Comments on: Lead Us Somewhere New – By Learning Something New http://thetinysoprano.com/2009/how-to-lead-us-somewhere-new-by-learning-something-new/ Operatic Riffs On Life And Music. Natalie Christie's Site For Passionate Creativity, Authenticity and Audacious Fearlessness. Thu, 15 Jul 2010 07:00:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: The Success Is In The Snowballs http://thetinysoprano.com/2009/how-to-lead-us-somewhere-new-by-learning-something-new/comment-page-1/#comment-763 The Success Is In The Snowballs Fri, 21 May 2010 10:45:52 +0000 http://thetinysoprano.com/?p=1004#comment-763 [...] journey that it takes to get to the top. This is where the flow hides, in the nooks and crannies of the long, snowy line between inspiration and [...] [...] journey that it takes to get to the top. This is where the flow hides, in the nooks and crannies of the long, snowy line between inspiration and [...]

]]> By: Renita http://thetinysoprano.com/2009/how-to-lead-us-somewhere-new-by-learning-something-new/comment-page-1/#comment-212 Renita Wed, 30 Dec 2009 05:06:34 +0000 http://thetinysoprano.com/?p=1004#comment-212 Such a thought-provoking and insightful post, Natalie! Even when we reach a state of technical competence and relative ease, it's so easy to focus on getting *even more* technically competent and achieving "perfection," and forget that without the why and the story-telling it's all kind of meaningless. Thanks for the eloquent reminder! .-= Renita´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.intheflowcoaching.com/blog/?p=207" rel="nofollow">Five Ways To Flex Your Gratitude Muscle</a> =-. Such a thought-provoking and insightful post, Natalie!

Even when we reach a state of technical competence and relative ease, it’s so easy to focus on getting *even more* technically competent and achieving “perfection,” and forget that without the why and the story-telling it’s all kind of meaningless. Thanks for the eloquent reminder!
Renita´s last blog ..Five Ways To Flex Your Gratitude Muscle My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Jazz Music Is For Everyone http://thetinysoprano.com/2009/how-to-lead-us-somewhere-new-by-learning-something-new/comment-page-1/#comment-210 Jazz Music Is For Everyone Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:50:49 +0000 http://thetinysoprano.com/?p=1004#comment-210 [...] Zander (photo by Koren Reyes. www.korenreyes.com) My wife recently emailed me a link to a blog post by Natalie Christie, The Tiny Soprano. Christie’s post is about learning and mastery and resonated with me as a musician. In this [...] [...] Zander (photo by Koren Reyes. http://www.korenreyes.com) My wife recently emailed me a link to a blog post by Natalie Christie, The Tiny Soprano. Christie’s post is about learning and mastery and resonated with me as a musician. In this [...]

]]> By: darrah http://thetinysoprano.com/2009/how-to-lead-us-somewhere-new-by-learning-something-new/comment-page-1/#comment-170 darrah Thu, 24 Dec 2009 05:57:41 +0000 http://thetinysoprano.com/?p=1004#comment-170 Thank you for this inspiring post! I can SO relate to what you wrote. I am at the beginning of a new journey and so accustomed to always being good at what I do. It's easy to give up and continue what I've always done when things get hard. But you're right! It's only after the work is put in that we find the state of flow. And thanks for the link to the TED talk. I'm going to bed full of ideas and inspiration tonight! Thank you! .-= darrah´s last blog ..<a href="http://artcetera.squarespace.com/artcetera/2009/12/23/view-18-herstory.html" rel="nofollow">view 18 :: herstory</a> =-. Thank you for this inspiring post! I can SO relate to what you wrote. I am at the beginning of a new journey and so accustomed to always being good at what I do. It’s easy to give up and continue what I’ve always done when things get hard. But you’re right! It’s only after the work is put in that we find the state of flow.

