Satisfaction
The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival (FSAF) for 2006 ended this past weekend. My playing participation ended last Friday with a performance of the wind ensemble, a group of 35 wind and percussion players. We had 25 minutes to show off six pieces after 10 days of rehearsal. This was one of the most satisfying musical experiences I've had in years!
As a card carrying introspective, it occurs to me to wonder what made it so satisfying. A quick review of my mental archives yields a few possibilities.
A good mix of people: We had musicians from around the country and from Fairbanks, some "civilians" from Fairbanks and other locations who are not affiliated with a professional music group, members of the 9th Army Band from Ft. Wainright, and our members of the FSAF faculty who are professional musicians of one stripe or another. Our leader is a professional from Indiana who retired from the LA freelance/studio scene to pursue other interests along with his music. We worked well together as a unified group.
How we rehearsed: Adjustments to the music spent little time on learning notes. It took only one suggestion to change something about how we played. Pitch was rarely an issue. We put a piece together and it "just worked", meaning we had time to attend to musicality. We spent a LOT of time on musicality, changing minute details in pursuit of wringing maximum interest from the written music.
How we performed: United seems to sum it up. Nobody wasted time on who said or did what. We adapted, learned, and played together. As a result, the music came out whole -- no fragmented bits that sounded good (or bad), no lines that stuck out or disappeared under other parts. Dynamics were a matter of adjusting the blend for the best sound.
The product: We produced music I would pay to hear.
What I learned: It seems I value teamwork where the whole group shares a common goal, is skilled at what we do, sets aside the ego present in all of us, and pays attention to getting things really right, even in the finest details. When that all comes together, the result is eminently satisfying for me. I come away with a glow that lasts well beyond the moment. I also come away with the feeling that those attributes apply well beyond the immediacy of my recent experience in subject areas far removed from playing trombone on a concert stage. Thanks to my colleagues, our leadership, and the setting which provides this opportunity every summer in Fairbanks, I have had a lasting and positive experience to keep me warm next winter.
As a card carrying introspective, it occurs to me to wonder what made it so satisfying. A quick review of my mental archives yields a few possibilities.
A good mix of people: We had musicians from around the country and from Fairbanks, some "civilians" from Fairbanks and other locations who are not affiliated with a professional music group, members of the 9th Army Band from Ft. Wainright, and our members of the FSAF faculty who are professional musicians of one stripe or another. Our leader is a professional from Indiana who retired from the LA freelance/studio scene to pursue other interests along with his music. We worked well together as a unified group.
How we rehearsed: Adjustments to the music spent little time on learning notes. It took only one suggestion to change something about how we played. Pitch was rarely an issue. We put a piece together and it "just worked", meaning we had time to attend to musicality. We spent a LOT of time on musicality, changing minute details in pursuit of wringing maximum interest from the written music.
How we performed: United seems to sum it up. Nobody wasted time on who said or did what. We adapted, learned, and played together. As a result, the music came out whole -- no fragmented bits that sounded good (or bad), no lines that stuck out or disappeared under other parts. Dynamics were a matter of adjusting the blend for the best sound.
The product: We produced music I would pay to hear.
What I learned: It seems I value teamwork where the whole group shares a common goal, is skilled at what we do, sets aside the ego present in all of us, and pays attention to getting things really right, even in the finest details. When that all comes together, the result is eminently satisfying for me. I come away with a glow that lasts well beyond the moment. I also come away with the feeling that those attributes apply well beyond the immediacy of my recent experience in subject areas far removed from playing trombone on a concert stage. Thanks to my colleagues, our leadership, and the setting which provides this opportunity every summer in Fairbanks, I have had a lasting and positive experience to keep me warm next winter.
posted by AkLewy at 12:12 PM
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