are not.

Helsinki Findland is much prettier and inviting than St-Petersburg. I also walked around the main area (tourist). I have yet to go visit some historical museums to find out more about these countries. My music therapy teacher Heidi is from Findland. That's all I know so far about it.

I'm looking forward to sleeping in now, cause my training is finished. I had to get up early for the first 10 days. Now that this part is over, I will have time to get off the ship and explore more. In a few days, we'll be back in Amsterdam Holland, our main port. I will try to contact an old friend of mine TS who was my roommate on the Horizon. He lives about 10 mins away from the port. Although, this is all very exciting, I miss everyone at home, especially Marissa. I can't wait to bring back some pictures. I promised myself I would bring at least 100. Stay tuned for more entries.

Marc

The Trip of a Century

2007-06-13T09:54:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone,

It's been a while I've written on my blog. But now's my chance to get back into it. I'm sitting here on my chair in the basement room I'm renting. The coffee is perculating, I have yogurt on my right side and a copy of my completed major research paper dissertation on my left. On the floor in the back of my chair is my big red Roots suitcase, the one I use for my cruise ship adventures. Yes, it's that time again, I'm going on another cruise!

For two years now, I've worked hard at my studies to complete a master's degree in music therapy. This chapter is done now, and I need a good break this summer. I consider myself extremely lucky and blessed to have the opportunity to travel the world and get paid for it. And Northern Europe of all places! It's a real gift. As the title suggests, I will be leaving on the Celebrity ship Century. The ship will be travelling from Amsterdam to St-Petersburg Russia, passing through many slavic countries such as Finland, Sweeden, Denmark, etc...

I have to admit that I get a bit nervous every time I start packing for a cruise ship contract. Who will I meet? How will the band sound? What will life be like in those slavic countries? One of the most important concerns I have is roommates. You never know who you'll end up with. This can have a big impact on your quality of life on a ship. I pray for a descent guy who doesn't smell or leave his junk all over the place and who all in all is adequately civilized. What I'm not looking forward to is the crew mess food. Don't get me wrong, its not bad food, but it sure isn't what the guest passengers eat! I'm also sad to leave my other half Marissa behind for this trip. What I am looking forward to is the cafes and cultural attractions of the ports I will be visiting. This time, I'm planning to take more pictures as I will have a good borrowed camera (thanks to Marissa--what would I do without you?).

As much as I would like to write more, I have to start packing and I have to enjoy my last full day at home. And I'm sure I will have more interesting things to describe than what's in my room in the next few blog entries. I will keep you all posted. Let me know if you wish to be put on my emailing list. My adress is:

marcus_musicalus@hotmail.com

Marc

The Wisdom of a Fart

2006-09-21T09:13:00.000-04:00

Wisdom comes in many forms. Who ever thought a fart would be good for the mind and for the soul? Just in case the reader is wondering if this is some sort of fart humour entry, to the contrary, it is about a life lesson.

Someone told me once, "just let the fart out". She insisted that it was pointless to refrain from letting out our unpleasant perfumes because it was unnatural. Same with burping. She burped and farted quite often in front of others in the room. It could have been to get a reaction from the audience, but in another way, I learned in time to admire this person.

I got to know her, and I realised how genuine she was. She knew herself well, and didn't hide any parts. She was somewhat of a realist, often saying that the world is nothing but shit. "If people shit on you, you pick it up and throw it back!", she warned. (I don't know if this is the philosophy I want to adopt for my own life. But I would add, "throw it back with a bowtie on it"--or something).

She had a loud personality, and a loud firm voice to go with it. She always had something to say...often about the shit people threw at her. But she was strong. Sometimes I think people intuitively know when others are strong and thus are less careful about what they say or do around them. It still hurts I bet. Although she may more than once or twice have brought shit upon herself, she never compromised herself or her opinions for the sake of appearance and social acceptance. I think she had the mindset, "If you're going to say anything, say it loud". She was a beautiful person. She had guts. And no matter how bad the shit was, there was always a laugh at the end of the day--or week.

No matter what, people judge whether it be overtly or covertly. The life lesson I learned through this person was that it is pointless to hide our true colors. People will think what they think, so we must carry on living our lives the way we want and be how we want to be. In short, just be yourself and let the fart out--let your truth resonate through all of your being! No one is perfect and it takes time to come to terms with faults. Among the many lessons I learned from her, this one was the most important. Even though, we may already know this wisdom, we always keep forgetting it. We have to keep our eyes and ears open, because, as I said, wisdom comes in many forms; too often in less than attractive ways.

My Vision of the Music Therapy Field and My Place in the Profession

2006-08-22T22:05:00.000-04:00

After a year of study in the master’s program in music therapy at Laurier, I am left with a sense of excitement, passion and hope for a great future in this field. Throughout this rigorous period of study I had the opportunity to read literature from around the globe, participate in philosophical discussions dealing with current issues in the profession, and gather my own personal experiences with clients through practicum placements and a half internship. I will first describe my vision of the field of music therapy in the present and near future and terminate by declaring my personal goals as a music therapist and where I envision myself within the field after I graduate.

To begin, I believe there is a bright future for music therapy. Having worked with children, adults and the elderly, I realized how broad the scope of music therapy can be. Music therapy has the potential to be effective with anyone, regardless of age or health condition. Not only is it effective with a wide range of populations but can be used to attain a large variety of goals weather focusing on physical, cognitive, emotional or spiritual aspects. Music therapy, therefore, is aligned with Canada’s wheel of health which views health as a balance between these four dimensions. The new holistic perspective on health is gaining ground and music therapy already is equipped to be part of this new paradigm.

Furthermore, one of the most important assets of music therapy is flexibility. This aspect of the work allows therapist to work in an unlimited number of settings. At the moment, music therapists work mainly in hospitals, hospices, long-term care facilities, schools or private practice. However the limits are boundless. We have yet to explore settings such as corporate companies for stress reduction and better quality of work life, or in art colleges to help artists find their creativity and dealing with performance anxiety. These are but a few examples.

Music therapy can not only be preventive as well as restorative, but can also help healthy individuals develop to their higher potentials. Deepak Chopra, one of the leading advocates of holistic health in the United States recommends music therapy for this purpose. Also, Sufis such as Hazrat Inayat Kahn regard music as a tool of primary importance for spiritual enlightenment. Thus, music therapy’s purpose extends far beyond its usual portrayal as an auxiliary aid for health, but it is an attempt to bring back the sacredness and power that music holds and to use it to create a better world.

Finally, one of the most unfortunate consequences of the industrial world is the loss of intimacy or the feeling of disconnectedness. In our large capitalist cities, people are left to fight on their own to survive economically. Today’s world moves at such a high speed that people have barely enough time to enjoy friendships and intimacy which can have disastrous effects on health. Ironically, the more populated cities become, the more it seems individuals are likely to feel alone. Music on the other hand brings people together and changes hostile atmospheres into warm and inviting ones. Music has been used to promote community connectedness throughout history. It is our task, I believe, as music therapists to not only use music in secluded spaces for individuals, but to bring the power of music into communities to promote social change.

As a future music therapist, my goal is to work primarily in the education setting. Since I spent most of my life teaching piano and being an activity leader for children, I believe that music therapy intervention should not wait until adulthood. It is crucial that children take part in musical experiences and learn music in schools. Our government is making a dreadful mistake in cutting back on the arts, especially during these times when many children and teenagers are struggling to find their identity. My goal is to promote music for health in the educational system as well as demonstrate it through work in the schools and in private. My intention is to publish articles in journals and write a book on the importance of music in the school system and in the community in order to promote social awareness.

One of my secondary interests is to help artists deal with performance anxieties and to find their creative selves. Since I struggled with this particular issue for a number of years, I believe I have the means to be effective in this domain.

Another secondary interest is to promote music therapy in the workplace, especially in government offices and corporate companies. Studies have shown that it is important to balance our daily activities to change brain wave patterns. Illness develops when this balance is thrown out of proportion. Office workers who work at a computer use mostly their left hemisphere (linguistic area) and are in danger of neglecting their right hemisphere (spatial, emotive, creative areas). The role of music therapy in this setting would not only be to help workers achieve this balance, but would also to serve as a form of stress relief.

In sum, I believe that the field of music therapy is at a boiling point. The media is increasingly interested in music psychology studies and music therapists are being recognized as equals to their peers in the work place. In addition, literature is booming like never before and our profession is well established on solid academic grounds and is represented throughout the country by our provincial and national associations. Thus, social awareness is increasing everyday. Canada is beginning to accept alternative forms of medicine as studies show that psychological health directly affects physical health. It is now time to deal with disease before it sets in. Music therapy can help promote health before disease becomes physically manifested. As Don Campbell titled one of his publications, I believe that indeed music is our “physician for times to come”. I am proud to be part of this field and I am eager to discover how to harness the healing aspects of music in order to make this world a better place.

Definition and Philosophy of Music Therapy

2006-08-20T13:45:00.000-04:00

Defining Music Therapy

It is no easy task to choose a favorite definition of music therapy from the literature as many contain equally important keywords resulting in slightly different shades of meaning. But after carefully considering a dozen, my two favorite ones state as follows:

Humanistic Music Therapy refers to the psychotherapeutic space wherein the personal and transpersonal development of the person through sound and music is facilitated, using an approach emphasizing respect, acceptance, empathy and congruence. Implicit in the holistic model is the interrelationship between sound and the whole human being, i.e., physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual components (Bruscia 1998, p. 274).

Music therapy is a process and form which combines the healing aspects of music with the issues of human need for the benefit of the individual and hence society. The music therapist serves as a resource person and guide, providing musical experiences which direct clients towards health and well-being (Bruscia 1998, p. 271).

The first definition by Polit contains the words humanistic, psychotherapeutic and holistic, which in my opinion are the three most pertinent epithets for music therapy. At its core, music therapy deals with human emotion and relationship. In my opinion, therapy then requires at least two human beings (client and therapist) in order for it to be humanistic. Secondly, it is psychotherapeutic in the sense that it is a form of psychotherapy through the medium of music which involves theoretical aspects of cognitive, developmental, social psychology as well as elements of counseling and psychoanalysis. Thirdly, it is holistic because music can be experienced on all levels of our being and therapists seek to understand and work with their clients on a holistic level (physical, cognitive, emotional, and spiritual).

The second definition by Kenny mentions the role of the therapist, which is to serve as a guide to promote health and well-being. Although music can have healing effects, music therapists are not healers in the sense that specific music experiences can be prescribed to clients for specific problems. Therapists are experts in the domain of music appreciation and production and who have been trained to work with human beings in a psychotherapeutic relationship. Thus music therapists are flexible, adapt to each client individually and discover with them how to make the best use of their human potential in music. The definition also hints at the social impact of music. Not only does music have a healing potential, it has the power to bring a sense of community and facilitate a person’s reintegration into society.

These two definitions present some the ideas and assumptions under which I have based my own definition of music therapy:

Music therapy is a process by which a person is affected on potentially all levels of his or her being (physical, cognitive, emotional, and spiritual) through a trifold relationship formed between therapist, client and music. The music created by the therapist and client takes a paramount importance under the assumption that it is one of the most direct mediums that allow the communication and expression of the core self—the self being reflected directly through the music. It is also assumed that the act of music-making is a powerful tool which promotes awareness and focus which are essential prerequisites for personal development or change.

My Philosophy of Music Therapy

My fundamental beliefs about music therapy are based on concepts of general philosophy and mysticism, as well as my own personal experiences in music. More specifically drawn from the music therapy literature, I am inspired by the philosophy of Nordoff-Robbins’ Creative Music Therapy (CMT), Colin Lee’s Aesthetic Music Therapy (AeMT) as well as Allan Turry’s groove-based approach and its relation to community music therapy. My approach is thus music-centered.

First, drawing upon general philosophy and metaphysics, one of my most important beliefs is that a human being is more than the body in which it resides. In other words, physical material is only the surface level or outer shell of the many ‘levels’ of the self. These levels can be conceived on a continuum from gross to subtle, i.e., from body to mind to spirit, each dissolving into one another without clear boundaries. Thus spirit affects the mind and the mind affects the body, while the body also affects the mind and the mind affects the spirit. All levels, in other words, are one and cannot act independently of one another.

Moreover, all levels of the self consist of vibrations. The denser vibrations form the body while the subtler form the spirit. I consider the spirit to be the unchangeable truest part of the self or the highest self. To be clear, I use the term ‘core-self’ in my definition as synonymous to the spirit or soul. If essentially it can be assumed that a human being is essentially composed of vibrations, then this gives a rationale for a music-centered approach to therapy. I believe that people respond so readily to music because it communicates directly to the whole being. These concepts relate to Plato’s thoughts on the ‘Music of the Spheres’ as well as the metaphysical insights of the Sufi Hazrat Inayat Kahn. As human beings, we are part of the universe and obey the same laws of harmony. Music is a reflection of those laws, and that is why we respond so readily to it: “What makes us feel drawn to music” Kahn says, “is that our whole being is music: our mind, our body, the nature in which we live, the nature that has made us, all that is beneath and around us—it is all music” (Kahn 1991, p. 12).

As a humanistic music therapist, my focus is to work on an emotional and spiritual level with clients, for I believe it to be most effective in these areas. My mission is to help clients come in contact with their core-selves and allow them to express it in the form of music, for it is self-awareness that makes personal development or change possible. This parallels the main idea of the Nordoff-Robbins model:

“It is the belief in music itself as the medium of growth and development that is at the core of this approach, and the belief that in each person, regardless of disability, ill health, disturbance or trauma, there is a part which can be reached through music and called into responsiveness, thereby enabling healing and the subsequent generalization into the client’s life” (Wigram, Pedersen & Bonde 2002, p. 128).

Central to the work of Nordoff and Robbins is the idea of a ‘music child’ which is the unaltered creative self which lies underneath the transient personality traits and conditions. The uninhibited expression of the music child is the ultimate goal in the Nordoff-Robbins approach. Interestingly, it often happens that therapy in this model takes on a more transpersonal quality. Working on a transpersonal level may be less tangible than working on a physical or psychological level, but I believe it promises deeper changes that perhaps could never be fully understood or expressed in words.

Furthermore, my philosophy reflects the ideas of Colin Lee’s AeMT, who urges the field to start exploring the nature of music itself in order to have a better understanding of its organization and process:

“We use music and yet seem ignorant of its complexities. We interpret through extra-musical theories in the hope that its intangibility may somehow become tangible. Yet, until we examine the qualities of music itself, its biological structure, its outcome will remain a mystery” (Lee 2003, p xv).

This would entail paying close attention to the sounds that our clients make in response to our own. Although indexing complete sessions can be laborious and impractical in some cases, I believe this method will best inform therapists about what clients are trying to express and communicate. It is thus important that all branches of the Music institution (i.e. history, musicology, theory, composition, performance), work hand in hand to discover the true nature of music and its relationship with human beings. This will inform therapists’ conscious musical interventions and will give further insight into the therapeutic process.

A central component of CMT and AeMT is musical improvisation and composition which is at the heart of my own approach. I have been an improvising musician since a young age and I have discovered the endless pleasure that it gives. What I realized is the fact that after improvising I felt more focused, more grounded and more alive. The longer I played the more energy I received from it. I also realized the intimate connection that exists between self-awareness and performance progress. Nowadays I consider music-making a form of meditation. Music is sacred and every time I improvise with a serious intent I strive to be connected to the sacredness of life. I believe that if we are going to pursue the quest to understand music we will also indirectly be pursuing the quest to understand humanity’s relationship with the cosmos.

Another important aspect I have discovered is that improvising alone is completely different from improvising with other musicians in a duet, trio or orchestra. There is an intimacy that builds between performers co-creating music in the moment. Improvising together offers all musicians the chance to build musical relationships and to step outside themselves and connect with the ‘bigger picture’ or higher consciousness. This leads to my final influence.

As a jazz musician, I find the work of A. Turry and K. Aigen (Aigen 2002) and its relationship to the concept of community music therapy put forth by Pavlicevic & Ansdell 2004 insightful. Particularly appealing is the idea of a musical ‘groove’ and its relationship with the concept of ‘communitas’. Aigen defines groove as “an intuitive sense of style as process, a perception of a cycle in motion, a form or organizing pattern being revealed, a recurrent clustering of elements through time (Feld in Aigen 2002, p.34). He also mentions that “when groove is established among players, the musical whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts, enabling a person […] to experience something beyond himself which he[/she] cannot create alone (Aigen 2002, p.34). Immediately this leads to the idea of community in a musical context.

‘Communitas’ refers to “the graceful but prepared happening of mutual experience within a social and cultural context” (Pavlicevic & Andsdell 2004, p.86). Offering clients the opportunity to groove within a style such as jazz or rock gives them a cultural context to be part of and thus they are able to experience a sense of community or society in a healthy and safe atmosphere. The key feature of a groove is its rhythmic nature. I believe rhythm or pulse to be the most fundamental musical percept and consequently, the easiest to share among musicians. Rhythm is what brings people together in purpose. Indeed, perhaps groove is more than musical synchronicity, but a means by which human beings can literally become synchronized in all senses of the word, that is physically, mentally, spiritually, including musically.

In sum, music therapy is about self-awareness, expression and development not only through music, but through human connectedness. Thus, as I stated in my definition, it is through a trifold relationship between therapist, client and music that therapy will be most successful.

CAMT Conference 2006

2006-06-11T12:26:00.000-04:00

When I committed myself to the graduate study of music therapy last fall, I was not exactly sure what I was getting into. Although, philosophically, mentally and spiritually, everything appeared to make sense, I must admit that I had some doubts about pursuing it as a full-time career. I believe that part of my reason for doubting was that I felt alone. No one around me, including my family and friends, knew about it. As I learned and met more people whose beliefs were similar to mine, I realized that the field of music therapy was much more vast and alive than what I had imagined. Not only did it have a solid academic foundation, but also provincial, national and international associations to represent it and connect music therapists from all over the world. After attending my first CAMT conference this year in Windsor, I no longer felt so alone. In fact, it has brought me the sense of community and warmth I was searching for. If I were to describe my general impression of the conference with three words I would choose festivity, knowledge, and connection.

Festivity

Every celebration must have a festive setting. The Cleary International Centre was a perfect location with its breathtaking views of the Detroit skyline. The presence of the river added an extra touch of inspiration as the opening ceremony began with the sounds of the University of Windsor Percussion Ensemble. Their performance was flawless.
The festivities continued on Friday evening after the banquet as I danced to the music of the University of Windsor Jazz ensemble. As a jazz pianist, I had a good knowledge of their repertoire and was tempted a few times to go up on stage to play with them! The university certainly left a positive vibe in the air. It was a great opportunity to let loose after a full day of listening and absorbing.
The conference ended with a grand musical celebration with a giant drum circle. Everyone had a drum to play on and even the children participated. It served as a reminder that what matters in the end is the joy and love that music brings.

Knowledge

From Thursday to Saturday, I have had the pleasure to attend a number of contrasting conference sessions dealing with a wide variety of topics ranging from health and medicine to social justice and world peace. Some sessions were designed to promote awareness and stimulate discussion, while others were more practical and informative. In addition, some presentations consisted of hands-on approaches to provide new instrumental techniques and teaching methods. I appreciated that the three keynote presentations highlighted completely different applications of music therapy.
The conference began on a more emotional tone with Noele Bird’s presentation on her work with street kids in downtown Vancouver which combines music, poetry and artwork to help them regain a sense of identity and dignity as human beings. Her inspiring talk left me with a sense of hope and purpose. I am now convinced that compassion and strength on the part of therapists can make a huge impact on the lives of people in need.
On the other hand, Christine Stevens’ unforgettable presentation on the use of drumming as an integrative tool in holistic health was highly interactive and stimulating. I was impressed with her ability to lead a large group of drummers with such precision, energy and charisma. She demonstrated that simple musical ideas are most effective and still leave much room for creativity and spontaneity.
It was also a pleasure to listen to Jayne M. Standley speak from a medical music therapy point of view. Since my own approach is music-centered and based on the Nordoff Robbins model, it is often difficult to measure the impact or outcome of my work with clients. Thus, I appreciated learning that quantitative MT research studies have recently shown astounding positive results which gives more credibility to the field as a whole.
Other noteworthy presentations were those of Mendelt Hoekstra and Chrissy Pearson which dealt with the marketing of music therapy services and the creation of jobs. In my opinion these two sessions were among the most practical, especially for students and beginning music therapists. Not only did they address our concerns and difficulties with the business aspect of our work, but provided useful tips on how to proceed step by step in order to create our dream jobs. In sum, it was enlightening to see different styles of presentations with a variety of content. This left me with much to contemplate and gave me a better sense of my own perspective on my future work.

Connection

National conferences are not only about listening to presentations but also about connecting with our peers. I had many opportunities to connect with them personally and musically during and in between conference sessions. Drum circles and free improvisations in a group have allowed music therapists to connect musically. In Guylaine Vaillancourt’s presentation, Music and Peace, we had the chance to play various percussion instruments as an ensemble. At first our improvisation sounded more chaotic. Then, as it gradually began to take shape a subtle pulse developed and everyone connected through it. The resulting mood was one that reflected the intensity and deepness of life.
One of my favorite moments of the conference was Friday night just before the dance as I spontaneously met a few musicians who wanted to play. Our group started with 6 musicians and eventually doubled in size. We had many laughs together and created a whole gamut of joyful musical atmospheres in the main lobby. I played with the group for almost two hours. Some people would leave, others would join in, but the music continued endlessly. By the end of it, we all knew one another’s names.
What was really heartwarming is the fact that everyone, whether a therapist student, teacher, entertainer or related professional, was on an equal plane. At the conference, everyone was part of a single family sharing a common vision.

Overall, it was a valuable experience to be part of this year’s conference. It was well organized and well balanced in terms of content. I highly recommend it for students, both graduate and undergraduate, who are new to the field, and I am looking forward to next year’s national reunion in Victoria BC.

The Sacredness of Improvisation and Its Role in Music Therapy

2006-06-04T19:06:00.000-04:00

In our modern time, music is gradually becoming more recognized as a powerful therapeutic tool. Current research has brought remarkable insight into the potential cognitive, social, physical, emotional and spiritual benefits of music listening and music-making. The field of music therapy has existed for over half a century and has bloomed to a critical point. At a time when alternative medicine is on the rise, music therapy is increasingly being exposed to the media. Indeed, it has shown to be effective with a wide range of populations, each having their own distinct needs. Nowadays, music therapists are seen in hospitals, schools, private clinics, hospices and various other settings. The time has come to examine music itself more deeply and to learn the art and science of healing individuals through this medium.

This paper describes my own personal journey as a jazz musician and how the practice of improvisation has led me to a more humanistic view of life. Through the practice of meditation and introspection, I began to contemplate the nature of music-making and its many benefits for the mind, body and spirit. This has led me to pursue graduate studies in music therapy, a field devoted to the science and art of using music to help people achieve non-musical goals which vary from self-awareness, expressive communication, physical rehabilitation, cognitive development, and quality of life enhancement. I will briefly introduce the philosophy of Paul Nordoff and Clive Robbins, the founders of Creative Music Therapy and discuss my own approach. I will also describe how improvisation is incorporated in a music therapy session and how it can be used clinically. Finally, I will close with a personal vignette about an adolescent client who has achieved focus, self-expression and self empowerment through improvisational work in music therapy.

* * *

My music is the spiritual expression of what I am — my faith, my knowledge, my being … When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something really good for people, to help humanity free itself from its hang-ups...I want to speak to their souls.

– John Coltrane
From John Coltrane (n.d.) (online quote)

Discovering the Spirit of Jazz

I remember the night my soul was awakened to jazz. It was while I was studying at McGill University doing my bachelor’s degree in music. I was sitting in a jazz bar named Biddles (now the House of Jazz). Charles Biddles, the bass player and owner of the restaurant has been recognized for his tireless efforts to promote jazz and making the first steps to establish the International Jazz Festival in Montreal. That night as I listened to his quartet I had an epiphany. I was so entranced by the music that I told myself that some day I would be on stage playing this kind of music. Of course I knew a long time before then what jazz was, but I had not yet truly experienced it like I did that night.

All my life I was trained in classical music, but improvisation was something that came naturally to me. I used to compose music with a friend down in his cold basement at the age of 12. I delighted in the infinite possibilities of sound, especially harmony. I took classical piano through the Royal Conservatory of Toronto. It took me a long time to realize why I found it a struggle to practice classical music. The simple answer was that it was not my music. I was in need of more freedom because I had a composer’s mind. I would practice my Beethoven sonatas and my Bach preludes and fugues, but although I learned to enjoy it, I always preferred improvising at the keyboard and exploring harmonies. I wanted to understand the ‘matrix’ of music. What was it that these genius composers tapped into? How did their compositions work? I needed to understand at a deeper level what the process of musical creation was all about.

It was not until I came to Montreal for my university degree that I realized that it was time to change my identity as a musician. Until I met my last teacher, Tom Plaunt, I had no one to communicate with about this whole other aspect of music-making. I had no one to share my love of improvisation with. I still remember the feeling of liberation I had when he asked me to join his improvisation course for non-jazz majors. Finally, I could express myself in the way I always wanted—freely—and be recognized for it!

During this period, I listened to many jazz artists such as Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Keith Jarrett. Smaller combos (trios, quartets and quintets) of the 1950-60s were my main interest. What I loved about jazz improvisation was its immediacy, spontaneity and boundless creativity. I also marveled at each performer’s distinct personality and sound at the instrument. Nowadays, one must appreciate Miles Davis’s talent for combining musical personalities to create some of the most memorable ensembles in the history of jazz. This gave me the insight that jazz was not only an affirmation of the individual but that combos could be compared to a kind of ‘micro-society’ where each individual performer had a chance to speak his or her mind as the other members listened and commented. This communicative aspect of jazz was reflected in individual solos: as the soloist told his story, he or she was inspired by the sound of the ensemble, while the ensemble supported and responded to the soloist’s musical sentences. As each player listened and surrendered to the moment, the effect resulted in a coherent whole.

The immediacy of self-expression was one of the aspects I valued most about improvisation. I believe that the true spirit of jazz is to create in the present moment. The true joy of listening to jazz is to witness the artist in the act of creation in the here and now and to capture the moments that reveal the sacredness of life. I believe that it was this sacredness that I experienced the night I listened to Biddles’ quartet. That’s when I finally understood jazz. I did not yet know its language, techniques, conventions or history; but I knew that one day I would be up on stage doing it. Thus, I set foot on a new path as a musician: I was to study the art of improvisation and learn the language of jazz.

Music as Meditation

The year after I completed my B.Mus, I was free to do what ever I wanted with my music. I would spend much more time at the piano, inspired to become a jazz pianist. It was nice to have a piano at home accessible 24 hours a day. When inspiration came I played. Other times I practiced my routines following a structured schedule. When I got tired I stopped. I was practicing for myself only and it is then that I began to truly discover the art of mastery. It was also a period when I experimented with meditation.

I never considered myself as highly disciplined when it came to practicing. When I practiced my sonatas, I would often stop on a chord and then begin to improvise with it. I would explore for half an hour and then, as I suddenly woke up from my musical dream, I would remember why I was truly at the piano: to learn my sonata. But I later recognized that this was not wasted practice time. I was taking the time to familiarize myself with sound. Although it was not the traditional kind of practicing, I got to know the keyboard and the language of western harmony. I believe that simply playing and listening are vital parts of any musician’s training. I would even consider them forms of practicing for it is through these activities that one learns to internalize music--to receive it rather than produce it. As long as a musician is mindful about what he/she is doing, he/she is most certainly practicing.

Through meditation, I became gradually more aware of my body and mind and noticed that my playing was more inspired. When I improvised, I became familiar with the different states of mind a performer could experience while improvising. More importantly, I learned that improvisational states of mind were very similar to meditative states of mind. When I improvised at the piano and got into a groove, I felt my awareness expanding and a deep sense of calm taking over me to a point where I simply surrendered to the music. Once or twice, I felt that it was no longer me that was playing but rather music playing through me. This state of mind—whether one chooses to call it a trance or a peak experience—had a definite deep healing quality, one that was quite undistinguishable from the effects of meditation. After it, I felt comfortable in my body mind and spirit. This led me to contemplate the nature of music and, more specifically, improvisation.

I came across a book by Kenny Werner entitled Effortless Mastery (Werner 1996) which not only gave me many insights about musical performance and its relationship with the self but confirmed many of my own intuitive discoveries. I was overjoyed to learn of another musician who was aware of the connection between music and meditation! I soon found out that it was not only this author, but many authors, including the great Sufi master Hazrat Inayat Khan, who devoted a lot of time speaking and writing about the topic. Kahn (1996) takes Werner’s insights much further in that he explains in his book Mysticism of Sound and Music the nature of music and its metaphysical relationship to human beings. He claims that music is all there is, for the universe is composed of nothing but vibration: “What makes us feel drawn to music” he says, “is that our whole being is music: our mind, our body, the nature in which we live, the nature that has made us, all that is beneath and around us—it is all music” (Kahn 1991, p. 12). Although this concept is not easily intuited or accepted by many people, perhaps some quantum physicists would agree with his statement, as they continue to uncover the true nature of the universe. Certainly, Kahn’s metaphysical perspective sheds light onto the mystery behind humanity’s love for music.