And thanks for the link to the TED talk. I’m going to bed full of ideas and inspiration tonight! Thank you!
darrah´s last blog ..view 18 :: herstory My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Andy Dolph http://thetinysoprano.com/2009/how-to-lead-us-somewhere-new-by-learning-something-new/comment-page-1/#comment-169 Andy Dolph Thu, 24 Dec 2009 05:42:12 +0000 http://thetinysoprano.com/?p=1004#comment-169 Hi Natalie! I am a giant fan of Benjamin Zander. In fact I just used his TED talk as an example of great presentations being great storytelling on my blog a week or so ago. His talk and your post reminded me of the day I learned to sing. It really was one day that changed everything. Understand, of course, I had been studying voice with a wonderful teacher and performing for a number of years. But there was one day when I had reached that critical level of technical mastery that I could let go of the technique. I knew that my voice teacher had been working with a movement teacher was trained in both the Feldenkrais Method in the Alexander Technique, and I knew that what she was doing was somehow different. I had no idea. Fortunately, my voice teacher set up an opportunity for those of us in her studio who were interested to take a daylong workshop with Julia Balter, the movement teacher that she had been working with. I had done quite a bit of Feldenkrais as well as other body work, energy work and various other things, so I thought I knew what this was about. Boy was I wrong. Julia's process is about using the Alexander technique as a way of creating the freedom and space to allow something to come in. What that "something" is, it's extremely hard to describe. The term that Julia uses is "impulse." Sometimes, she also describes it as a divine spark. I think that both of these words begin to suggest what this is about. The idea is for you to not move, but instead to allow yourself to be moved by the impulse. Then, the idea is to allow that impulse to generate singing. So that you are not singing, but allowing yourself to be sung, rather than creating the music, you're allowing the music to come through you. I feel like I'm wrapping a lot of very flowery language around something which may be inherently indescribable, but hopefully you get the idea. Maybe the best explanation of it that I've ever heard comes from Victor Wooten's book, "The Music Lesson." where he talks about Music as a sentient being, a spirit that we as musicians, when we're at our best, get out of the way of, and allow to come through us. But coming back to your post, I believe that this is only possible once a level of technical proficiency is well rooted in our bodies and our minds to allow us to let go of having to think about technique. I believe that it's only then that we can let go enough to let that Spirit move us. Thank you for such a wonderful post! Be well, and take care. Andy .-= Andy Dolph´s last blog ..<a href="http://andydolph.com/2009/12/23/music-that-moves-me/" rel="nofollow">Music that moves me</a> =-. Hi Natalie!
I am a giant fan of Benjamin Zander. In fact I just used his TED talk as an example of great presentations being great storytelling on my blog a week or so ago.
His talk and your post reminded me of the day I learned to sing. It really was one day that changed everything. Understand, of course, I had been studying voice with a wonderful teacher and performing for a number of years. But there was one day when I had reached that critical level of technical mastery that I could let go of the technique.
I knew that my voice teacher had been working with a movement teacher was trained in both the Feldenkrais Method in the Alexander Technique, and I knew that what she was doing was somehow different. I had no idea. Fortunately, my voice teacher set up an opportunity for those of us in her studio who were interested to take a daylong workshop with Julia Balter, the movement teacher that she had been working with.
I had done quite a bit of Feldenkrais as well as other body work, energy work and various other things, so I thought I knew what this was about. Boy was I wrong. Julia’s process is about using the Alexander technique as a way of creating the freedom and space to allow something to come in. What that “something” is, it’s extremely hard to describe. The term that Julia uses is “impulse.” Sometimes, she also describes it as a divine spark. I think that both of these words begin to suggest what this is about. The idea is for you to not move, but instead to allow yourself to be moved by the impulse.
Then, the idea is to allow that impulse to generate singing. So that you are not singing, but allowing yourself to be sung, rather than creating the music, you’re allowing the music to come through you.

I feel like I’m wrapping a lot of very flowery language around something which may be inherently indescribable, but hopefully you get the idea.

Maybe the best explanation of it that I’ve ever heard comes from Victor Wooten’s book, “The Music Lesson.” where he talks about Music as a sentient being, a spirit that we as musicians, when we’re at our best, get out of the way of, and allow to come through us.

But coming back to your post, I believe that this is only possible once a level of technical proficiency is well rooted in our bodies and our minds to allow us to let go of having to think about technique. I believe that it’s only then that we can let go enough to let that Spirit move us.

Thank you for such a wonderful post!

Be well, and take care.

Andy
Andy Dolph´s last blog ..Music that moves me My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Hiro Boga http://thetinysoprano.com/2009/how-to-lead-us-somewhere-new-by-learning-something-new/comment-page-1/#comment-168 Hiro Boga Thu, 24 Dec 2009 05:17:54 +0000 http://thetinysoprano.com/?p=1004#comment-168 Beautiful post, Natalie! I've just begun singing again after a decade-long hiatus, and my first lesson started out with me breathlessly fumbling--a little off-key on the minor notes, wobbly and hesitant as we approached the head tones. Yet, a short while into the lesson, when my singing teacher created a frame by holding the underlying beat with her voice, we improvised and scatted together for nearly an hour in patterns so fluid, spontaneous and inspired, we were flying. The thing I realized was this: I'm really comfortable improvising, because it's what I've done in my work for thirty years, and it's also how I live my life. The flow is always there, you just have to step into the river. The ease with which you enter the river is the fruit of practice, skill, and the trust that builds each time you become one with its flow. But it can also emerge from rusty skills when someone else holds the beat. In community, someone else becomes the banks through which the river can flow. Love to you! Hiro .-= Hiro Boga´s last blog ..<a href="http://hiroboga.com/blog/articles/sunday-poem-14-buddhist-chronicles-4/" rel="nofollow">Sunday Poem #14: Buddhist Chronicles 4</a> =-. Beautiful post, Natalie!

