SURVIVAL MODE

Date: 11/02/13
Orchestra: chamber
Attendance: ok, but LATE
Repertoire rehearsed: we did all three pieces today
Little things I noticed: I had THE worst commuting experience today, which made me a bit sensitive to lateness. Speaking of which, I will send out an email about a slight modification in the rehearsal starting time. I just want to ask MAC first, just to make sure.
Note:
If there were no more music in the world, and all I had was myself and my cello to experience it, then I think I'd want to be really really really really good at it.
When spectating, we live vicariously, and satisfies a bit of that craving for whatever that is you are experiencing, whether listening to music, or watching a sport or a movie. Sometimes, I think that having things already created and readily available makes me lazy. What if you only had but yourself....

So I enjoy watching post apocalyptic movies quite a bit. Not because I enjoy watching people suffer, but it's kind of fun to think about how our values might change, and what would people do when suddenly you are given no social structures to rely on. Ultimately I don't think anything will change - after all, we would still be humans, and by simply being human is how we'd get to that mess in the first place...
However, I think it's safe to say that there will definitely be, at least in the beginning, a certain degree of chaos. Some people just aren't equipped to deal with changes.

But in the midst of chaos, we would also find ourselves with a new complete sense of, pure freedom....

The freedom will come with a slightly bitter and pungent side dish though - the knowledge that everyone else is also blessed with the same freedom.

No more walls left in the world, just one big open space
What would YOU do?

I have never thought an act of teaching as a cookie mold where I squeeze and expand my students into a certain shape. But rather, an open field, or a sail boat in a wide open sea, and you are to be taken where the wind takes you, and I am to help you equip yourselves with seemingly specific, but actually universal beneficial skills that would be useful to you, WHEREVER you end up. That's why I believe in chamber music. I believe in it very strongly. It's all about how you cope with your surroundings for the benefit of all.

Does it take work? Absolutely. I mean it takes work just to stay afloat! And remember, I'm not the wind. I won't tell you where to go. And the wind might blow in the opposite direction to where you want to go.

If you find yourself in an open sea with a group of strangers in a boat with a hole at the bottom, what would you do? Each of you must take turns either covering the hole, or scooping out the water it lets in.
What if somebody wants to go North when you want to go East? What if there is a person who does not want to put in the work you need to keep you afloat?

If you want to end up in a tropical island, it's a long and hard journey, but I will be more than happy to show you the way, so long as I see that sparkle in your eyes. If you want to stay exactly where you are, I'll be happy to help you with that too, but you don't really need me, because all you must remember is that it takes work just to stay afloat. And if you don't work, well....

I see my job NOT as "you pay, I teach" kind of situation, but as "you have a goal, I help" kind, and then and only then, your goal becomes my goal.  Not because I'm lazy, but because I'm not powerful enough to move something that's not already moving.  I mean if I had that power, then the whole world would be filled with Billie Holiday's and Rostropovich's.

If I were given a permission from a parent to chain a student up until he/she will practice for eight hours, and even if that were socially acceptable, I wouldn't do it, for all work must come from you, and you sincerely. Otherwise you will be very lost at your own destination when you get there, because my work would be taken out of context. And the context is you.

We have six more rehearsals left at most. Can we get ourselves into a bit of SURVIVAL MODE from now on???

P.S. I also said to you today, "playing is 90% listening and 10% moving your fingers". I want you to remember that I said that because I mean it 100%