Take Control of Your Breath
In this issue:Take Control of Your Breath
Question for the Teacher
Upcoming Events
Take Control of Your Breath
To play a wind instrument, you take a breath in and then exhale into your horn. But the exhale is more than a sigh, isn't it? It's a directed breath, a supported breath. In the same manner in which you push air out of you when blowing up a balloon, you push air into your instrument. And the diaphragm - that muscle below your rib cage - is a major participant in this process.
Take a moment and focus your attention on your breath right now. Is it shallow or deep? quiet or noisy? fast or slow? short or long? are you breathing through your mouth or your nose? Now attend to your posture. Are you slouched? leaning back? sitting forward? up straight? Are your arms resting in your lap? down at your sides? propping up your chin?
In the normal course of your day, we usually don't think about our breath and breathing. However, come time to play and breathing is front and center of your attention.
I'd like to share with you a couple of exercises that will strengthen your breath and improve control of your air.
Stretch and Breath
This exercise loosens stiff muscles and warms my body in preparation for playing. Yoga practitioners will recognize parts of the Sun Salutation (a series of yoga poses) in this sequence of breathing and body movement. Perform all movements gently. Do not over stretch or move to the point of pain. The goal of this exercise is simply to move the body and move the breath. Read through the instructions completely to familiarize yourself with the order of movements.
Begin in a standing position. Feet placed about hip-width apart. Arms at your sides. Gaze straight ahead.
Take a deep breath in as you raise both arms up over your head.
Exhale as you stretch a slight bend in your back, moving your arms back with your torso.
Inhale and come back to center.
Put a slight bend in your knees as you exhale and fold forward from your hips.
Inhale as you bend your knees and slowly come down into a squatting position. Stay here for a few breaths, then stand erect on a deep inhale.
Continuing to hold the arms overhead, on an exhale lean to the right stretching the side body. Inhale back to center.
Exhale and lean to the left, stretching the side body. Inhale back to center.
After going through this simple series of gentle stretches and breathing, you can approach your practice session in a more relaxed manner. You may find that this stretch not only loosens stiff muscles and warms your body, but also helps bring focus to your music practice. Through awareness of your breath and your body you become more present and attentive. You will notice a difference in the level of enjoyment of your practice.
Pinwheel BreathingThis exercise helps me build control and strengthen my breath. You'll need a prop for this activity - a pinwheel. Read through the instructions completely to get an overview of the exercise.
You can do this activity either standing or sitting. Hold your open hand in front of your face about four inches away from your mouth. Purse your mouth and exhale onto your hand. Take note of where on your hand your breath is hitting. Replace your hand with the pinwheel, positioning the pinwheel in the same area where your breath is directed.
Take a deep breath in through your mouth. Purse your mouth and direct your breath onto the pinwheel.
What happens to the pinwheel when you exhale all your air quickly? What happens when you puff gently? How long can you make the pinwheel spin continuously? Does the side or the face of the pinwheel spin more smoothly?
Try it again, this time take a deep breath through your nose. What is different? Can you exhale longer?
Variations: Move the pinwheel closer to your mouth. Move the pinwheel further away from your mouth. Experiment to find what combination gives you the most control of your breath. Use different postures - sitting up straight, lying on your back, leaning back in an easy chair or couch, leaning forward from the edge of your seat. Make a game of it!
Question for the Teacher
Student Kate Richardson asks: I'm [preparing for an upcoming performance and] trying to figure out the best presentation. I don't like having the stand blocking the [audience's] view of the performer. It would be great if I had the music memorized but that is not going to happen. Any suggestions?
This is a good question, Kate. Sometimes I lay the music stand's 'table' almost flat and lower it to the level at or below my hands. Then your face and sometimes hands are visible to the audience. Of course this means the music is a little further away.
To counter this, you might try enlarging the music - maybe double in size? You may find you can lower the stand to your waist then.
Thirdly, if you have the eyesight for it, move the stand about three feet away and lower than head height.
Finally, position yourself at an angle to the audience, almost facing your bandmates and presenting a not quite side view to the audience. If you have the option to present either your left or right side, present the right side. This view is engaging for the audience as they can see more of your finger action.
Speaking of finger action, when I was in high school and performing in the stage band, I had numerous occasions to stand up and take a solo. My mother had the great idea to have me wear shiny costume jewelry on my fingers. Her thinking was that the rings would be flashy under the stage lights and be fun to see from the audience. However, I have never been one to wear rings or much jewelry at all and I nixed this idea. If my mother is any indication, it is a good thing that you are thinking about your audience's view of your performance and what their experience will be like.
Upcoming Events In Portland
Heart and Cole, Celebrating the Music of Cole Porter
Confluence, Willamette Valley LGBT Chorus performs three shows: Portland March 13, Salem March 14, and Corvallis March 15. Details at confluencechorus.org.
Disguise
The Portland Gay Symphonic Band under the baton of Joseph Accuardi will be in Disguise for this third performance in the 08/09 Sea-son of Illusions.
Another exciting night of symphonic band music, including "Masquerade for Band" by Persichetti, "Gloriosa" by Ito, "Of Sailors and Whales" by McBeth and much more.
The performance will be presented on Friday, March 20th, 2009, 8pm at Kaul Auditorium on the Reed College Campus located at 3203 SE Woodstock, Portland, OR. Tickets are $12 in advance. At the door is $15 adults, $12 students/seniors.
24/7
By mid-March, the United States will have been at war in Afghanistan and Iraq for seven years, yet one hardly hears that fact mentioned. To mark this important, if tragic, anniversary, over 150 of the Portland area's best classical, contemporary and world musicians are uniting to make a giant musical gift to the city and region.
Event curators Bill Crane and Thomas Lauderdale have recruited an amazing roster of performers. The public is invited.
Titled simply "24/7," it will be a series of 24 dramatic concerts, each starting upon the hour, from 7:00 p.m. Saturday, March 21, and continuing through to 7:00 p.m., Sunday, March 22.
All 24 concerts are free and will take place in the auditorium of the Wieden+Kennedy building, 224 NW 13th Avenue, between Davis and Everett Streets, in Portland's Pearl District. Wieden+Kennedy join the performing artists to invite sincerely all area residents of good will to these con-certs. No tickets are required. All ages are welcome.
A portion of this event will be broadcast live on the WK website at http://www.wk.com.
Forward this email to a friend Do you know of other musicians and music lovers who would benefit from reading Musician's Motivator? Send them this issue and invite them to subscribe. Your friend will receive my article, The Art of Practice, in appreciation for subscribing.