However, it would be preposterous to believe that the idea of music’s potential for healing is an entirely new one. Music has been considered sacred for centuries, but we have collectively forgotten it. As our culture throughout history gradually put more emphasis on rational thought, I believe it caused us to loose faith in our intuitive faculties. As I discovered the spirit of jazz and practiced the art of improvisation, I started to perceive music as something sacred--something to be treated with seriousness and respect.

Towards a New Vision

One day, I asked myself: What is music? What is it about music that I delight in so much? I think it was these sorts of searching questions that brought me to the field of music therapy. I started answering them by listing all the benefits music gave me. I noted that music helped me regain focus and developed my ability to concentrate. It also had the power to express all of my emotions often acting as a catharsis. It brought a sense of intimate community when people were visiting or when I performed with other musicians. Music even had beneficial physical effects. My blood circulation would increase, my anxiety faded away, and my muscles relaxed. But most importantly, through music-making, I gained many insights not only about my personality--through self-awareness-- but about life in general. It stimulated my thoughts and inspired me constantly. Perhaps I can even attribute my discovery and love of meditation to music itself. In sum, music had benefits on a holistic level. It was good for body, mind and spirit.

Having discovered this, I then asked myself a more daring question: Why do I want to become a professional jazz pianist? Obviously my passion for jazz was very strong (and still is today), but was it simply to become a great entertainer in jazz clubs and have an adventurous life, travelling from city to city with a trio or quartet? Perhaps all of this came into my decision, but I believe I was searching for something deeper. I wanted to help people with my music. I was thinking about choosing a career path. I wanted my career to involve what I was most passionate about, yet I wanted to contribute to society in a humanitarian way. There was no turning back now. I could not keep all these musical benefits to myself. I wanted to offer my music to others, some who perhaps needed it urgently. Thus, I committed myself to the field of music therapy.

Music-Centered Music Therapy

There are many different philosophies of music therapy, each having their own methods. I am currently trained from a music-centered approach. This entails that the music produced by both client and therapist is of paramount importance to the therapeutic process. My personal approach is based on the pioneering work of Paul Nordoff and Clive Robbins who have opened new possibilities for children and adolescents with special needs. Together they founded a model named Creative Music Therapy in the early 1970s which is based on the core belief that within every human being lies a musical ‘child’. This musical child is a metaphor for the part within our selves that is pure creativity and free from disease. When the musical child is allowed to express itself it brings healing and liberation from all negative conditions. This philosophy is concisely outlined in the recent textbook by Wigram, Pedersen & Bonde (2002), A Comprehensive Guide to Music Therapy:

“It is the belief in music itself as the medium of growth and development that
is at the core of this approach, and the belief that in each person, regardless
of disability, ill health, disturbance or trauma, there is a part which can be
reached through music and called into responsiveness, thereby enabling healing
and the subsequent generalization into the client’s life” (Wigram, Pedersen
& Bonde 2002, p. 128).

It would be important to mention that a person is not cured, but temporarily relieved of suffering. What is remarkable however is the amount of cases that have demonstrated long term progress or a significant change in behaviour during and after the therapeutic process. Although it is so far impossible to scientifically measure the deep changes that can occur in people, music undoubtedly has the power to move the spirit and awaken it permanently. When Albert Einstein was asked how he came to discover the theory of relativity he replied: “It occurred to me by intuition, and music was the driving force behind that intuition. My discovery was the result of musical perception” (The Language… 2006, Section: Albert Einstein Quotes on Music). Inspiration is a huge aspect of this work. People who suffer are often in need of inspiration, and music therapy strives most of all to fulfill this need.

One of the main tools of music-centered music therapy is the use of improvisation. One may be lead to believe that improvisation could never be musical if a person is not trained in music; it is not the case. Although an improvisation in music therapy differs greatly in aesthetic quality from an improvisation by two professional musicians, a trained music therapist learns to perceive the subtly of human expression in sound. It is my belief that no matter what sort of musical training a person has, his/her core personality and state of mind are directly transmitted in the music. The great saxophonist of the 1940s, Charlie Parker, once said: “Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn” (The Evolution… 2006, Section: Spiritual Jazz Quotes). Therefore, the task of a music therapist is to give his client the opportunity to become aware of his or her highest self and to express it freely. In other words, the music therapist must support and contain the client’s music and allow it to grow. Since this approach is client-centered, it is important to adapt improvisation techniques to each client’s style and need. Trained in a music-centered approach, I take much effort in analysing recordings of my client’s musical interaction through improvisation. Through this medium, it is possible to gain insight into clients’ cognitive processes as well as emotional states.

Why is improvisation such a great tool? First, many clients who receive music therapy treatment are non-verbal (e.g. Autism or CP). The communicative aspect of improvisation allows them to express a wide range of emotions that perhaps cannot be communicated otherwise. As a matter of fact, music can often be a safer medium to express deep emotions for even the most verbal clients. Secondly, it gives clients a freedom that many do not have in their daily lives. For example, an autistic child who is constantly monitored and told how to behave properly in school can benefit from his freedom to express himself in a safe environment. Thirdly, improvisation is an in-the-moment process akin to meditation. It requires attention and focus which are prerequisites for conscious change. Finally, I believe improvisation is by nature a social activity. It often creates intimacy between people fairly rapidly. Throughout the therapeutic process a musical dialogue is created between client and therapist. As the interpersonal relationship evolves, so does the music.

Clinical Vignette: Client A

A was 15 years old at the time of therapy. His diagnosis was unknown as this information was kept strictly confidential by the group home where he had been residing for several years. In fact, very little was known about his personal life outside of music therapy. However, he has had previous music therapy sessions with another student music therapist at Wilfrid Laurier University. Upon observation, A was highly functional and verbal. His expressive language was slightly less developed than his receptive language. His IQ appeared to be slightly below the norm. I was told by A at the time of therapy that he was learning life skills and thus assumed he had psychosocial difficulties. A was referred to music therapy because he enjoyed music-making and was always pleased to attend music therapy in the past. He had a total of ten 30 minute music therapy sessions with me from January 19 to April 6, 2006. After the initial assessment sessions, I determined two goals for A:

1) A will improve his ability to focus for longer periods of time while playing music.
2) A will develop his musicality and self-expression

A was successful in achieving both goals which allowed him to gain a sense of empowerment, identity and accomplishment. It is evident, when comparing the first 3 sessions to the final 3 sessions, that A demonstrated much more focus. At the beginning of the process, A could not complete a single activity without beginning another one. His attention on an activity lasted from 1-2 minutes in general. Starting in Session 6 he played for 12 minutes without stopping and his musical responses were appropriate and unified. On average, improvisations lasted from 4-7 minutes. Some of the most musical ones, in my opinion, were achieved at the opening of sessions when A’s focus was at a peak. However, in later sessions, A displayed a high level of focus and musical sensitivity to the very end, in Session 9 playing more than 10 minutes near the end of the session.

A also made much progress in the areas of musicality and self expression. At first, although he showed a high level of musical ability and sensitivity, his progress in musicality was minimal due to his lack of focus. Once focus was maintained, musical development was possible. At first, he imitated my own rhythmic cells when I initiated musical dialogue. Eventually, he began to initiate dialogue on his own. Midway through the process it became apparent that A was aware of musical form and communicated it by playing appropriate phrases to signal the end of the form or phrase. At this time he also began to listen more to the music I was providing which made our improvisations more a product of two people. In other words, just as he drew me into his music, I was able to draw him in mine.

This example is taken from session 7. As we made our schedule for this session, I offered A a blues improvisation since he had requested it the previous week. He appeared excited to try it. The improvisation lasted only 4 minutes, but demonstrated A’s musical intelligence more than any other we had produced so far. A played intelligent phrases, sometimes simply following my pulse, other times playing in between my fillers in the right hand. More importantly, his musical ideas were coherent and out of them emerged a theme of glissandos. He recognized the blues form by finishing his phrases at the end of the form. Our strongest musical connection came at the end cadence as I left a silence for A to fill with a definitive final phrase ending on the tonic. In addition, we both finished with a simultaneous glissando in acknowledgement of our theme. Everyone in the room laughed.

Conclusion

As John Coltrane and Charlie Parker made the realization that music has deeper origins than what we can imagine, my goal as a music therapist is to pass on their message an advocate the link between musical improvisation, spirituality and healing. The field of music therapy not only bases its findings on rigorous quantitative and qualitative research but on direct experience with clients. It also requires the strongest musicians, for the work is of a serious nature and can affect people for the remainder of their lives. Music therapist must not only have the ability to understand the musical process but also music in its largest sense: the rhythms and tones that are innate in each individual person.

There is meaning in the world if we only take the time to look for it. The task of music therapists is to witness people’s personal stories and to uncover their beauty. This field takes a first step in consciously and systematically examining music’s therapeutic potential. As our health care system continues to evolve, striving for a more holistic approach to healing, I believe music therapy will become an essential part of it and will make a remarkable impact in the next few years.

____________________

References

John Coltrane. (n.d.). Retrieved on June 2, 2006 from
http://photomatt.net/jazzquotes/John-Coltrane.

Khan, H.I. (1996). The mysticism of sound and music. Boston, MA: Shambala
Publications, Inc.

The evolution of jazz to spirit-music. (2006). Retrived on June 1, 2006 from
http://www.miqel.com/jazz_music_heart/jazz-spirit-evolution.html.

The language of spirit. (2006). Retrieved on June 1, 2006 from
http://www.miqel.com/jazz_music_heart/language-of-spirit.html.

Werner, K. (1996). Effortless mastery: liberating the master musician within. New
Albany, IN: Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Inc.

Wigram, T., Pedersen, I.N. & Bonde, L.O. (2002). A comprehensive guide to music
therapy: theory, clinical practice, research and training. Philadelphia, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Intimacy Revisited

2006-05-07T20:20:00.000-04:00

I wrote an entry a long time ago on intimacy and I feel the need to continue talking about it. Some recent events in my life have made me ask myself: what is the difference between intimacy in a romantic relationship and intimacy in friendship? Is it a difference of degree or of quality? Is it different at all? At my age (25), I feel it is time to examine those kinds of questions.

When I think of romantic relationship I think of meeting a girl that catches my attention. I ask her out on a date (if I have the guts). We go out on a few dates hoping that some sort of connection will be made. We kiss sometime between date #1 and #3 depending on that connection. I must admit that as a guy, I am highly preoccupied with physical intimacy. I think we must be built that way. But often, as it develops we wrongly interpret it as a sign of emotional intimacy. When it comes to dating, we are expected to be proactive and make the first move. We have to ask the girl out, we have to initiate the kiss. I think we are much more preoccupied about which 'base' we are standing on than building emotional intimacy. We want to satisfy the physical before the mental and spiritual. Afterall, sex takes alot less work! The problem is that often physical intimacy progresses too fast for one of the partners which blocks or inhibits the mutual connection. Is it true that guys are more able to appreciate pure sexual pleasure without the emotional connection compared to women? I believe that guys are more likely to confuse the two. All this coming from a guy--I will put my ego aside for this article.

I don't want to downplay physical intimacy but it seems that our culture has put way too much emphasis on it. It often focuses on sex exclusively and this encourages people to base their idea of a relationship on it alone. That is a recipe for disaster but unfortunately it is too easy to fall into the influence of the media. Many relationships nowadays are no longer genuine. People are not taught to found their relationship in strong faith, for as soon as hardships come, someone doesn't want to bother with it and leaves. Just as things become more real, we escape. We don't know ourselves and we don't know what we want. So we get into it blindly seeking to enjoy the ephemeral pleasures of the honeymoon high, hoping it will last forever.

We have been raised on Disney fairytales and Hollywood chick flicks. They are crual illusions and are very difficult to get rid of. Imagine what happens after Ariel the mermaid and Prince Eric get married. They start their lives living in the castle. Ariel doesn't know anything about human culture, which creates frustrations. Plus she misses her own family under the sea. Eventually she gets so lonely and begins to smoke. By this time, she's no longer as physically attractive and begins to show signs of aging. She is no longer fascinated by silverware and expensive dresses. Does Eric still have the faith? To be continued...No one at Disney thought this sequal would sell. No one wants the real story. We want to believe that a good relationship is one that escapes suffering or one that will solve our personal suffering.

Now that I got rid of all my negative insights about relationships. I would like to speak more specifically about the difference between friendship and romantic relationship. How does the world separate those two categories? I know for sure by the way I was brought up that a romantic relationship is partly defined by the presence of physical intimacy that goes beyond huggs and kisses on the cheeks. It could also be seen as a relationship that is formed in view of reaching the point of marriage. A life mate sort of thing. It is part of our western culture to seek one life mate with whom to build a family. Our life mate is also the person that knows our darkest secrets and all the little details of our lives. This is where lies the intimacy. To know one another at a much deeper level than all other people. To share experiences that are unique, which make the relationship special.

But why is it that I take on a completely different mindset when I date as opposed to developing a friendship with someone? When I think of dating, what comes to mind first is sexual attraction. I look for the spirit of Eros. I think of Eros not only as a form of physical attraction but sexual in the sense of body and mind. I'm suggesting of course that the mind can be sexy just as much as the body. When we meet a sexy mind, doesn't it seem that the body just follows? But on the other hand, don't sexy bodies loose all their attractiveness if the mind is not also sexy? It all comes back to my thought that I believe there is too much emphasis on physical love rather than mental, emotional and spiritual love. I see it as a hierarchy of love, the most important being spiritual love and the least important, physical. The rest in between is a bit harder to classify.

When I think of friendship, it always seems like the love is more 'pure' in a manner of speaking. It seems closer to a spiritual connection than anything else. I ask myself sometimes why I have become such close friends with a certain someone. You learn alot about yourself asking questions like that! The answers are even more revealing when you've been friends with the person your whole life or at least a large part of it. We discover ourselves through relationships, especially through frienships.

This leads me to ponder about why people don't seek first and foremost to develop a frienship with their potential life mate. Obviously, most of us would say "of course I want to be friends with my partner!". But is that really true? Once sex gets all tangled up in the relationship, what happens? Why do things become complex? It's a funny 'humanimalistic' thing. Sex makes people behave in weird ways sometimes. We can't negate it's impact and influence. So what are we to do? To answer my first question, 'what is the difference between intimacy in a romantic relationship and intimacy in friendship?,' I will leave it to my readers, because at this point, my guess is as good as theirs.

