a bunch of things here resonate with me. I loved comment, “Practice begins to feel like a mini-performance. Your performer’s perspective has entered the room.” I think I understand you term, flow. I think of that as my “script”. The script is not a series of words or even ideas. It is a mixture of observations that roll out. They have been discerned for me through my practice. I think my mind has been trained to adopt a kind of computer language. As we understand, computers only get 1’s and 0’s. To program a computer languages have been invented to commune with the computer. Layers of languages are employed. Machine Language is a level above, and summarizes commands. Fortran and COBOL became more recognizable patterns that control machine language which controls the 1’s and 0’s. C and C+ are another level above. My script has, as it’s top controlling level, the EMOTIONAL flow of my piece, that controls the phrasing and dynamics, which control particular gestures and movements, which control the arms, hands and fingers. I never consciously think about those detail levels. If I keep on my script all is well. When I practice I am performing. At first small chunks, and then larger. I love reading your thoughts and bouncing them off my own. ❤️
I love your bouncing thoughts here, too! I especially resonate with your systems thinking. I spent over 30 years in IT (eighties through aughts). Godel, Escher, Bach was a seminal read for me. Your description of your script and how it holds (or represents) the many layers (cognitive, physical, psychical) of "the music" for you. If I hear you right, when you're performing, the substrate below the top ("controlling") level is the "learning to swim" of practice (which you apparently mastered decades ago). As you say, for you, practice and performance are virtually the same activity. You live your musicianship as the boatman. You've mastered both the skills of your instrument and the skills of practice. Do I have that right?
a bunch of things here resonate with me. I loved comment, “Practice begins to feel like a mini-performance. Your performer’s perspective has entered the room.” I think I understand you term, flow. I think of that as my “script”. The script is not a series of words or even ideas. It is a mixture of observations that roll out. They have been discerned for me through my practice. I think my mind has been trained to adopt a kind of computer language. As we understand, computers only get 1’s and 0’s. To program a computer languages have been invented to commune with the computer. Layers of languages are employed. Machine Language is a level above, and summarizes commands. Fortran and COBOL became more recognizable patterns that control machine language which controls the 1’s and 0’s. C and C+ are another level above. My script has, as it’s top controlling level, the EMOTIONAL flow of my piece, that controls the phrasing and dynamics, which control particular gestures and movements, which control the arms, hands and fingers. I never consciously think about those detail levels. If I keep on my script all is well. When I practice I am performing. At first small chunks, and then larger. I love reading your thoughts and bouncing them off my own. ❤️
I love your bouncing thoughts here, too! I especially resonate with your systems thinking. I spent over 30 years in IT (eighties through aughts). Godel, Escher, Bach was a seminal read for me. Your description of your script and how it holds (or represents) the many layers (cognitive, physical, psychical) of "the music" for you. If I hear you right, when you're performing, the substrate below the top ("controlling") level is the "learning to swim" of practice (which you apparently mastered decades ago). As you say, for you, practice and performance are virtually the same activity. You live your musicianship as the boatman. You've mastered both the skills of your instrument and the skills of practice. Do I have that right?