I’ve just begun singing again after a decade-long hiatus, and my first lesson started out with me breathlessly fumbling–a little off-key on the minor notes, wobbly and hesitant as we approached the head tones.

Yet, a short while into the lesson, when my singing teacher created a frame by holding the underlying beat with her voice, we improvised and scatted together for nearly an hour in patterns so fluid, spontaneous and inspired, we were flying.

The thing I realized was this: I’m really comfortable improvising, because it’s what I’ve done in my work for thirty years, and it’s also how I live my life. The flow is always there, you just have to step into the river.

The ease with which you enter the river is the fruit of practice, skill, and the trust that builds each time you become one with its flow. But it can also emerge from rusty skills when someone else holds the beat. In community, someone else becomes the banks through which the river can flow.

Love to you!

Hiro
Hiro Boga´s last blog ..Sunday Poem #14: Buddhist Chronicles 4 My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Natalie Christie http://thetinysoprano.com/2009/how-to-lead-us-somewhere-new-by-learning-something-new/comment-page-1/#comment-166 Natalie Christie Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:29:33 +0000 http://thetinysoprano.com/?p=1004#comment-166 Looking forward to pushing past the beat with awesome musical peeps like you in 2010! Thanks Fabeku :) Looking forward to pushing past the beat with awesome musical peeps like you in 2010! Thanks Fabeku :)

]]> By: Fabeku http://thetinysoprano.com/2009/how-to-lead-us-somewhere-new-by-learning-something-new/comment-page-1/#comment-165 Fabeku Thu, 24 Dec 2009 03:43:50 +0000 http://thetinysoprano.com/?p=1004#comment-165 Gorgeous post. Full of brilliance. And truth. And insight. I'm always kind of amazed at how we, as adults, seem to give ourselves almost no room to try something new. And, as a result, how small our world can become. But if we give ourselves even a little bit of space, how much awesome can happen. I also loved the Benjamin Zander talk. Right on. You continue to rock. Lots. .-= Fabeku´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.sankofasong.com/blog/the-songs-that-saved-my-life/" rel="nofollow">The Songs That Saved My Life</a> =-. Gorgeous post.

Full of brilliance. And truth. And insight.

I’m always kind of amazed at how we, as adults, seem to give ourselves almost no room to try something new. And, as a result, how small our world can become.

But if we give ourselves even a little bit of space, how much awesome can happen.

I also loved the Benjamin Zander talk. Right on.

You continue to rock. Lots.
Fabeku´s last blog ..The Songs That Saved My Life My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: uberVU - social comments http://thetinysoprano.com/2009/how-to-lead-us-somewhere-new-by-learning-something-new/comment-page-1/#comment-156 uberVU - social comments Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:31:03 +0000 http://thetinysoprano.com/?p=1004#comment-156 <strong>Social comments and analytics for this post...</strong> This post was mentioned on Twitter by thetinysoprano: NEW blog post: How To Lead Us Somewhere New - By Learning Something New http://bit.ly/8WUhu2... Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by thetinysoprano: NEW blog post: How To Lead Us Somewhere New – By Learning Something New http://bit.ly/8WUhu2...

]]> By: Natalie Christie http://thetinysoprano.com/2009/how-to-lead-us-somewhere-new-by-learning-something-new/comment-page-1/#comment-155 Natalie Christie Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:10:44 +0000 http://thetinysoprano.com/?p=1004#comment-155 Brett - thank you! <blockquote>"It’s like you can use your super-skill to bend the world – and people - to see your light, and guide them towards self-discovery."</blockquote> I love this - the idea of bending the world through the intensity of our expression. Thrilled to have you here Brett. :) Brett – thank you!

“It’s like you can use your super-skill to bend the world – and people – to see your light, and guide them towards self-discovery.”

I love this – the idea of bending the world through the intensity of our expression.

Thrilled to have you here Brett. :)

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