All of this sounds really nice on paper, but are we really capable of behaving as our minds would like us to behave? Do we have enough self mastery to seek spiritual and emotional love and not be tempted by physical love? This for me, has been an endless struggle, but it's been a great journey so far and I keep discovering things. Perhaps only the elderly could answer all those questions. But they may have an advantage, for as sex drive diminishes, I imagine, everything becomes clear.

My Musical Autobiography

2006-03-25T16:33:00.000-05:00

This piece of writing was taken from an assignment for one of my music therapy courses. My purpose is not to suggest that I am a famous artist who needs to boast his successes, but to inform those who are interested in my pursuit of music therapy of my rationale for choosing this unconventional career path. Upon hindsight, I seem to have based most of my life decisions on a few simple and well-known lines of poetry by Robert Frost:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

In the Beginning

I was in grade 2 elementary school in Cornwall Ontario when I started my piano lessons. My teacher was Robert Miron, the man who would teach me for the next 9 years. I have done all my basic music training through him including piano, musicianship, theory and history of the Royal Conservatory of Music. However, it was not my idea to begin piano lessons in the first place. It was my mother who asked me if I’d be interested. My grandfather probably had something to do with the idea as well, because music had always been a part of his life and his brother Paul (‘Uncle’ Paul to me), had perfect pitch. Uncle Paul had no formal musical training but possessed an exceptional musical ear. He could learn any song he heard on the radio in the matter of minutes. He often brought his accordion and violin to family gatherings. Although I rarely saw him, I heard of him a lot, and every time I played a tune on the piano, his name would be mentioned.

I think it’s safe to say that my musicality comes from my mother’s side of the family. Obviously I must have taken my musical ear from Uncle Paul. I was told that I sang bass parts to O’ Canada at the age of 5. This sounds impressive to me, but I don’t remember that. What I do remember though is that from a young age I was fascinated by harmony and I would constantly experiment with sounds at the piano. I remember one of the first pieces I tried to reproduce by ear on my grandfather’s electric organ: it was In the Mood by Glen Miller, a song I keep hearing every once in a while even today.

My first piano experiences were from Berlin’s ABC piano books. I remember the old battered heavy upright piano in the school cafeteria. Robert would put a garbage bag full of catalogues on the piano bench so I could play at the level of the keyboard. I was a quick learner, and when he asked me to find all the C’s, I had already done that at home so I played them very quickly to impress him. I have always been eager to learn things.

I also remember my first official piano performance. It was an afternoon recital. I was probably 7 or 8 years old. I played a Bourree by J.S. Bach and O’ Christmas Tree. I did my first salute that afternoon. I was nervous, just like I still am today. Music was not the center of my life back then, for I can remember being more excited to go to my best friend’s place, Jacques, to play outside after the concert. Jacques is still my best friend today and now we incorporate a lot of musical discussion in our talks.

It would be worth mentioning that although my family recognized my talent for music, I was growing tired of practicing classical piano by the year I was doing my grade 5 of the Conservatory. I was so frustrated that I was contemplating the idea of quitting. Luckily, my teacher was flexible enough to try some popular music with me. This kept me at the piano and upon hindsight, I am extremely happy that I decided not to quit that year. That would have changed my life dramatically. Eventually I was lured back to classical music and completed my grade 10. My appreciation of it also increased considerably over the years.

A First Taste of Fame

Another great friend of mine is Mathieu Paul (no relation to Uncle Paul). If it wasn’t for our friendship, I don’t believe I’d be the same musician today, or if I’d be a musician at all. Mat is the kind of person who loved to create his own unique projects in his own unique way. He never liked to follow trends. And once he put his mind to something, he would see it through. In grade 4, we started a rap group with another boy. I was the primary rhythm keeper, using my voice as a drum kit. Mat was the group leader. Together we composed words and little musical riffs with our voices. Our raps eventually made their way to the stage for class concerts. One of them was even acted out as it was performed.

The next year, Mat and I would become popular in music class as we began to perform songs by Genesis and Phil Colins on the piano and drums. At this point Mat had no musical training, but soon he started his own piano and theory lessons with Robert, my piano teacher. Almost every Saturday, Mat and I would get together to play some music. Soon enough we began to compose our own music. I would bring my 600 dollar Kawai keyboard at his place and we combined it with Mat’s very own Radio Shack 2 octave 50 dollar keyboard. We would practice in his cold damp basement for hours, only stopping for a short lunch. Our style of music was influenced mostly by Genesis, Phil Colins and some popular 80s tunes. I was easily influenced by Mat’s strong character and despite our difference of opinions I often ended up agreeing to his musical ideas. Since I had musical training, I would be the one to express his ideas more clearly at the keyboard. He was the visionary, I was the articulator. This has always been the nature of our musical relationship, and to this day, I believe our strengths complement one another perfectly.

By grade 8, we were famous composers at our school. We composed a piece called Nightmare which was used for our class’s end of the year concert. This piece embodied all of our musical discoveries in terms of harmony, form and technique. We had also produced a homemade double-cassette album with our duet named, The Friends. The fame may have been on a small scale, but enjoyable nonetheless. Besides, it was not the last of our achievements together. High school had yet to come.

High School

High school was the best time of my life, especially the last three years. Jacques and I are both slightly reserved intellectuals. During our first year, we spent lots of time together. We were not quick at making new friends. However, we all had connections to some friends who were part of other circles. By grade 11, our group of friends extended to about 20, 7 of which were considered close. Grade 11 was also the year I found love, which meant that my time with Mat would be limited. Girls became temporarily more important.
During this period, I performed in the school play band for the high school annual play, Citashow. This grand project created many friendships and beautiful memories. I still remember the feeling of falling in love while being stressed out about meeting deadlines for art work, spending long hours after school and on weekends. It felt great giving the best of me for a shared purpose. Mat and I became musical leaders and composed themes that students whistled in the hallways for the rest of the year.

By this time we had been part of a group of students that Robert Miron taught. We considered ourselves a ‘musical’ family. We would be asked to play for any sort of occasion: ceremonies, mass, pep rallies, etc…Once again, it felt good to be known and to have a clear role as a student leader. A more personal project of mine was to compose a song for the 25th anniversary of the school. I composed the music and asked a good friend of mine to help me write the lyrics. Since my girlfriend sang, I asked her to sing it, naturally.

At the end of my final year, my love relationship came to an end. It was at the same time I was preparing my grade 10 piano examination. I needed time to focus on serious practicing. My music was also getting me gradually more involved in the community. I became a church organist at my parish. I made my first appearances on local television through concerts. I also played at numerous banquets and weddings. These events kept me engaged musically. At this point I felt I had no choice but to continue my studies in music after high school. For this I would have to go to the big city.

Montreal

I spent 6 years living in Montreal. My first year was an exciting but difficult one. It took me some time to adjust to my new found freedom. But with this freedom came hardships. I didn’t have my parents to help me out anymore, I didn’t have my friends, and outside of Cornwall, I wasn’t so famous. Most of my high school friends went to Ottawa University. I was the black sheep and decided to go to McGill. Despite being all alone in a big unfamiliar city, McGill was definitely the right place for my musical development. Later I realized that I had made the right sacrifice. Part of the reason that I felt down was that I needed emotional support from my piano teacher. At this point, I was struggling with my musical identity. I even questioned why I was pursuing music at all, for all I kept seeing were incredible musicians performing flawlessly, leaving people breathless. Even street performers in the metro could play better than me. Then I realized that for a long time my love of music had been depending on other people’s interests and opinions. I played for others hoping to impress them, and in turn I would receive praise. I wished my first piano teacher would have cared more, but he preferred reading his newspaper while I played my Beethoven Sonatas. What I needed was a new motive. I needed to find my own enjoyment of music, one that didn’t depend on the praise of others.

One night I was sitting at a table with some friends in a jazz bar called Biddles. Biddles is actually the name of the bass player who owns the restaurant. When I saw him play with his jazz quartet, the music resonated deeply inside me. I said to myself: “One day I will be up there playing jazz”. It was as though I knew that jazz was going to be my path from now on. I was 21 years old. That night, God must have spoken to me, because I am still playing jazz to this day.

The following year, I had a new piano teacher, Tom Plaunt. Tom was my last gas station before the highway, so to speak. He helped me change my attitude about myself. He taught me how to enjoy music-making again. He motivated his students. I would work my hardest for Tom. He also embraced the fact that I loved improvisation. He taught an improvisation class to non-jazz majors, which I was glad to be part of. Tom saw that it was self-confidence that I needed as a performer, and together we worked on that goal. In the end, it was improvisation and jazz that kept me at the keyboard. That’s where I felt I could best use my creativity, and for once, my love for it did not depend on the opinion of others.

During my time at McGill, I also enjoyed being part of choirs. At first, I was part of the large choir, then the chamber singers. I enjoyed learning a large variety of repertoire I had never been exposed to. I also experience the power of combined voices. One year, our choir director took us to Toronto for a CBC recording with 7 other choirs from around Canada. We recorded a few world premier compositions. Every year, we would also sing a large choral work at the St. John Baptist Church. Never had I imagined music being so intense, passionate and energetic. Choir kept me busy, but the times I spent singing are part of my most memorable experiences.

On a lighter side, I’ve enjoyed being part of two Gilbert and Sullivan productions. For two years I was part of the Savoy Society at McGill, which is a group of students who perform musicals. These projects were great not only for their artistic pleasantry but for the social life that came with them. Almost every Saturday became a night of debauchery with this group. It’s funny how art brings people together in friendship.

It would be worth noting one of my summer jobs. For two summers I was the music counselor at a fine arts day camp in Dollard des Ormeaux, just outside of Montreal. There I experienced the pleasure of doing music with children. Every Friday we would hold a concert where any one could prepare a song or improvise on the instruments. I noticed that the children loved to improvise and soon found out that music, of all the arts, was their favorite. It was then that I realized I enjoyed being a teacher and that working with children would be a challenge but also a highly rewarding career choice. My work at the fine arts camp foreshadowed my future decision to study music therapy. But before I pursued a stable career, I needed to truly become a performer.

Go West Young Man

I consider this time in my life to be my most musically proactive so far. I met a musician named Jason Lipstein who needed a keyboard player for a wedding band. For a while, we practiced together hoping to have some summer gigs. The band never took off but one of Jason’s plans was to play on a cruise ship. He’s the one who told me that an agency named Proships in Montreal was in charge of hiring musicians for Celebrity Cruises. I was completing my final year of the B.Mus program and was looking for a summer job. I went for a first audition to find out exactly what sorts of competencies were required for this type of position. It turned out that sight reading was a crucial skill, a skill I knew I needed to work on. I was a terrible sight reader, but my desire to be on a ship was so strong that I didn’t care what I had to do to succeed.

Immediately after failing the audition, I pulled out all of my earlier grades of the Conservatory and began to read through them. I took out all of the Gilbert and Sullivan scores the library had and all the fake books I could get my hands on. I was determined to leave Canada and watch the sunsets at sea. At the same time I worked hard to assimilate the language of jazz. So I listened carefully to Oscar Peterson, Wynton Kelly, Bill Evans, Miles Davis and all of the jazz greats, and transcribed their solos. I was thinking about jazz and cruise ships 24 hours a day. It was a great time in my life because I had a purpose and a clear goal in mind.

When I finished school I taught piano privately at the Montreal Academy of Music. I would travel all over the island to student’s homes and in between lessons I would be at the piano working on my objectives, sometimes playing for more than 5 hours a day. I enjoyed the extra time I had to focus on my performance skills. It was a time to be with myself, alone in the workshop. At the end of the year, I did a second audition at the agency. I failed the audition, but I didn’t let it get to me. I had worked really hard up to now and I knew it was just a matter of time before I succeeded.

In September I met a singer named Martina who was interested in preparing entertainment material to play in hotels. I decided I would not rely on cruise ships this time for a summer job. The agency to which we gave our demo was not in any hurry to give us work, and in the end Martina and I were very stressed about the possibility of not getting any contract for the summer. So I decided to do a third audition at Proships, this time not expecting any results. It’s funny how things change when you least expect it. I almost did not believe them when they said that I did a fantastic audition and that they’d get me a contract in the matter of a few weeks. As a matter of fact, they called me back later that week to offer me a first contract aboard the Summit, the biggest and newest ship of the Celebrity Cruises fleet Another surprise was that the ship’s itinerary was en route to Alaska from Vancouver! I was flabbergasted, for never had I felt to this extent the rush of excitement, of adventure, of passion, of a dream come true! This event brought me a very important truth. It was that I could achieve all of my dreams through the power of intention. All I had to do was keep my eye on the ball and the ball would come to me. Now I understood the true meaning of meditation and prayer, and since then I have kept up the practice.

I did two contracts with Celebrity Cruises, but while I was enjoying performing all styles of music with a solid band, I started to think about my future career. I knew in my heart that a life aboard cruise ships was not one I would pursue indefinitely, for it lacked stability. The community of workers kept changing as contracts came and went. Plus, I was away from my family and friends for very long periods of time. I knew that I was a teacher at heart and that would be an acceptable career choice. However, in the mean time my curiosity about the link between psychology, health and music became overwhelming, and I knew that if I didn’t satisfy it I would regret it.

The Music of the Spheres

I came across the book, Music: Physician for Times to Come, edited by Don Campbell, which is a collection of essays on the power of music and its potential to heal. At the time I had been reading many books dealing with the mind-body connection along with psychology and health related books. I was also beginning to make the connection between my own experiences in music and their psychological benefits. I realized how music made me more self-aware and introspective. It also promoted focus and emotional expression.

All this time, the thought of music therapy kept turning inside my head. To pursue this path was a rather difficult decision to make because, firstly, I didn’t know too much about it and it seemed a bit avant-garde. Secondly, I knew I wouldn’t get much support from my family or friends because they didn’t know anything about it, and I doubted that anyone paid much attention to the nature of the self and the holistic perspective of health. After all, it is not the most tangible concept! I knew that many would think I was out of my mind to study another one of those ‘pseudo-scientific’ forms of healing. This pursuit was a personal one, but with courage I dove into the dark and committed myself to the graduate music therapy program at Laurier University.

In September last year, I realized that this program was perfect for me. Since I loved improvisation so much, I was thrilled to find out that it would become part of my day job. I also saw the parallel between my experiences at the fine arts camp and the group activities of music therapy in the schools. The more I found out about music therapy and the school’s music-centered philosophy, the more I became confident I had made another good decision. Sometimes, I think I’m the luckiest person in the world because I have not yet regretted most of my big decisions in life. (Perhaps I shouldn’t speak so soon). I believe in the power of intuition and until now, it has served me well.

