Discover the path toYour Future - Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival

I was recently honored to be asked to participate on a panel
at the annual Astral Artists auditions, during which I listened
to a substantial number of pianists and wind players. While all
were on a rather high level, I was struck by the relatively small
number who grabbed my attention right from the start of the
audition and sustained it all the way through. It got me thinking
about a three letter word, not often mentioned, that for me
constitutes an essential ingredient of successful performance,
whether on stage or in the workplace: JOY. While it is indisputable
that beloved artists such as Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma have
earned their place as musical legends first and foremost by virtue
of their extraordinary artistry, I am convinced that their joy in
music making has been an essential ingredient in making them
household names. It is palpable from the very first notes that
they play. I believe that this element of performance is rarely
addressed in the practice room, where the majority of attention
may be focused on the mechanics of playing. Can joy be taught?
Probably not, but I do think that all teachers can encourage their
students to identify and perform repertoire that brings out the
best in them and in which they feel they have something special
to say. For works that are relatively unfamiliar, the artist should
be encouraged to share with their audience some spoken comments
regarding why they chose to program the work, thereby
increasing the potential receptivity to it from their listeners. Joy
in performance may result from confidence that a program has
been well prepared, and from the artist’s belief that it offers
works or interpretations that might be new to an audience or
juxtaposed in an interesting way. The artist might pause, almost
imperceptibly, before a phrase that they find particularly special,
just as a storyteller would do, thereby sharing that moment
more meaningfully with the audience. It seems to me that our
most treasured artists are those who give us the impression that
there is nothing they would rather be doing than performing for
us. While a healthy schedule of performances is essential to a
successful career, a concert should never be a means to advance
to the next rung on the career ladder. It is a special moment in
time, and the opportunity to communicate with a live audience
should be savored.
And what about the workplace? In my twenty-three years as
Managing Director of IMG Artists, I interviewed many job
applicants and often made a positive decision after the first few
minutes. A good number of people that I hired still work at IMG
after ten years or more, and they have all advanced through the
ranks to higher levels of responsibility and more distinguished
titles. