I never imagined that the many limitations enforced by coronavirus would act as a creative stimulus, but constraints can push us into new and unexpected territory. As artists, we often find it useful to impose deliberate constraints upon ourselves as a way of firing up new ideas.
How creative artists can support ourselves and each other under these unique circumstances.
A while ago, I began to realise that a strange thing was happening to me. Every time I was invited to a wedding, something went terribly and bafflingly awry. When one of my best friends asked me to bring something meaningful to place on the altar at her wedding I knew just the thing– a …
When I was an active and successful concert pianist playing recitals in Britain and across Europe, one of my main focuses was practice. I was most often playing repertoire chosen by others, as I was a collaborative pianist working with singers and instrumentalists. One moment I would be working on a Brahms cello sonata, the …
Robert and I have just completed another film poem, incorporating footage of children in Britton, South Dakota filmed by Ivan Bessie in 1939. Enjoy! [vimeo 67239318]
Recently, I’ve been taking theatrical impro classes which culminate in a public show, and they’ve sparked lots of ideas in me. Our teacher, Remy is extremely imaginative and adventurous, and so we never know exactly what we’ll be doing from one moment to the next. However, we do generally start the class with a warm-up. …
This week, I’ve written a guest post “What does it mean to be free to create?” on Lisa Peake’s Peake Productivity blog. It’s an area I’m very much still working on, and I’d love to hear your ideas too!
My new blog entry is on the most inspiring books currently on my book shelf.
A few days ago, I happened to hear about an intriguing concert in London- the Aurora Chamber Orchestra playing Mahler’s First Symphony, followed by a Klezmer band, She’Koyokh. Being a fan of both Mahler and Klezmer (traditional Eastern European Jewish folk music), I decided to book tickets, not quite knowing what to expect. The concert …
My new blog post on Music Teachers Helper about the difference between being ambitious versus having a juicy creative life!