What Laurier University and music therapy has brought me so far is the opportunity to examine music and its relationship to humanity more closely. It has also provided me many opportunities to play in public. Although I miss playing on the ships and playing in a jazz combo, I still get the taste of it sometimes when I play at the Ali Baba steak house on King Street.

My purpose now is to use my knowledge and talent as a musician for the good of humanity. The Music of the Spheres, the idea that the Cosmos is nothing more than vibrations in harmony with one another, is one of the oldest ones in philosophy and mysticism. The more I contemplate it, the more I recognize the truth of it. We have hardly begun to explore the possibilities of music’s higher functions. Why is it that we enjoy music so much? Why is music-making such a universal cultural phenomenon? Can we not live without it? After all, it does not seem to serve any particular evolutionary purpose. I believe there is more to it than meets the ear. I believe that music is more than entertainment; it means more than being famous and admired. Thus, my duty as a musician and human being is to discover how music can come to humanity’s aid. Music therapy is still in its infancy. The world is just beginning to consider such possibilities in the holistic framework of the health care system. There is much work to be done in this domain, and I am honored to be part of it.

In my utopian vision of the world, everyone would understand the true language of music. Music would be recognized as sacred and would be treated with caution and respect. In this world, everyone would be a musician (with or without training) and would learn the art of communicating, expressing and healing through this medium. I realize that this vision is ahead of its time and might be unrealistic, but it is a most noble pursuit. My role from now on as a music educator and music therapist will be to enlighten the world about music’s higher nature and help individuals who come across my path in need of guidance and help.

I would like to thank my parents, my grandfather, Uncle Paul, my friends, Jacques and Mathieu, my piano teachers Robert, Ian, Debbie, and Tom for all their guidance and support along my musical path. Without them, I would not be the musician and human being I am today.

Tune Your Damn Piano!

2006-03-04T20:13:00.000-05:00

Today, I walked away from my gig. I'm a regular jazz cocktail pianist at this restaurant (which I will keep anonymous because I'm a nice guy). The reason I left was because the piano had not been tuned. Usually, I'm a very patient and understanding person. But the piano had been more than slightly out of tune before Valentine's day. A week before, people had complained about the sound of the piano. On Valentine's, the owner gave me the excuse that the piano had to be moved and the tuner could not tune it before it was moved. Ok, apology accepted. But tonight, 2 full weeks later, the piano is still dreadful. I had a beer at the bar and told the bartender I was gonna give it a shot, but I didn't like the sound of it when I played a few scales. I played one song, got up, finished my beer, I apologized to the customers for offending their ears and left.

Boy did that feel good! It was liberating. I'm only getting 75 bucks for this gig. I already felt abused. Normally, a musician would be paid at least 150 dollars for a gig like this. It's a fine dinning restaurant for Pete's sake! I've made twice as much playing at a crummy snack bar near Montreal. Tonight, the owner can keep his 75 bucks. It sure ain't worth my time and his customer's.

Health and the Need for a New Scientific Paradigm

2005-12-26T18:13:00.000-05:00

As we approach a new millennium, at the end of a century of explosive growth in science and technology, it is fitting that leading members of the scientific community are starting to understand that science alone cannot fulfill human kind's needs: indeed, it has become a destructive force. We need a new kind of science that approaches the traditional knowledge of indigenous communities; the search for it has already begun--David Suzuki (The Sacred Balance p. 26).

Two Opposite Paradigms

Indeed, although natural science has given us insights on all aspects of life it is fundamentally flawed in it's approach for it separates elements of a whole and generalizes from those pieces rather than considering holistic systems at work. More and more, new approaches to health, which embrace both traditional Eastern and modern Western knowledge, are emerging and gaining acceptance in the West. The strength of natural science is its effectiveness at describing phenomenon, as it is highly systematic and objective. Its weakness however is that it is devoid of morality and vision. It finds correlations but no meaning. On the other hand, Eastern mysticism is a subjective form of science, which considers the universe as simply uni-verse and seeks to understand its parts in relation to the whole. Its strength is that it provides meaning to everyday phenomenon and fulfills our intuitions. Yet its weakness is that often its claims are difficult to disprove which makes the knowledge questionable. The wisdom of the East, however enlightening it can be, is difficult to concretize or be manifested practically. But perhaps if both systems, despite their contrasting paradigms, merged together, they could best serve humanity. Would it be possible to open a dialogue between such contrasting views of the world? If black and white meet would the resulting color be gray, or would the mix remain heterogeneous at best? As an appreciator of both paradigms, I propose that such a dialogue in the health sector is not only a possibility but a necessity. Dialogue or not, both are equally essential to our survival and prosperity.

Since I am currently studying music therapy, I will focus on the perspective of health and it's relationship with the idea of a new scientific paradigm. In order for dialogue between these two contrasting paradigms to emerge and to be effective, we must first work towards reexamining our values, resolving communication problems, reeducating the public and influencing politics in order for governments to balance their funding according to this new vision. Moreover, this is all assuming that, as an academic community, we have the intention of resolving basic human problems such as selfishness and greed that impede or distort accurate research and corrupt our system of knowledge.

Towards a Wiser Approach to Health Science

As David Suzuki declares, our western paradigm of science, when considering its larger impact on the world, seems to be failing humanity. We can no longer count on it alone to ensure progress and prosperity for the human race for we have no idea of the effects of our technological advancements on the environment and our health. For example, researchers have come up with new pills that only induce cancer or other health problems in the long run. Although western science has brought us many important discoveries that have been useful in the health sector, many of its inventions serve as crutches or temporary cures. Medical science is only one area of health. Its flaw is that it treats illness rather than preventing it. By the time someone is treated, the person is already in a stage of physical sickness. Canada's proposition of the Circle of Health embraces a larger view of health that includes mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. This is a step forward in looking at issues from a more holistic point of view. We are beginning to see that illness does not appear out of nowhere. As medical science seeks to uncover the physical causes and developments of illness, the divers areas of psychology concentrate on the mental and emotional causes of illness. Without a dialogue between psychology and medicine, there is no hope of improving our knowledge and thereby ensuring more appropriate treatment and illness prevention. In my opinion, it is time to begin to explore the less tangible aspects of health; those which relate to mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. What is needed therefore is an agreed-upon system of exploration.

I would state the new paradigm of science as follows: A science that strives to dialogue with and integrate modern Western and traditional Eastern systems of knowledge. This new system I believe would probably not fit into the mould of the natural science paradigm. Perhaps the word “science” itself would not be appropriate to define the new paradigm, for such a paradigm would drastically change the character and values of science. Natural science would become a tool for objective knowledge testing and cease to be the sole authority of knowledge development. More value would have to be given to so-called soft sciences such as social science. For in this new view, these sciences deal with a larger less tangible aspect of human life; but nevertheless a very real and important aspect. In other words, physical evidence is crucial but limited in most areas of research. We must therefore start giving more credit to non-physical evidence. Developing this system will be no easy task, but we can start with communication and dialogue.

The Language Problem

I see the human being as an ecosystem, with all its parts integrated into a whole. Although parts may at times seem distinct from one another in appearance, at a closer look it is difficult to create boundaries between them. The best we could come up with in medical science was to label different parts of the body based on either their function or appearance. Although there is no end to the number of label that delineate separate areas in our bodies from ordinate to subordinate parts, in truth there is only one body. We need to work with labels in order to communicate with others more accurately if we are to solve health problems. However, what labels tend to do is make us forget that we are dealing with a much larger ecosystem. In other words, we forget that labels are just names or tools to help us describe and work effectively. The act of categorizing is an act of segregation. What would the world look like if we had no names for objects? Would we perceive the world the same way? I don't think we would. In fact, names are concepts and concepts are prerequisites for consciousness. Language is more than a language; it is our thoughts and perceptions of the world. It is a collectively agreed upon interpretation of our world. Thus language can change and evolve. If it would be absurd to believe that no French thoughts could be translated into English, then why believe that the language of modern science could not be expressed somewhat adequately in the language of mysticism or vis versa?

To create this new paradigm of science we could begin our dialogue by trying to understand the various important labels of both modern and traditional knowledge, comparing and finding out if there are some parallel meanings between them. I believe that both paradigms can inspire and complement one another in this way. Thus, examining the contrasting languages of both paradigms will be a crucial part of the development of the new larger paradigm.

The Self and Alternative Approaches to Health

David Suzuki mentions the need to find a sacred balance on our planet. By logical inference, balance must also be applied to our own selves (body, mind, spirit). Buddhists have said that in truth there is no real self. Upon introspection on our own sense of self we cannot help but become more confused about its true identity. Where would it be? Inside our bodies? Our brains? Our minds? It is impossible to pin point concretely. How can we possibly impose on it any physical boundaries? In my opinion, simply limiting ourselves with the body as a definition is unsatisfactory and ignorant. Although we feel the presence of a self that is physically separate from the rest of the world and universe, it is an illusion. As Suzuki points out: we are the earth, the air, the sun, and the water. We are made of the elements. Thus it seems rather that the self extends beyond the body as it can only be defined in terms of its relationships with the rest of the universe. These notions are derived mostly from traditional mystic thought and should be taken into account when doing science. We can no longer treat the human body as a separate and complete entity on its own. In other words, we can no longer treat the human body’s separate components without considering the whole person and its relationship with the rest of the universe. It is time to start integrating systematically the traditional views of the world with modern scientific ones. Fortunately, alternative health and medicine fields are on the rise in popularity.

Music Therapy will soon be an important advocate of this new paradigm for one of its central philosophical principles is to treat the human being holistically. Furthermore, it utilizes sound and music to help human beings achieve a sense of health and well-being. This probably makes it safer than any other form of health service. The clinical use of sound and music has hardly been scientifically examined. But so far, it has shown tremendous potential. The challenge for music therapy now is to find effective ways to demonstrate its effectiveness in health. But to do this, it will need the support and faith of other fields in the health sector. Mysticism has much wisdom to offer western science on the properties of sound and it’s subjective effects on the human being. It goes as far as declaring that some vowels are sacred and consequently many mantras have been constructed with these sacred vowels which give power to human beings. This common knowledge of the East seems to be completely farfetched in the West. It is evident then, that communication between West and East is limited. What we need to work towards is an effective way to test such wisdom. Faith, morality and vision are important qualities to have as scientific researchers. One way to build such faith is to be informed about and inspired by Eastern wisdom, for it has much to offer in terms of philosophy of health. Indeed, the health system is incomplete without both modern and traditional views.

I'm under the impression that Mysticism is more ready to accept scientific thought than vis versa. I believe that one reason for this is that perhaps many scientifically minded researchers are not open to unobservable phenomenon. They lack trust in their 6th sense so to speak. Mystic knowledge is all gained from experience and the internal 6th sense. In some people it seems much more developed than in others. This knowledge is internal while the objective knowledge of natural science is said to be external, free of human interpretation (or at least strives to be). It is external for it is supported by precise measurement similar observations and agreements by many experts. Is it better to be open to our 6th sense? Is it a reliable sense? I believe it is a sense of a higher order, which perhaps is formed of many other senses while it extends and unifies the normal 5 senses. It is crucial at this point that all human beings nurture self-awareness and learn to value intuitive thinking. We have come so far cognitively, we must not forget our roots! Moreover, why should we not trust the truths of mysticism like we do with those of science? For mystic knowledge has also been developed by communities of expert yogis who have worked together to find common ground between their views. If it has survived the test of time, it should be considered more seriously in the west.

Education

In order for a new paradigm to emerge, it is necessary to reeducate the public. Fortunately we are now much more aware of holistic treatments and they are on the rise. Only time can bring such important changes as newer generations are taught the world view from a very young age. At the rate of technological and communicative development that exists today, future generations will view the world completely differently from the way our generation sees it. Suzuki says that in the near future water will be the primary natural resource fought for in wars. This sends the message that there is an urgent need for change. Children must be taught to value their environment and each other more than ever. If we don’t destroy the borders between countries and cling to our own selves, we will not survive long. Selfishness and greed are at the root of the world’s imbalance. Although these are natural aspects of being human, it would be absurd to let them destroy us when we know better. Education can really make a difference.

At the moment there is barely any budget for self-awareness and moral education in schools. These are considered secondary to “primary” knowledge such as math, physics and history. Obviously morality and self-awareness are more subtle and sensitive subjects and many teachers are not equipped to teach this. What contributes further to the problem is that fine arts (plastic arts, music and drama), which promote self-awareness, communication and emotional development, are being cut from programs in Canada and US, which is a major mistake. What children are experiencing now is dehumanization in education. Not only is it dehumanizing to withdraw fine arts from schools but it is counterproductive to eliminate the activities have proven to enhance performance in other academic subjects. Self-awareness and focus are key factors that enhance learning on a general level. Children today are learning much about the world, but barely enough about themselves. What good would it give us to know about all the world’s wonders and problems and not be able to manage our own selves? There is an art and science of living that is just as important as knowledge of the world.

Concerning health, my personal view is that education should incorporate more Eastern philosophies and practices. Meditation and yoga for example should be taught from a young age and be part of physical education programs. More emphasis on nutrition should also be incorporated as it has been demonstrated that good nutrition is one of the most important ways to get the energy necessary to carry out all our daily tasks. A good nutrition is also one of the best ways to regulate emotions and mood. The East has different views of nutrition and physical activity in relation to individuals. Deepak Chopra has written extensively on the Eastern views of health. I believe that nutrition is one of the key causes of the high rate of depression in America. The availability of unhealthy food is overwhelming and human beings are programmed by evolution to devour fat when it is available. The problem is that we no longer need to spend the same amounts of energy chasing after our food in jungles and forests. The general public is still for the most part unaware of how dangerous most processed foods at the market are in the long run. Most people consume too much white sugar, caffeine and high cholesterol foods. But it will be impossible to change our habits without proper education. Through a new paradigm of science, perhaps one day we will find more traditional knowledge incorporated into our school systems.

Politics and Corporations

A new paradigm of science will not emerge without the help of politics and major corporations. Corporations are highly involved in politics nowadays as they have become the most powerful sources of economy. The documentary film The Corporation has enlightened us about the negative impacts of corporations on the environment and the people they claim to serve. In this film, the corporation is compared to a human being that has become clinically insane. What makes corporations “insane” is that their only motive is to increase profit without regards for morality or world vision. Again, greed and selfishness are at the root of this problem. It is easy for CEOs to let their workers deal with the dirty part of the work and to free themselves of personal responsibility for the damages they do to the world. Corporations have created a vicious cycle of consumption in the West. What corporations need to do now is take responsibility for their actions and use their excess wealth not to create more wealth but to help restore balance to the planet. Fortunately this is beginning to happen, but corporations need to do more. We cannot depend on a few generous millionaires. It is corporations that have all the power and money. The fate of world is in their hands at the moment. Reeducation and a change of heart must take place at the top of the wealth chain as well as the bottom.

