The Perks of being an Academic Advisor (Thinking about Cymatics)

Recently, I spent the day with my colleague Noah Buntain advising Creative Musical Arts students in the Media and Communications department at MUM. Advising is part of my full time teaching position at the University. I enjoy it because it gives me a chance to get to know the new students and learn more about their backgrounds, interests, performance goals and dreams for the future.

It was a delight to find that one of the things that we all seem to share is an interest in the science of sound. These students, even upon entry into our University, seem to already have a keen appreciation for the deeper values of music. Maharishi Vedic Science teaches us that sound is the basis for all of creation, and that there is a correspondence between the Sanskrit name of an object and the form that the name gives rise to.

In that light,  I was struck by how so many of my students express an interest in mixed media performances - music with visual displays, dance with music, spoken word with music, and all of the above together. The possibilities are endless!  These students' performance goals reminded me of certain studies I have read that show a correspondence between sound and light. … A quick trip to Wikipedia defines "cymatics" as "the study of visible sound and vibration, a subset of modal phenomena." We examine this subject in some of my courses. And for a quick introduction, here is a good source:  Ted Talk by Evan Grant on Cymatics

On my morning off I often review Facebook posts, and today I found this post from from a fellow blogger:  When Science Calls - Piano notes made visible. The source for the blog explains the science behind cymatics in a very creative way. You play the note on the screen to see the corresponding form:  Cymascope.com - Music Made Visible

Jazz Meets Opera in St. Louis!

I've read a couple of articles lately about Terence Blanchard, the jazz trumpeter and film music composer. His latest project is composing an opera with jazz harmonics. It is scheduled to premiere in June 2013. I love the idea of the marriage between the two genres because it breaks down musical and social barriers. Wishing you all the best Terence!

Read more about it here:
Terence Blanchard: Composing Opera with Jazz Harmonics

 Creative Music Ensemble - Cafe con Leche

It's was a busy Fall semester of rehearsals at MUM. There were four bands participating in the Creative Music Ensemble class. We had final performances on December 14th at MUM's open mic. Then, Cafe con Leche (one of the groups that I played with) decided to do an encore performance at the local Cafe Paradiso open mic. Both performances were electrifying and I was so proud of the original songs that our groups performed!

The core of the Creative Music Ensemble class is improvisation. Usually a small group session will start with someone bringing in an idea for a new song. Then everyone begins to work out their own parts together. Soloing is encouraged and new ideas abound. Our mottos are that "there are no mistakes only happy accidents" (Bob Ross, artist) and "if you play something once it is a mistake but if you play it twice you meant to do it!" and "Do not fear mistakes, there are none." (Miles Davis) This frees each member of the group to try something new with boldness.

Here are some links to Cafe con Leche's final performance at Cafe Paradiso. Thanks to Keith DeBoer for hosting, Tim Britton for doing our sound and special thanks to Glenn (Fairfield Rocks Me) for recording our performance!

Drum Prelude by Oscar Gutierrez & It Ain't the Blues by Michael Chandler

Vocals, Blues Harp - Micheal Chandler
Drums - Oscar Gutierrez
Cello - Gina Orange
Bass - Madeline Hesse
Keys - Kaeli Ferguson


Come into Me Like a Flood by Madeline Hesse

Vocals, Keys - Madeline Hesse
Vocals - Ananda Kessler
Cello - Gina Orange
Native American Flute - Michael Chandler
Drums, Vocals - Kaeli Ferguson 
Drums - Oscar Gutierrez

Contigo by Edgard Camacho

Vocals - Edgard Camacho
Vocals - Ananda Kessler
Vocals & Keys - Kaeli Ferguson
Cello - Gina Orange
Drums - Oscar Gutierrez

Teaching Year in Review

It's been an exciting year of teaching music and as it draws to a close, I find myself being so grateful that this is my vocation. I get paid to do a job that I love so deeply.

As part of Iowa BlueZones Project, I participate in an online Daily Health Challenge. Recently the challenge was to "Write down 2 key characteristics of your ideal job or volunteer work" Here are some excerpts from my post:

"I am working my ideal job right now! 1) Teaching music 2) Creating and performing music."

"Music is my life's work whether volunteering or teaching! I feel so fortunate and am truly grateful to God."

"Music is the language of the heart (my motto printed on my business cards) ..."

"Members of the American Indian Culture Club at our University [I'm the advisor] are having a sacred fire ceremony as part of a city wide EcoFair. We will extinguish the fire at dawn tomorrow morning. Boy is it a lot of work to keep wood gathered for that fire! I don't know how my grandparents did it." 

"[The] Drumming is awesome as is the flute playing. We are having a wonderful weekend."

"Truly all of my music comes from God because it is inspiration from the Absolute and I am so humbly grateful for anything that comes to me."

Suffice it to say, I'm having a great time!

My students give me inspiration daily whether in private lessons, ensembles or the classroom. I find that often if I am open, I learn from them...not necessarily knowledge of the subject (although sometimes that is the case too) but rather life lessons. Embrace your passion and do it. Love what you have and give it away to keep it. 

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi said "Music raises life to Unity Consciousness, in which every boundary breathes the melody of the unbounded"

I can't think of a anything more inspiring to pursue than something that raises life to that level!

'There are no mistakes, only happy accidents' (Bob Ross, artist)

I lead a small jazz ensemble comprised of college students from varied backgrounds and of all ages. Many times throughout our rehearsals, I will mention to beginning improvisers that 'there are no mistakes, only happy accidents.' I once heard the renowned painter and TV show host, Bob Ross, say this as he made what most would have considered a big blooper while painting a landscape on the canvas. He was always very calm so this phrase just rolled off his tongue easily as he continued to paint incorporating the "mistake" --that was not a mistake-- into what became a very beautiful finished product. It was no surprise but quite a delight when one of my students sent along a TED Talks link about the same principle. Thanks Sherry!

It's comforting to know that other musicians subscribe to the same principle and are able to explain it so thoroughly. And musician or not, this principle can be applied to any endeavor. It conveys the idea that an unexpected change of course is an opportunity to create something that will be possibly even more enriching than what you had originally planned.

This happens to me and my composing partner, Paul, quite often as we start to record a new composition. When we are set, we hit record and even if there is a "mistake" (something we hadn't planned on), it is a journey into the realm of the Absolute from which all creativity flows and most often a very "happy accident". Many new songs have arisen from the flow of such "accidental" streams.

Below is the link to the TED Talks video by Stefon Harris. May you see every "mistake" as an opportunity to create something new and exciting!  :O)

TED Talks -Stefon Harris There are no mistakes on the bandstand.html