I have always enjoyed
the fall season... the decline in intensity of West Texas heat, the transformation
of the cotton boll to fiber and seed, and the natural process of letting go
that nature so willingly surrounds us with as the sycamore and oak trees offer
their leaves.
Fall is also a
beginning, the beginning of the academic year.
And with any transition into and out of a cycle there comes a great deal
of excitement, as returning students and faculty reconnect and share stories of
summer adventures, and anticipation as all prepare to attend and teach classes. But there are also many unknowns as the
semester begins that seem to create a significant amount of anxiety.
For new
students, not only must they physically find their place in these new
surroundings (Where do I go for MUSI 1001-790?) but they often feel great
pressure to find their “place” of contribution, to prove themselves worthy in
their new environment, especially in departments which limit enrollment based
on competitive auditions.
I have witnessed
the freshman transition from high school into a university music school, for 17
years now. No matter how much I’ve tried
to prepare students (and their parents) for what may emerge, it never compares
to the actual experience itself.
Most students
who decide to major in music do so based on several factors. The top factor shared by most is the sense of
self-worth that comes from having emerged as a leader (often first chair or
many times drum major) in their high school bands and orchestras. They have
played the flute solos in the band/orchestra music, often placed well at
regional and state competitions, and were revered by their peers and teachers
for their incredible talent.
All of these
wonderful means of recognition provided a strong sense of self-worth as well as
a sense of “place” and “purpose” in the world.
(Perhaps this may be an even more important argument for music in the
schools than its positive impact on math and science scores.) And chances are
that students who have decided to pursue music as a career, in either education
or performance, are doing so because it has changed their lives in a dramatic
way for the positive, and they feel called to share the possibility of a better
and enriched life with others.
When freshmen
enter into the college music scene, they are suddenly no longer the only ones
intently pursuing the musical path. They
are surrounded by “1st Chairs.”
New demands are pressed upon them by new teachers who are no longer
approaching music as an extra-curricular activity, but as a highly competitive
profession. Teachers understand that the
creative gift of music is most greatly nurtured when matched with a student’s
strong self-discipline. I don’t
personally know any great music teachers who don’t or didn’t “push” their
students to some extent. Students who
achieved high school success based on a natural aptitude for music with very
little discipline will feel this push even more.
And then there
are the infamous ensemble placement and “chair” auditions that happen at the
beginning of the fall semester. This is
an essential component to the recovery process from what I have termed
“All-State Syndrome.” Most who continue
as music majors find the cure, and those who don’t, find other professions to
pursue.
Returning
students often feel that they have to defend or improve their standing in an
ensemble in order to prove their progress.
Incoming students, both undergraduate and graduate, present a threat. If they don’t improve in chair placement, the
assumption is made that they haven’t improved at all. But what if EVERYONE has improved? Is success really determined by placing ahead
of someone else in a chair test?
In high school
(and spilling over into college), so much self-worth is associated with that
darn “chair.” Imagine a football team
made up only of quarter-backs. That
would be ridiculous. The team would get
squashed without a defensive line, and would never score without a strong
offense. Every player on the team has a
place and a purpose and they must work together, in relationship, in order to
be successful. (I find it somewhat
interesting that I am using a football analogy here, when I think the emphasis
placed on that sport is out of balance, but certainly there are lessons to be
learned.)
Music is the
same way. You can’t build an orchestra
or wind ensemble composed of only first flutes (which is why studio enrollments
are capped in many schools). The second
flutes are VITAL, as is the piccolo part, not to mention every other section of a large
ensemble. And you can’t play
louder-faster-higher than those around you and find balance. Every single person is a contributor. Imagine the New World Symphony …or
Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite and the Gounod Petite Suite for Winds without the 2nd
flute part … and what about Ravel’s Daphnis and Chole and Stravinsky’s Rite of
Spring without the alto flute part…or the Holst Suite without piccolo! Ahhh,
everyONE is so important to the creation of color and musical life in these
works.
So, although all
have the potential to play first (otherwise why would they have been accepted
as a music major?), assignments must be made in order to create balance in
music, and within a school’s overall program.
There also seems
to be, in general among young musicians, a mentality of scarcity. The belief that only a few are “good enough”
to step onto the musical path…again probably related to the high school
experience where there is less depth in a section or program than there is in
college. Even in the best high school
programs, less than a handful of students will actually choose to purse music
as a career in college. In a School of
Music, everyone in the ensemble is
pursuing a path in music.
