Life Skills We Learn from Music Performance Ensembles

Humphrey's Handbook for Life

(Life lessons we learn in music performance ensembles.)

 

1. Punctuality:  To be early is to be on time; to be on time is to be late.  If rehearsal starts at 11:23, and you walk in the door at 11:23, will we begin rehearsing at 11:23?  It takes time to physically and mentally prepare for rehearsal.  With anything you do, arrive early enough to physically and mentally prepare for the task at hand.  This is why most courses you take begin with a "warm-up" or "drill."  As an adult, you will not always have "built-in" warm-up time to your activities.   Learn now to be punctual so that you won't "miss a beat."

 

2. Work ethic/Self-Discipline:  In music performance, a strong work ethic and self-discipline is mandatory for us to reach our potential.   While music is an art, relying heavily on the expression of emotions and ideas, the theory of music is very structured and ordered.  To master the skills required to achieve the ultimate goal of music performance, we must learn to focus for extended periods of time, maintaining attention on the task at hand, and learn to ask ourselves the following question:  "At this moment, am I being the best that I can be?"

 

3. Responsibility:  The first chair clarinet player for the local symphony orchestra became very sick one week before the opening concert for the season and was unable to perform.  The director called the local music union in search of a substitute clarinetist.  To the director's dismay, the union sent him a jazz clarinetist, as nobody else was available.   As jazz musicians have the reputation of being lazy and irresponsible, the director was surprised when the clarinetist showed up early for the first rehearsal to practice his parts.  After the final rehearsal, being impressed with the clarinetist's punctuality and playing skills, the director said to the clarinetist, "you know, I have to admit...because you are jazz musician, I really thought you would let the orchestra down, but you've really impressed me this week.  I have a whole new view on jazz musicians."  The clarinetist replied, "Thanks, man.  Hey, by the way, I've been meaning to tell you...I can't make the gig tomorrow night."

 

Responsibility in a performance ensemble reflects the obligation to fulfill the requirements of participation for the benefit of all members.  Examples of responsibility in music performance include learning your individual parts, being present and prepared for rehearsals, and attending performances.  Remember that in a performing ensemble, the decisions you make for yourself affect the entire ensemble.  

 

4. Working Together:  In some classes, you occasionally work on group projects.  In music ensembles, everything we do is a group project.  In order to meet our potential as musicians, we must learn to work together respectfully.  If we are distracted by inappropriate comments or conflicts, our focus is distracted from the tasks at hand.   No matter what you choose as a career for the future, you will be required to interact with other people.   Many of the world's problems are either a result of people not working together respectfully or remain unsolved for this reason.

 

5. Self-confidence:  Performing your instrument in front of other people can be a daunting task for many people.  The keys to self-confidence in music performance are preparation, practice, and praise.  

1. 1. If you are prepared for your performance, you will be less likely to worry about making a mistake.  If there is an excerpt within your music that you have not mastered, this is likely to cause a mental distraction during your performance, exaggerating any lack of confidence that you may be experiencing.

   2. Every time you complete a performance, you have "practiced performing."  As with everything we do, the more we do it, the better we get.  This is also true for performance.   You may even practice performance at home by simulating concerts.  Consider performing for friends and family as a "mock audience."

   3. We all like to feel good about ourselves.  When we receive praise for our accomplishments, we are more likely to continue our endeavors.  Don't underestimate the power of a compliment.

 

6. Commitment/Perseverance:  "It is what it is."  Apparently, I say that a lot more than I realized.  "It is what it is?"  The more I think about it, the more pessimistic it sounds.  This phrase focuses on the current state of being and presumes we have no control over the future.  What a bummer, right?  If I had applied this rationale to many areas of my life, I likely would be single, unemployed, and miserable right now.    Improving in music performance can be very frustrating at times.  Every instrument (including the voice) has its own set of challenges.  Sometimes, these challenges can be like finding a wall with no door.  Our instinct is to turn and walk another way.  Do not give up.   Do not think, "oh well, it is what it is."  Commit to improving and persevere through the struggle toward achieving your goals.  

 

7. Setting Goals/Time management:  In college, my pianist friend, James, once said to me, "I am working on learning Rachmaninoff's second piano concerto.  I'll have the first movement learned in two weeks."  I remember being astounded by the fact that he knew exactly when he would have it learned.   At that moment, I realized that I had never taken the time to set long-term goals for my practicing or organized my time in a manner to meet these goals.  Improving at music performance takes practice, and practice takes time.  If all one did was eat, sleep, and practice, this would be easy.  Incorporating effective practice time into a busy schedule that includes other schoolwork, athletics, and more is aided by the identification of specific goals and a plan for achieving them.

 

8. Listening/Critical Thinking:  When you listen to a symphony, do you hear an orchestra, or do you listen for all of the instruments in the orchestra?  Many of us are good at hearing, but poor at listening.  Listening includes the identification of details and subtleties.  In music performance, each musician must learn to listen for every other part in the music and develop an understanding of how the parts interact.  We sometimes learn more about people by how they speak than what they say.  However, if we aren't listening for it, we may miss it.  This skill proves critical in relationships.

 

9. Leadership:  Every organization that succeeds owes its success to its leaders.  Some leaders are labeled as leaders, while others quietly lead by example.  In music performance, every ensemble member should strive to be the best that he or she can be.  Attitudes are contagious.  Bringing an attitude of excellence to every rehearsal and performance is the best form of leadership you can give your ensemble.

 

10. Connecting Emotion:  The judges on American Idol often give comments like "You did a good job and you have a nice voice, but something was missing.  Maybe this song just isn't you."  One aspect that differentiates a good performance from a superior performance is the emotional connection that exists between the performer and the music.  In order to connect with the audience, we must first connect with the music.  Music performance is more than the performance of organized sounds.  Music performance is the evocation of emotions and ideas through organized sounds. Through music performance, we learn to put our "heart and soul" into all we do.

 

11. Music Appreciation:  The oldest piece of written music dates back to about 1400 B.C.  The oldest known complete piece of music dates back to around 200 B.C.   Music has existed for a very long time.   Participation in a music ensemble provides the beginning of a journey into a world of music that has lasted thousands of years.  A life-long appreciation of music can lead to an understanding of how music has evolved throughout history and spawn a desire to explore music of various genres, cultures, and periods.