The new quote I just posted on cellochan.com speaks directly to the state of mind/body that someone should seek to be in while practicing their cello.
Here it is again:
'I accept life unconditionally. Most people ask for happiness on condition. Happiness can only be felt if you don't set any condition.' Arthur Rubinstein ~ One of the greatest pianists of all time
There is most definitely a relation between Rubinstein's statement and success at the cello. When one has an attiude like this the attention is totally focused on the task at hand. This approach consists of curiousity and engagement free of background chatter consisting of negative self judgement or shame. There is a fascination with the unfolding process of mastery and with getting in touch with oneself. In this sense, practice is the goal. This doesn't mean that results are not important, of course. But the process and the result continue to merge. I think of it this way. Playing the cello is an end in itself and the rest is gravy.
We learn what it is that we wish to express through a keen, detached observation of our acivity. Good results flow from a focused and calm mind. One can see. One can hear. One can LET ONESELF do. ( and BE) Ironically, you could be moving around and playing incredibly passionately and agitatedly, but because it is flowing naturally from you, it is in a sense stable, real, and neither tense nor forced.
People speak of being "in the zone" in sports, the arts, writing, and it can apply to most activities. What is the zone? I believe it is a state of being/doing when things seem to do themselves. I find it ironic that it can take so much effort to be relaxed at one's cello when that is how we play the best. Yes, playing the cello is complex. So one has to work at calming down to get a good view of the overall picture. It is a delicate dance to learn new skills and remain calm. Twising yourself into a pretzel may get you half (or even three quarters of the ) way there. It will never get you all the way, in my view. Whether we like it or not, playing the cello is somewhat like looking into a mirror. We want to like what we see. I think Rubinstein was right. It just might have had a lot to do with how well he played! Suzanne
1 comment:
I have struggled with focus as long as I've played the cello. My focus has usually been on avoiding mistakes rather than on observing what I see, feel, and hear.
I'm learning to change this, and while I still make mistakes, I understand that this is just an inevitable and important part of practicing. I'm also learning to enjoy small parts of my playing such as phrases and sections of pieces that are relatively mistake free. Doing so allows me to truly enjoy practicing.
Cheers,
Rob O.
Post a Comment