I've been playing the piano most of my life. It's become a living, breathing part of my being. An appendage even. This special part of me has provided comfort, challenges, excitement, and peace. I've recently started a new chapter in my playing. Though I still work as an accompanist and play a variety of pieces, I am finding myself creating more and communicating what I am creating very differently. It feels more like an allowing, a way of dancing and singing what I am feeling emotionally and/or energetically. Sometimes it is simply sharing what I am experiencing and other times I reach out with empathy and feel into what is going on all around me. Tendrils of soul connecting to other soul experiences and feelings.
This process of creating, connecting, and allowing feels divine. It feels as though I'm channeling parts of the ether, collective, and humanity all in a flow that relaxes and deepens as it translates into a musical awareness. As this happens I am so aware of the honor it is to be a creator. We musicians, artists, dancers, and creatives have the power to speak directly to the soul. With sound, image, and body we are able to soothe and delight the mind so that the heart may have an uninterrupted communion with the divinity in all. What a gift. How powerful this is. I sometimes wonder if on an unconscious level, this power is intuited by those who seek to squash the arts by de-funding, de-valuing, and dismissing. Or perhaps the roadblocks around the many corners of our paths are simply there to build our character, hone our endurance, and render us worthy and humble to the masters we are becoming. Maybe a mixture of both. Regardless the recipe, I am finding this path particularly blissful and deep these days.
I created a new single this month that I am releasing at the end of June. Quieting Tremors was created in this new process I am experiencing. I found that I was able to employ this allowing and surrender into the energy and emotion of what I was experiencing while using a keyboard instead of my beloved piano. I really surprised myself, as in the past I have truly disliked playing keyboards. I tended to feel as though a keyboard lacked the organic touch, and true resonance a piano possesses. While I still prefer playing the piano, I wanted a direct sound connection in recording without background noise. The keyboard gave me this. Once the track was recorded, I found myself creating the sound further with mixing techniques. Fascinating and still demanding the kind of surrender and allowing I've found myself swimming in these days. What a delight and privilege.
What are you creating these days? For we are all artists in our own ways. Perhaps you create with food, jewelry, or words. Maybe you create structure that allows the body to soar, maybe you design your home to inspire and nourish, and perhaps you have the honor of creating and teaching ways for students to flourish and learn. Masters all...what a delight and privilege. I salute you.