Technical Ability and Musical Sensitivity

Technical Ability and Musical Sensitivity

Music making is the marriage of technical ability and musical sensitivity. They are needed in balance and must be present for music to really work. Basically the musician must be able to play and play so with heart and expression. You will no doubt have experienced a...
Tone deaf myth

Tone deaf myth

I truly believe that music is for everyone. As a participant one can play music, listen to music and enjoy music on their own terms. The amount of times I have been told by people that “I don’t have a musical bone in my body”, or “I’m tone deaf” is pretty incredible...
Why play music?

Why play music?

We all have our own reasons to play. These are unique and often deeply personal reasons, which should be understood by the musicians themselves and shared carefully (if at all). I imagine music to be deeply connected to something in us, almost a direct line to the...
Music and Image

Music and Image

Consider your favourite artist or song. What comes to mind? It’s likely a combination of an image of them, a tune and an experience you had that had elements of both of these. It’s interesting right? To think about the link between music and it’s visual or...
Good or bad music?

Good or bad music?

I don’t believe in “good” or “bad” music or rather I don’t believe they should be phrased that way, I think most of us mean “this is music I like” or “this is music I don’t like” when we say this. This is not to say we cannot have standards, or cannot hold music to...
Music and Meaning

Music and Meaning

I believe music has meaning and can speak deeply to subjects of importance or lightly to subjects of fun. It has the capacity to confront us to think and feel despite our best intentions to push it away. I have been asked about my own pieces before, the instrumental...