We must also
accept the reality of the music profession, or ANY profession for that
matter. Employers are seeking to hire
“the best” fit for the job. In performance (seeking a job strictly as an
orchestral player) this is certainly and directly related to performance
skills: rhythmic accuracy, technical skill, great intonation, creative
musicianship, and nerves of steel. And
while as an applied teacher I do not lower my performance expectations for
Music Education majors (those seeking jobs in secondary and post-secondary
schools as well as higher education), getting a great job in this area requires
a broader combination of skills. Yes, you still have to play your primary
instrument very well. But, you must also
have an understanding of a wide variety learning styles, the ability to teach
in a wide variety of settings including private instruction, group lessons, and
ensemble leadership, the ability to organize and supervise large group trips,
and of course, have the objectivity to effectively evaluate student performances
and direct student progress. Never have
I been asked in a professional job interview in academia or in an orchestral
audition, “What band/ensemble were you in, and what chair were you?” The inquiry was always much broader and
deeper.
No doubt, the
ego of a returning student can take a huge hit if they go from 1st
chair to say,14th. But this can also be
a great opportunity to discover the real joys of being a music major. This requires one to allow for positive shifts
in perspective and attitude, including abundance mentality, the recognition
that all, 1st chair to last, have the potential to achieve
professional and personal success in the music profession.
Music and sports
both nurture, though not always comfortably, the quality of resilience. Resilience is a person’s ability to withstand
or recover quickly from difficult conditions, both physically and mentally. Our level of resilience will have a direct
impact on our quality of life, regardless of what profession we are in. And, our ability to develop resilience is
completely dependent on the thoughts we allow into our mind, on what we choose to cultivate mentally, our
attitude. The English word “attitude” is
related to the Italian word “attitudine” which means “fitness” and is
ultimately derived from the Latin root “aptus” which means “fit.” Attitude, however, refers not only to a
physical fitness or “posture” but also to a mental fitness, a mental strength,
flexibility, adaptability, and responsibility.
I’ve always
considered “getting knocked down” a blessing.
The most important lesson I’ve learned from it is that I have the
ability to get back up, again and again.
Knowing that you can get back up zaps the fear right out of “what if I
get knocked down?” And, with that comes great creative freedom and the willingness
to take musical and creative risks. Getting
“knocked down” becomes more of a perception than a reality, an opportunity
rather than a condition.
How do we choose
to cultivate resilience? It’s near impossible to do if we allow the mind to
brew a storm of drama. Whirlwinds begin
with mind-reading (“She thinks I’m not as good as she is because she was
assigned a higher chair…” or “He probably thinks I deserve to be last…”), turn
into twisters with fortune-telling (“I’ll never get a job…”), tornados when you
add generalizations (“No one will respect me now…”), and full blown natural
disasters when capped with castastrophizing (“This is the worst thing that has
ever happened to me!).
How do we
practice shifting our mental perspectives and perceptions from the mental
illusion of being “knocked down” to the response-ability of “getting up,” from
encountering disintegration to experiencing integration and transformation? Invite positive thought. It's that simple. (Although, it may be challenging at first!)
Extend friendship
toward those who happy. Congratulate
those who have done well! It actually feels really great!
Compassion for
those who are unhappy. If you placed
highly, express humility and understanding.
Joy toward those
who are successful through their hard work and dedication. Be happy for those whose hard work has paid
off!
Equanimity
toward those who aren’t quite as meritorious, but perhaps find “success”
anyway. Even if you don’t think someone
“deserves” the chair they received, let it go. Focus on your own progress.
Abundance
Mentality - Is there a limit to number to people who can perform and teach
beautifully? Isn’t it possible that all
who seek that opportunity can find it?
At some point,
you run out of “chairs.” Once you are
engaged in the music profession, as an educator, performer, publisher, store
owner, etc., you will never again try out for a “chair.” You will be in THE seat, leading others in
the experience of music. What will be
your motivator? The same possibilities
you have now…creative expression, community, curiosity!
We are so blessed,
first of all, to have the opportunity to receive an education. Only 6.7% of the WORLD population has a
college degree. About 0.3% or less of
the world has an education in music! As
musicians we have access to a life filled with creativity and variety
unparalleled by any other discipline. We
have been blessed with the opportunity to take this seat...this chair.
Why are you in
school? To be first chair…or to learn to
engage in and teach music with a passion that will impact your life and the
lives others for the positive…to create a better world in which to live.