As politics begin to shift gradually to a more longitudinal view of economy and the environment, only then will proper action take place. Politics need to regain control over corporations. In the health sector, this means that pharmaceutical companies have to stop creating unnecessary drugs. Nowadays, new diseases are advertised on television and the cures are included. Pharmaceutical companies want profit. They do not care to know if health problems can be resolved in more natural ways. They make pills for money, and therefore in their eyes that is the only option. Again, the problem is rooted in money. The government wants people to depend on pills rather than natural resources, for natural resources don’t make money for the government. I personally dream of the day doctors will prescribe healthy diet, meditation and proper exercise to their patients rather than pills. But without the emergence of a higher vision and a change of paradigm, funding for research in holistic therapies and alternative medicines will remain limited.

A Larger Paradigm

In light of this, I would like to propose a new paradigm. One that accepts as legitimate both subjective and objective accounts of the world and one that works towards the conversion of Modern and Traditional knowledge into a coherent all-encompassing view of the universe. At one end of the spectrum lies mysticism, while at the other, natural science. In my opinion, it is imperative to find bridges between those fields that seek to integrate knowledge and create a holistic picture of the world, and those that focus on the smaller details in specialized areas. This is the only way we will have a complete view of the universe. We must complete every thread on the grand web of knowledge and then step back and examine it from far, considering world balance and morality. It will be the task of individuals as well as large corporations, along with the support of governments to bring this higher vision to fruition. The vision has already been formulated and will take many more years for it to perfect itself. Change is taking place at this moment. Let us not be blind to the fact that the world is in a state of emergency. The human race is out of balance and is destroying it’s own home along with itself. This can all be changed before it is too late by taking the first steps for healing today.

The Corporation (a documentary film)

2005-09-10T18:08:00.000-04:00

I would like to recommend this highly important and enlightening documentary to who ever would like to be more informed on the adverse effects of corporations on today's world. The documentary explores the psychology and pathology of corporations, their effects on society and the environment, and proposes that our world needs a new industrial revolution: one perhaps that is more in tune with Mother Nature, on whom we depend for our own survival, rather than one rooted in greed and corruption.

check out the website:

http://www.thecorporation.com/

No Worries in Waterloo

2005-09-10T15:35:00.000-04:00

Waterloo is a very nice city, linked with Kitchener. I happened to be located in the perfect area for a university student. Dorset st. is calm and out of the way. Yet it is near all the bars and stores including groceries and Zellers. And its a plus that I'm only 10 mins of walk away from school (Laurier U).
It used to make me so nervous when I moved to new locations. It would stress me out. But I think Im getting used to it by now. The cruise ship contracts have really helped me loosen up and reduce my worrying habits. I've always considered myself a worrier. But as we confront our worries constantly, we realize that there is much less to worry about than we thought. It's the unknown that worries and the fear of being all alone. It's all in the head. And our attitude changes in time. I'm glad now that I chose to go live in Montreal for a few years. That was my first departure alone. Separated from my group of friends and my family, it was difficult to cope with that at first. I must have gone through a mild depression my first semester in university. But it was also exciting to be in this new environment and new energy. Sure, I didn't have all the security of home, but I realize that freedom is worth more than security. Now I welcome new enviroments, new people. I got tired of being so defensive and passive and afraid to meet new people. Now, I'm in Waterloo for two years, and I'm gonna make the best out of it. Because, moments come and go. Time flies. That's another thing I've realized on the ships. Got to make the best out of it.
What I like most about this new environment is that I'm around smart people. There is alot of intellect around a university. Alot of open minds here. I'm grateful to be part of those who will shape the world. Those who may end up making important and critical decisions for our world. And these are crucial times for humanity. Time is of the essence. Our generation will bring very important changes, hopefully for the good. Environmental concerns are at the top of the list. Overpopulation is another. The depletion of natural resources, another. World poverty, and more. These are the times when greedy people will start to suffer. The economy will have much trouble sustaining itself, the way it is set up now. I really don't know how things will turn out. But I am remaining optomistic about it. There is no other way.
I think that my task in all of this (as a musician), is to elevate the spirit of the individual. One by one. Either through therapy, entertainment, education or just a friendly chat. We need to play music. We need to cling to harmony. We must sing our way through these troubling times to come. I choose this as my purpose. For me, there is nothing more simple and noble than this path.
And thus, I pursue my studies in Waterloo. I have alot to learn here. No matter where we are, there is much to learn from the place we live in. So, let's pay attention to our environment, old or new, and make the best out of it, regardless of circumstances. That is my insight for today.

New York Bus Terminal Story and National Culture Shock

2005-08-30T09:45:00.000-04:00

I'm heading for Waterloo in a few days. I'm a little anxious, a little excited, a little scared. It's fun to start a new page clean. I get there, I don't know a single soul. I get to build my network slowly but surely. This time though with more experience. If I can handle Montreal, I can surely handle this small town. Or can I? Are there any surprises waiting for me?

People in Waterloo so far seem really nice. A bit warmer than in big cities. I want to live among people like that. I was told by Penny, a woman who runs a little old used book shop in Hamilton Bermuda that people in Nova Scotia are some of the nicest people she's ever met. I keep hearing that the east coast is home to the friendliest canadians. And that says alot if you compare it to the friendliness rate in the U.S. I don't really want to bash americans but I think I will anyway. Our cultures are fundamentally different in the fact that Canada is more altruistic and U.S. is more individualistic. I want to stress that I blame the culture, not the people. People won't help you in the U.S. unless you shout louder than the guy next to you. I got this experience with my travels on the cruises and also just last week on my trip to New York. I'm sure New York is the worst case scenario.
Take the bus system for example: There was no one in any of the information booths in the evening, therefore there was no way of finding out which gate was the one for Syracuse. Even the departures on the TV screens didn't have our route. So we had to check each individual departure gate ourselves. Finally when we found it (gate 62), the wrong time of departure was posted (they are all posted manually like the white letters we put on the menus in chip stands). One would think that New York would be a little more organised and a little more technologically advanced. After waiting in line at gate 62, as we approached the bus, we are told that we should be at gate 61, because that's the one with the transfer to Ottawa. Ok, no problem, I've waved it off. So we skipped a few people in gate 61. The bus driver tells us they have no more seats for two people together, but there should be another bus arriving at this gate just after this one leaves. Ok, that was nice of him to consider putting us together. But the driver decides to let on another 10 to 15 people on the bus and then leaves us hanging there like two lost canadians. Another bus did indeed arrive, but out comes about 20 black men who are all in distress about making a transfer somewhere and no one pays attention to us. We wait for a little while as our gut feeling tells us, we shouldn't be here. It couldn't be right. So just as the bus from gate 62 is about to leave we ask the driver where we are supposed to be. He replies, "this is your bus, you should have been in this line, we were leaving without you" and then chuckles. I am fuming by this time. So off we go on the original bus. Oh, those lost canadians! On this bus, the temperature was about 38 degrees C. And it was worse in the back where we were. No one was telling the driver to lower it, so I got up in the dark and jumped over everybody to ask him to lower it a bit. It was still too warm. Anyways, I wasn't gonna ask him twice. So we just hung in there. When we arrived to make our transfer in Syracuse, we had to find our luggage ourselves. Turns out he hadn't opened the right compartments and it took everything for the driver to open the last one where we were sure they were. So I practically threw all the luggage out to grab mine. It just felt weird to do that on my own. Finally, we transfered to the Ottawa bus, and we lived happily ever after. I am beginning to think that we are not liked by Americans because we didn't support them in the war. They could probably tell we were canadians by the fact that we had smiles on our faces.

The moral is, I love Canada. Our services are friendlier and more organized. There are signs telling us where to go and if that's not clear enough, the staff is usually ready to help with a smile. Maybe I'm just not used to the way things work in the U.S. I think culture has alot to do with it. Canada was raised to be more altruistic. I still think it's due to the harsh winter weather of the New World. But I'll give New York two things: the food and entertainment is great. New York is actually the most amazing city I have ever been to. It has the strongest vibe. And New Yorkers are very friendly on vacation cruises. We had the opportunity to spend a whole week with people from NJ and NY. After this experience, I would return to the Big Apple in a heart beat. But one thing's for sure: next time I'll fly.

Cognitive science article on sleep deprivation

2005-08-05T22:57:00.000-04:00

Great article on sleep deprivation

http://www.harvardmagazine.com/on-line/070587.html

good to know this stuff.

10 Questions

2005-07-28T21:46:00.000-04:00

1. What is your favorite french word? There are too many but for now it's: petencle (the game)
2. What is your least favorite word? moron (no one should be called that)
3. What turns you on (inspires you)? women, music
4. What turns you off? a plate of uncooked veggies without dip
5. What sounds do you love? farts, wind and silence
6. What sound do you hate? Bagpipes, spoon sweeping yogurt out of plastic cup.
7. What is your favorite curse word? espece!
8.What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? a monk or a sex therapist
9. What profession would you not like to participate in? accountant
10. Presupposing that Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? "You know Marc, it really wasnt all that complicated; it really is all about naked women and drugs--(as a joke)"

The Hierarchy of Creation

2005-07-28T20:44:00.000-04:00

I like to write. I write about anything sometimes. For example, I don't even know what this entrie will be about. I just let the pen write. And then, after a few sentences, order comes. Sometimes it starts with a few unintelligible ideas, and the entrie turns into a nice poem. Sometimes I really get to the bottom of what was on my mind and I discover something about myself. "The key, is to write", as Sean Connery would say in Finding Forester. I don't know what it is about writing that pleases me. Putting thoughts on paper makes them immediately concrete and permanent. It could also be dangerous. Thoughts are powerful things. Every action is born from a thought. I have discovered the simple hierarchy of creation.

1- Supreme Intelligence
2- Idea
3- Thought
4- Action

A verbalised thought is stronger than just a thought, for the thought is reinforced and made "real". The effect of it is much stronger if it is shared with someone. Hence why buddhism focuses on thought processes. Meditation is nothing but the self conditionning of thoughts. We are capable of managing what goes on in our minds, unlike what most people think. Most of us think that we can't control our thoughts and desires. Sure, we do have natural desires, but to learn to live with them and master them so that they don't master us is entirely possible. We don't have to be the slaves of ourselves. Meditation is the exercise of free will. We are free to create what we wish, regardless of who we are or where we came from. But, then again, only a select few will actually have the strength to take advantage of this wisdom.

So watch what you think. That's a step ahead of watch what you say. The evidence is getting overwhelming for me. I have created things in my life that I realize exist only because I consciously kept the vision of what I was creating. That includes bad things and good things. The cruise contracts would be a good thing. I'll keep the bad things to myself.

This entrie has been created out of nowhere (Supreme Intelligence--which is not mine). Then it came in form of ideas which turned into concrete thoughts (which could be expresed in words) Then they were written down on paper ready to be transmitted to other minds who read them. This in turn will lead to action. I don't know what kind exactly, but hopefully positive action. And that is the hierarchy of creation. I find it fascinating. An idea is just like a seed that germinates and grows into a flower. I know it's a simple analogy, but it's the best one. There is so much to learn from watching the simple process of a flower growing. Another example would be DNA. That's why buddhists say all of life is found in the small details.

Music Therapy Websites

2005-07-27T23:29:00.000-04:00

For those interested in getting an idea of what music therapy is all about, visit the websites:

http://www.musictherapy.ca (Canadian Association of Music Therapy)

or

http://www.musictherapy.org (American Association of Music Therapy)

or

http://www.musictherapyworld.org (England Journal of Music Therapy)

Intimacy

2005-07-24T23:09:00.000-04:00

What is true intimacy?

I've been doing lots of meditation on love and relationships in the past few months. My conclusion is that intimacy is a most mysterious topic. What I do know is that everybody wants it. That seems to be what most of us live for. We all want someone with whom we can share the deepest parts of ourselves without fear of being judged. And we all would like to have someone who does the same with us. Intimacy seems to involve a certain amount of vulnerability. For me, intimacy is exposing our weaknesses out of love to a special person. Intimacy doesn't have to be between a man and a woman, nor does it have to be sexual in nature. Its about connection. We all want to connect with everyone around us. Maybe even with plants, and inanimate objects.
But what is it that makes us want to connect? Evolution would suggest that it is a survival mechanism. Stick together and you'll live. But I believe that its more than just keeping warm and winning battles between clans and exchanging friendly services. I think it is because we want to know ourselves. Intimacy is a connection between two people, which creates a relationship. And what is a better mirror for us than a relationship. Do we not grow faster by our relationships? Do we not learn about life and ourselves best through them? Are we not empowered by them?
Nevermind knowing what it means. More importantly, how do we know its there?
It's there when:

1- you can look at eachother and know what the other is thinking
2- you complete eachother's sentences or you speak in point form
3- you feel warm and fuzzy inside when you chat
4- you salivate more (that's just my intuition kicking in)
5- you can make a fool of yourself and not have to feel judged
6- you breathe calmly
7- your conversation flows naturally and are always interesting
8- you feel you could do anything for that person for nothing in return
9- time flies when you are together
10- there is a sense of rock solid permanence in the relationship
11- you miss the hell out of eachother after you part

How then can we create it?

I don't think its possible to create it with everyone. I think there is a certain chemistry between people and some people are meant to be closer than others. Soul mates are supposed to be the most intimate relationships that exist. All this makes me think of the possibility of past lives and reincarnations, but I wont get into that just yet. I'm not ready to explore such wild topics. Afterall, there is plenty to deal with in this lifetime. But if we are lucky enough at one point in our lives to meet someone who means more to us than others for some mysterious reason, it is our duty to look into it. It seems sometimes like we were meant to meet a particular person at the time we meet them. I believe that's the work of our intuition. I'm beginning to believe in the reality and usefulness of intuition in our day to day lives. The more we pay attention to it, the more we are able to discern between real intuitive thoughts and mere fantasies or desires. But we always should be careful. Reason is just as useful. I think they complement eachother well. Back to the question of creating intimacy with a loved one. I believe that spending time regularly with the person is the most essential thing. That way we get to bathe in eachothers personal energies or atmospheres long enough to build a connection. The more time you spend together the more your environments and experiences are shared.
What I find worth noting is that intimacy seems to develop radically when a traumatic or highly emotional experience has been shared with a partner. Especially if the partner was there when it happened. We always see that theme being exploited in movies like Armagedon or other save-the-world movies. The more time you spend with your partner, the more likely you are to share a save-the-world-movie moment, so to speak.
Also risking or sacrificing oneself for another is another good way to develop intimacy. This builds trust I think. Compromising and being consistent are other ways to create trust which in turn builds intimacy.

