Sound Theology by Colleen Butcher

Are you the conductor of your own life? An orchestra conductor has a unique role in the process of making music. She studies to understand the musical score and the intentions of the composer, combining that knowledge with her connections to and relationships with the members of the orchestra. The conductor does not play an instrument or use her voice in any way, but the music relies on her expertise in many ways. The conductor “reads” a musical score by learning the structure and semantics of each composer’s language and integrating her own imagination and creativity into the mix. She communicates this reading of the score to the orchestra through words during rehearsals, but during performances using only gestures, emotions, facial expressions, and a tiny stick called a baton. Then she gets out of the way to let the composer shine. read more…

The same concept is true in music as reflected in the quote by Chopin. No matter how many notes, the challenge cannot be the focus. The complexity for the performer must not distract from the connection with the listener.

Chopin’s music is notoriously complex and difficult for the performer. Chopin’s piano pieces – all of his pieces involve the piano: he wrote no symphonies or operas – are lyrical, engaging, poetic and, therefore, seen as accessible. Yet the majority are also harmonically complex, technically challenging, and compositionally intricate. read more…

Practice makes perfect … you may have heard this phrase, especially if you took music lessons when you were young. There’s only one problem with this phrase: there’s no such thing as perfect. Perfect is not the goal of practice because perfect is not possible. Practice is its own reward, when practiced with intention. read more…

If we understood the world, we would realise that there is a logic of harmony underlying its manifold apparent dissonances.

— Jean Sibelius

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) is the patron saint of Finnish music, the composer who, more than any other, has described for the world the cold, crisp, fresh, pristine northern natural landscape in music. His Finlandia Hymn is the unofficial national anthem of Finland. In seven symphonies, dozens of programmatic orchestral pieces, and many more piano and chamber music works, Sibelius embedded his world. read more…

There is only one real happiness in life, and that is the happiness of creating.

 — Frederick Delius

Although born in England, Delius spent almost all of his adult creative life in France and Germany. His style reflects the recognizable, pastoral meanderings of other late-nineteenth century English composers such as Stanford, Vaughan-Williams, and Parry. However, the primary German and French influences – Wagner and Chopin – taught him important lessons in melody expansion and development. Delius was an intentional student and, perhaps because he didn’t begin his musical studies until late in his 20’s, his style developed uniquely from the breadth and depth of experiences he had with the major composers in Leipzig and Paris. Many of his contemporaries recognized his gift, including Grieg, who finally convinced Delius’ father to allow him to embrace composition full-time. read more…