Why is is so difficult to find intimacy nowadays

1- The world values speed over quality
2- Too many people in the same place
3- Too much stimulation
4- Not enough time is made for it
5- We are selfish and superficial
6- Life has gotten too comfortable for most of us
7- Politics get in the way
8- We are afraid of stepping out of our protective shell
9- We have been tought and raised wrongly
10- We assume that everyone is an enemy until proven otherwise
11- We are hurting

I'll content my self with 11, but there are unlimited reasons.

I hope that we give eachother the chance to develop more intimacy in our f**ked up world today. Because in the end, most of us are really missing out on one of the most wonderful things of life. I definitely keep trying to be better at it because I realize its worth it, and its the purpose of life. Intimacy doesn't come when we just hope and wait for it. We have to create it bit by bit.

Home sweet home! / Music Therapy

2005-07-15T21:13:00.000-04:00

Here I am. Back in old Cornwall Ontario, living at my dad's. It's been 2 weeks since I've been back from the ship. Life is good. I am appreciating those homemade meals and I've enjoyed seeing my friends again. Friends are so important. Without them, I'd probably die of a stroke or heart attack by the age of 40.

I haven't stopped moving since I got here. Lots of cities to visit. But now I can relax a bit waiting for an answer from Laurier University. I had my interview this week and I'm happy it went well. The field of music therapy is perfect for me for it combines all my interests: music, mind and humanity, which is the theme of this blog. Music therapy is both a science and an art. And still to this day I can't say that I am more one than the other. Science and art are just different ends of the same spectrum. Two sides of the same coin. I hope people are starting to realize this. The world is more united than it appears. I chose music therapy because it allows me to be creative both on the scientific and artistic planes. It is a field still very open to creativity and development because it is still young. Most people I talk to about it don't know a thing about it. It used to bother me. It bothered me because its not easy to take a path so different than most people. No one could really support me. Most people gave me a response such as this: "Music therapy eh?....that's interesting....what is that?" And after I try to explain some of the basics, they still have a blank look. That's not too easy to deal with. That tells me that there is still lots of work to do. The world needs to be educated. I guess you could say that I'm trying to live by Robert Frost's words: "I took the road less travelled by, and that has made all the difference." I think it's so important to stay true to one's heart. That truth is never too old. Temptation is everywhere and gets more tempting every day. So what I do is try to take some time everyday to listen to what my heart has to say. It's amazing all the conversations you can have with yourself! Hehe! No, I'm not a freak. Seriously!

Coming back to friendship though; I say that friendship is one of the most important things in life for a couple reasons. First, we can put all our troubles on them (well, most of them). We all need to bounce things off sometimes and that's what friends are for. But more interestingly I find that friends really help to define who we are as people. It's all about the people we hang out with. Collective attitudes are so powerful. They are monsters on their own. I consider myself very lucky to be born in Cornwall and to have been part of my group of friends from La Citadelle. If it wasn't for Jack or Mat, I don't think I'd be the same person. Friends make a deep impression on the soul (if I may permit myself to use such a vague term). I think part of Jack, and part of Mat are literally living inside me, like parasites! A bit the kind of feeling when you say to yourself, ah, man, I just reminded me of my dad. Sometimes, it can also be friends.

Life on the Horizon

2005-04-24T15:41:00.000-04:00

Now that I've been on the Horizon for at least 3 months, I have gotten used to the cruise ship life and I have a few impressions about it.
First of all, people come from all over the world. The nice thing about that is that you are in a micro global union ecosystem and you get the chance to deal with most of the world cultures. I have a few spanish friends, some american and canadians. I have a few greek enemies although it's mostly they who have a superiority complex and I dont like to deal with them. For example, the new lady pursor on the ship has some sort of large object stuck in her rear. She's never happy. I'm afraid to ask her for a new ship card when it gets demagnitized for fear I might trigger the erruption of her active volcano. It's not always easy to get along with everyone cause everyone has such a different background. Everyone has a different sense of ethics and morality and different life circumstances. Everybody is equal, but some are more equal than others. This Orwell saying applies well to the Celebrity cruise ship company. Greeks are on top, then officers, then managers, then the entertainment department, then the rest of them. Believe, me I would not want their jobs! They get paid peanuts for their 15 hours a day. Engineers probably get a descent wage but they never come out of the dungeon, so that isn't very appealing either.
As for the gig itself. Most of the time it's enjoyable. Everything is relative they say. And I appreciate my job knowing that I could be doing something else. I'm happy I'm doing music. Not every member of my band thinks this way and that's unfortunate. Some musicians are here for a vacation just to buy some cheap electronics. But I have met some genuine souls who happen to be very good musicians. Alan Lee, our band master (in charge of all musicians on the ship) is a fantastic lounge pianist with a Rachmaninovian sound. Yesterday I just met a new entertainer pianist/singer from LA. He's a good guy too. I wish that more people had a higher education. I miss having real conversations about world topics. I miss philosophy. There is alot of small talk and beer drinking here. This gives me a challenge. The challenge is to stay yourself in this hedonistic place. I keep myself busy by having personal projects along with the gig. I said to myself, if I'll be here for 6 months I want to come back home with something. So I've been composing music and exercising to be in shape by the end of my contract. I still don't know if I'll be accepted in the master's program in Music Therapy but I don't care. I don't worry so much about those things anymore. There is no such thing as security in this world. So you learn to love it as it is.
What I miss most is home cooked food and my friends and family. Out here there is alot of time to think about life. There is lots of time to realize what truely matters. Being on my own for a few years has taught me some important life lessons. And despite the hardships, I'm grateful for it. I'm learning everyday and that's what matters. So the question is, will I ever go back on a cruise ship? I can't say no for sure. Its funny how once you are back home after a month you are ready for another adventure. On the ship you can afford to be lazy. Someone feeds you everyday, you are getting regular pays. Someone takes care of your room, etc. That's always nice. But I know that I will try to find connections else where, preferably on land. Because although we are traveling everywhere on this boat, you can never decide where you want to go. It's this port on this island, or...the boat.
On this last note. I want to wish everyone a good day and I can't wait to see all of you when I come back (well, almost all of you--hehe!...you know who you are.) I love emails, please continue to write. Hasta luego mis amigos!

Cruise Ship 2005

2005-01-06T12:51:00.000-05:00

Its that time again, and off I sail to the Horizon...

Its an exciting feeling not knowing what you are heading into. In just a few days (Jan 21st), I am leaving for 6 months on a boat (the Horizon from Celebrity Cruises), in a part of the world I have never seen (Carribeans), with people I have never met. I think this is the part I like best: the beginning of something new. How are the coworkers? How's the band? How are the supervisors? The food, I already know will cease to be good after a few weeks. That's a given. But I'm anxious to meet new friends. Can't help but imagine what kind of experiences I will have with them.

So now I'm in Montreal, quietly packing my things. I decided to take 2 weeks for that (slowly but surely is my style). I realize that this could be my last official year living in Montreal, since I am leaving my appartment for good. I will miss my landlord (oddly enough), and his free pitas. I will miss my grocery store PA accross the street. I will miss the music library at Mcgill where I ripped so many good jazz CDs. I will miss the Mont Royal where I used to go jogging in nature. And who could forget Mama's poutine and Schwartz (to balance out the jogging weight loss)! So many great cafes and restaurants. I realize how much I've lived and grown as a person in this city. And now Montreal is a part of me. I think I'll be back one day. Who knows, maybe this september! No need to be so nostalgic so soon.

Right now, I'm happy without a clear definite plan for september. I have applied for the Music Therapy Masters program at W. Laurier U. in Waterloo Ontario. This would be a nice change of scenery and I think I'd be happy living in a smaller town for 2 years. But who knows what will happen. Not sure yet if I'll be able to fly back for an interview while in the Carribeans. Oops, didn't take that into account! I also had a neat offer from a guy who has a band contracted to play in New York city at the end of the summer. That would be an amazing adventure. I've never been to New York. I've never even played in a band to be honest (without counting cruiseship gigs). And also, I've been interested in getting some contracts for commercials or movies. These are just some of my wild ideas. But now that I've mentionned them, my future probably has something really different waiting for me. Bottom line is, anything goes! I think its a great way to find out who we really are. I figure at this time in my life, it's adventures that I need. If I'd be a protagonist in a book, I'd want to be going through some challenges and unexpected plot twists at this point. The stage has been set, let the action begin!

...and off I sail to the Horizon, knowing that the world is not flat.

Going against the grain: how to deal with entropy

2004-11-28T12:03:00.000-05:00

Entropy is a one of natures laws of thermodynamic: any system will naturally degrade to a more stable state if no energy is put into it. This law must apply to human beings on all levels as well since we are part of the grand ecosystem of the cosmos. But this law creates a problem. That means we have to work to survive. Laziness, in other words is one of natures slow killers. We can be lazy in many ways too. We can be physically lazy by not exercising regularly, or we can be mentally lazy by not wanting to think deeper about issues and just coasting in our lives being like pieces of wood floating in an ocean, letting the waves transport us to where ever they choose. But we have a choice not to be pieces of wood but boats on this ocean. We have the choice of being masters of our minds and start paddling to direct ourselves to our chosen destinations. I apologize for the cliche methaphore, but I think its the best way to see it.
What I am wondering is where do we get the instinct to go against the force of entropy. What makes us want to go against the grain. There has to be a force enthalpy that directly goes against entropy. Enthalpy I think means the amount of energy that comes into a system. Maybe determination comes from such a force. The determination to get up and do something with our lives. What I've noticed is that the longer one succumbs to one force, the harder it is to succumb to the other. If I start drinking coffee each day for a whole month it is much more difficult to stop than if I have one coffee. That would also explain why people get into the groove of things by going to the gym 3 times a week. They are in the zone because they keep puting energy into the system. We get into momentums of entropy and enthalpy (angel vs satan appearing on our shoulders). Both forces work against each other competing for our attention. I have no difficulty spending 3 hours a day at the piano, because too often I have done it, so now it demands so little effort. So the moral of the story is, if one day you wake up and feel determined to change or to create something, do it and don't ever stop. Cause if you stop, entropy (satan) will no doubt win. We can keep entropy out of our home if we keep the door closed. But beware! The devil is very cunning. We must keep a good eye out. I would like to end with an announcement: I have decided to quit coffee and replace it with a fruit every morning! This to me, represents a triumph of enthalpy over entropy. And I feel more powerful. I start paddling my boat by eating a fruit each day. One small but significant step towards victory!

Humorous and Compact Wisdom

2004-11-17T10:14:00.000-05:00

Solid, Liquid, Gas

The World is
Solid, Liquid and Gas
But once you've reached the stage of Gas
Nothing or noone will stand in your way

M. H.

Meditation Alters Structure of Brain

2004-11-16T21:08:00.000-05:00

http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma8/monksmed.html

site provided by J.L.

What determines Musical Taste?

2004-11-14T10:21:00.000-05:00

I had a discussion with my best friend Jack a few days ago about musical taste. Musical taste must be the most difficult topic to discuss because I believe there are no real rules which can determine taste. But one interesting question did arrise is "How come you can appreciate jazz music and I can't?". To this I reply, anybody can appreciate jazz music. But there are many factors that will determine your chances of appreciating it. Some of these are: 1)exposure and musical training, 2) culture and social ties, 3) genes and personality.

1) Exposure and musical training:

Musical preference depends almost entirely on how much we have been exposed to a certain style. If all my life I heard rap, then chances are I will be an expert at rap. I will be able to distinguish between all rap artists easily and I will have no difficulty hearing details in the music and extract meaning from these details. The longer one is exposed to a particular style of music, the less complex the music becomes to the ears. The example I will use in this entrie will be that of jazz music. Jazz music is probably one of the most (if not the most) complex of Western music besides contemporary classical music. It uses the full spectrum of (functional) harmonies/colours on which melodies are built. If one has not been exposed to the sound of jazz, it is most likely that one will not be able to perceive all the details and subtlties within it. An inexperienced listener will not be able to tell between Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, for example, or Miles vs Wynton Marsalis or even Louis Armstrong. It takes a long enough exposure to be able to make those distinctions. Jazz is more than just a beat with incomprehensible noise on top of it! The more intrinsically complex the music, the more time it usually takes for a full appreciation of it.
Classical and jazz musicians are more likely to have more appreciation of jazz music for the obvious reason that they have been exposed to harmonies. They have experienced playing on an instrument and know how difficult it is to sound like Keith Jarrett or Wynton Marsalis. Therefore they can more fully appreciate the nice work of these artists. As a classically trained musician, I could not help but be interested in the mysteries of jazz. Since I loved harmonies and colours in music, I had to seek novelty by studying jazz harmonies (the full spectrum). One of the main reasons not too many people are jazz fans nowadays is that people are simply not exposed to this quasi-underground style. It doesn't play on the radio except on special slot times on classical radio channels. And this brings us to the next factor.

2) Culture and Social ties:

Obviously, jazz has had its time. Unfortunately it only lasted a few decades, but that's probably because our society evolves at a much quicker pace compared with the past. After the 60s, jazz has probably been used more as a tool in different styles of music, like fusion and funk (which many include in the style of jazz because most of their harmonies come from jazz). Jazz has been heard in movie soundtrack. It does give a great ambiance as background music! But it seems that the use of it has been declining over the years. Thus people don't get exposed to jazz because of this social non-use of it. It is also because jazz does not cash in the big bucks. It has been over shadowed by Hip-hop, rap, R and B, pop. Not that there is anything wrong with those styles, but it seems like society has been biased so much towards them to the point where it looks like that's all that exists as music nowadays. The media has chosen these styles because they attract the most people. People are exposed to these styles everywhere. And consequently all the events of there lives are coloured by these styles. And thus, people develop particular tastes towards these styles and understand them much more than other styles. Their emotions are completely tied to and almost shaped by these styles. And so, people have almost no choice of being more inclined to these styles. The sad situation now is that the industry has taken advantage of the fact that the brain relies on really small cues in the music to react emotionally. It doesn't need details to trigger the "I like this", "I don't like this" manifestations. And as a result, the media can create the next big artist (such as through television shows like American Idol) simply by advertising them to the public. In other words, music nowadays is more dependant of a cultural context for appreciation than of itself alone. The beauty and emotions do not need to be in the performance of it. Simply the fact that it is being played on the radio triggers the emotions rather than the actually musical expressivity or the diversity of expression. Although alot of pop, Hip-hop etc is filled with great aestetics and musical expressivity, I believe alot of it is simply hitching a ride on the big band wagon waiting for unaware listeners to fall prey to it. What I dislike in much of popular music is the recycling of emotions (usually some sort of frustration of the individual). We all know that emotions are alot more complex and its never a black and white kind of thing. Its not grey either. It is all sorts of heterogeneous mixings of colours. Unfortunately, pop music is no longer constructed to satisfy this kind of true emotions. It is simply designed to provide cues to social/cultural experiences with a new sound or something to grab the attention of a listener. It is there to sell sex and vent frustrations about sex.
A last comment about society is that due to the fast paced nature of it, people no longer take the time to listen to a piece of music fully. If they don`t "get it" right away, then it sucks. And so people sadly only get to experience the superficial level of musical enjoyment. I wonder how many people have actually experienced a musical orgasm. Believe it or not, music has such a power!

3) Genes and Personality:

Maybe some people prefer more complex rhythms because their bodies ask for it. Maybe some people enjoy slow and calm music because their bodies are designed this way. Genes and personality does have a real effect on our preferences for all kinds of things, and we may not be a long way from finding the actual genes that may be responsible for making someone predisposed to like rock over classical or jazz.

Our musical preference are an interaction bewteen these 3 factors. There may be more but I am happy with these 3 for now. Any thoughts on this topic are welcomed--especially about the society/culture part of the essay. I would like to get the opinion of pop music lovers on this. Is the appreciation of classical and jazz just as socially constructed or is it mainly due to its objective aesthetic value? On the continuum of musical styles, I believe some are objectively more musical than others and thus less dependant upon social context for personal enjoyment. Although some styles may require a bit of education and exposure, they may in the end give back much more to listeners than what socially dependent music can.

Working on Cruise Ships as a Musician

2004-11-13T19:14:00.000-05:00

This summer 2004, I've had the opportunity to work on a cruise ship (Summit from the Celebrity line). Now that I'm back on land and living a normal life again, I can write about it, having stepped back from my experiences.

For a guy that had never traveled to "far away lands" before, it was the experience of a life time. My first night and first show, I was terrified. But it was one of those good "terrifications" cause from then on, I was going to grow as a musician and a human being. I found myself on stage with music I had never seen before. There were purple and green lights above my head just to add to the distraction and stress. Now, I consider myself an introvert to a large degree, which means from a physiological point of view that I am easily excitable (perhaps in all senses of the word!). I may appear calm, but inside it's a whole different world. So my first week was tough. But I still managed to go have a few beers with my band leader down in the crew bar until 3am (which would have been 6am in Montreal due to the time difference) on my first night.

The crew bar. That was for me another source of unneeded stress. I don't like bars. But I like people. So I made a few sacrifices and recked my ear drums some more by spending a minimum of my time in the crew bar screaming over the loudest speakers from hell to try to talk to someone. Obviously, I don't like loud noise. Luckily some of my best friends also didn't like the noisy and smoky crew bar so we hung out in the staff bar most of the time. The staff bar was a relatively healthier environment. So by the end of the week, my back and neck muscles were fully twisted and ready to rip inside my skin. But things got better pretty quickly.

The shows. Doing 4 production shows per week was pretty intense for me. But I soon found out how cheezy music can really get. If there is any word to describe the shows it would be fake. Its all about the illusion of greatness. I enjoyed seeing this psychological trickery in action from behind the sceenes. It's funny how much bubble gum music you can feed an audience and they just chew it right up without choking or vomitting. The public ear is oblivious to true sonic pleasures. It is so unrefined that it makes me angry at our capitalist culture. The media has created such watered down music that people nowadays are seldom exposed to real art. (That's a whole other topic I could say lots about). So you have to bang things into their ears with lots of distortion and screams. After a few months my fingers had become callous because I had been banging at ff constantly. We had only one dynamic as a band all summer and that was forte. To top it off, most sound technicians didn't know what they were doing. I have never heard a violin screech so much into speakers!! A bad violinist with a bad sound man is one of the most painful combinations. I'm not saying that all contemporary music that has air time is bad music. But most of it is limited in its artistic expression. Consequently, the music on the ship reflected this phenomenon of lack of true expression. (But on the other hand the dancers were great!) And as musicians being aware of this phenomenon , we made our own fun (especially the brass section) on stage and especially at rehearsals.

But there were lots of great things hiden within the infernal nature of cruise ship entertainment. I did grow as a musician. For me, playing with a band (a pretty damn good one), has given me the chance to become more confident as a musician. It also gave me the chance to play with just my right hand when I felt like it. It essentially taught me not to care so much about what came out of me when I played. And its odd how much that actually improves improvised accompaniements.

But what is most memorable is all the good times I spent with friends after the shows. That, to me was the most satisfying part of being on a cruise. Its never the jobs themselves that bring the most satisfaction; its the people you work with. Its those subtle insignificant moments you share with friends that count. Playing Phase 10 for example. We had alot of good laughs around this game. Or getting drinks for people and then receiving drinks from people. Its not the drinkingthat matters; its who you get it from, hehe! This kind of sharing element is important to me. When you are connected to human beings all is well, no matter how much life conditions around suck. Though it happens life conditions weren't all that bad either on the ship (except for the redundant employee buffet meals and the no-privacy miniature rooms we had to share).

As an artist, I realize that the cruise ship industry will not fullfil me musically. It is not a musical job I will do forever. I see it as giving my musical services rather than my artistic expression. Although I do give my fullest artistic expression, the music arrangements themselves often don't allow for much. But I would do more contracts for the life experience it gives. It is not really for music that I like the ships. Its not even for the money or the lack of true responsibilities (although that is part of the equation). It is for the traveling and meeting of new friends, and experiencing things that maybe not so many people get to experience. For that I am grateful and I won't take it for granted. And thus, I head for the carribeans in January...

La définition du fabuleux mot Appoggiatura!

2004-11-08T23:36:00.000-05:00

Voici une définition de mon nom d'utilisateur de ce site qui vient du Petit Larousse 1999:

Appogiature: n.f (ital. appoggiatura) MUS. Note d'ornement qui précède la note réelle à un intervalle de seconde et qui est écrite en caractères plus petits.

Définitions supplémentaires:

Note réelle: Note consonnante (qui fait partie de l'accord), soit la fondamentale, la tièrce où la quinte.

Tièrce: intervale de soit 3 ou 4 demi-tons par rapport à la fondamentale. Cette consonnance est dérivée de la quatrième harmonique!

...si vous voulez vraiment en savoir plus, consulter Western Harmony 3 du conservatoire de Musique de Toronto

Music Improvisation vs Music Composition

2004-11-06T13:43:00.000-05:00

This entry adresses people who know practically nothing or very little about music improvisation and would like to know more about it and how it differs from composition.

I've improvised on the piano since I started playing (probably 8 or 9ish). Since then, I kept up the practice naturally. I just loved creating my own music, to the point where I wasnt practicing alot of my classical repertoire. At this early stage, one can hardly call it improvising. I would call it harmonique and melodic principle aquisition from an intuitive approach (but hey thats just me!--I like nice words that make me sound smart). Then came composition. Composition is different from improvisation. Composition means I can stop, go back, and make some changes to my piece of music. A large part of composing means editing and polishing details. Improvisation on the other hand means I am composing in real-time, like a live broadcast. It involves composition elements that are available to my mind immediately. As a result, some improvised music is successful, and some is not. It all depends on the performer's state of mind at the time he is performing. If I am tired, my rhythm will not be precice. If I am stressed, my performance will probably stink just as much.

But the nice thing about improvisation is that you never know what the present moment will bring. I find some of my most musical moments have been triggered by improvisation. The quality of the music is more instinctual. Who cares about making fancy runs or intricate harmonique transitions (although these may happen naturally during a performance). What is nice is that most of the time, improvisation forces a performer to stop using his left brain (which is in charge of processing language). Although the left brain is essential to any music performer, many performers (especially modern classical composers) abuse of the left brain and give no place to the right (creative) brain in their music. In the case of improvisation, I believe the left brain becomes the servant of the right brain. In other words, you can only express the essential idea. There is no time to flower things up Roccoco style. While in composition, you have the time to think and reject some musical ideas (from the right brain) who have the most beautiful expressive potential. So instead, a composer who abuses the left brain could be compared to a sophist or a lawyer who enjoys hearing himself speak The left brain cannot produce music. It is simply the organizer and transmitter of music--the essence of expression. My opinion on this is limited and generalized. I'm sure there is a much more complex interaction between the two brain hemispheres, but this simple view is good enough for my purpose.

As for the results, music improvisation tends to produce music that is on the whole less organized than composition. But the key here is that one should not listen to improvised music in the same way one listens to a composition. Improvisation, throughout history has been considered a means by which we can reach a higher state of consciousness. Alot of improvised music involves repetitions of a harmonique structure (like Jazz) or musical motive. And the whole idea behind it is to build up the music over this repeating structure to the point of climax (musical eccstasy?). It is designed to keep the listener in the present moment by means of the music's perpetual motion (usually including rythmic constancy). Improvisation often brings the listener into a trance, and it is deeply satisfying on the body and psych of an individual. It invites the listener to let go of his or her right brain for a while and just "be" in the moment. Musical expression through improvisation is thus more subtle and can usually be appreciated by listeners who can more naturally "let go" of their normal perception of time. The talent of some improvisors lies in their ability to make musical ideas which seemed meaningless two seconds ago, become meaningful later.

Music composition on the other hand, can be deeply satistying merely by its aesteticly pleasing nature. The music is more organized. Ideas are more compact and concise, and probably more varied from piece to piece. There is a simplicity in the sense that every note is accounted for. Good composers are able to remain connected with their right brains as they continue to manipulate ideas with their left brains, constanly toying with alternative ways of expressing the music. Mozarts music cannot be considered to be improvised because themes and developments are so intricately weaved together to create a coherent and complete whole. Also, it would be kind of hard to make orchestra musicians improvise all those harmonies and not come into conflict with one another! The major difference in listening to composition is that one can appreciate a composition simply by analysing the score. The subtlety of expression is not relied upon as much for the piece`s musicality is in its conception. In other words, on can still see the genius of a Mozart symphony even though it might be poorly performed. For jazz, performance quality is of utmost importance, otherwise listeners will stop listening.

That is not so say that composition has these elements, while improvising has those elements. They are both on a continuum. What I said for improvisation applies to composition as well. For example, a composition can be more fully appreciated if a listener is letting go and simply stays in the moment. But this feature is essential in appreciating and/or creating improvisation. Another example would be that elements of composition can be put into improvisation. I can, as a performer decided while I am improvising to transpose my theme into another key in order to develop it. I can make use of all sorts of compositional tools. The difference is that I don`t really think which tool I will happen to use ahead of time. Thats why they say improvisors must be before hand composers as well.

I hope that after all of this, listeners will have an idea of the differences between the two modes of musical expression and will have the chance to more fully appreciate improvised music. There will be more written about improvisation in further entries.

It`s Ok to Bitch...tactfully!

2004-11-04T11:14:00.000-05:00

Here are some thoughts on the idea of bitching. Yesterday night, a friend of mine came over and we started talking about people (business kind) who have a talent for walking all over other people (non-business). Of course I'm generalizing. I'm really adressing people who are disconnected from their own sense of compassion towards human beings. My friend was bitching about the fact that they tried to manipulate him by making him feel bad about charging 500 dollars for a weeks work on an animation for a video, which is a pretty good deal. (I don`t know how much readers know about the field of animation. But living with two of them for a few years, I've learned that it is an art that requires alot of patience and time. The word tedious probably describes a large part of the process). The result was that he internalized his resentment and kept on feeling bad. He could not communicate his emotions out of fear of blowing up (tactless expression) and hurting or angering the business people.
My friend had all the rights to bitch, artists are always underfunded if not underappreciated! But then we got deeper into the issue of being the types that let ourselves be affected by business people (who seemed to have a great control over emotions, especially compassion--if they still have any left). I concluded that in order to confront these people successfully, one must learn not to get affected so much by other people's words and actions. Otherwise, what will come out of your entire being is an intense expression of anger or sadness or fear and wont do much good in giving you power over your situation, and is unlikely to change anything, if not make things worst. This is probably a skill that is learned in time by being exposed to our own weekness (probably a bit of lack of confidence andor a lack in linguistic skills). So in order to bitch tactfully directly at the person, one needs to develop character and a few social skills which will allow the other person not to interpret your actions as bitching. So in the end the solution is self-awareness. Be aware of your own inner reactions to other people and learn to not judge this reaction as a negative thing. Its ok to communicate this reaction...but choose your expression carefully.

The Art of Mastery

2004-10-31T04:12:00.000-05:00

On my way home after a night chatting with friends, I was thinking about music improvisation. I wonder how it is that certain people become masters at an execution task (such as piano playing) faster than others. I concluded that it takes 2 ingredients to master any kind of executional task: 1) a strong focus, and 2) a prepared mind (which implies long-term practice). One is useless without the other. Focus may be something more innate to some people. Maybe some people are genetically predisposed to have a strong focus,but lack the discipline to keep it on the same object over a long term period. So what they do, they do well, but they don`t do alot of it. Others may be capaple of practicing a task for hours and days and weeks withought being productive due to a lack of sharp focus. In this case, they do alot of shitty-quality-resulting work.

Those who become masters at their tasks, must have both these qualities. But even knowing this, it doesn`t explain which of these qualities is most important in order for mastery to be attained quicker. Is it just plain hard work in the end, or is it sharp focus? Perhaps, hard work prevails in the long-run, while sharp focus is essential for newer tasks or the beginning of mastery (S T memory?). I think there is an interplay between the two. For example, at a certain point in time, I am more interested in massive hard work in practicing jazz licks and learning a whole bunch of tunes in a week. Then a week later, I decide to focus on the sound I am producing and the attitude I have as I approach the instrument. (quantity vs quality). Perhaps a prepared mind is useful only to lessen the burden on the mind's focusing mechanism. Would this mean that one who has a more natural strong focus needs less reliance on being prepared, or vis-versa? I leave this entry with a final more poetic thought inspired by Kenny Werner (jazz pianist), which states the obvious and yet is still worthy of contemplation:

The Master only executes what is effortless to execute.

Thinking Machine 4: Play the Game

2004-10-30T14:15:00.000-04:00

Hey, chess fans, check out this interesting site

http://turbulence.org/spotlight/thinking/chess.html

Welcome

2004-10-30T10:22:00.000-04:00

Hello friends,

Feel free to send me any kind of entries that have to do with the three topics I have chosen (they are pretty broad!). I'm sure I will respond to many of them, cause that's all I have in my head these days. So I thought it would be a good therapy to share some of this stuff with like-minded people. My Blog is now officially open!

Marcus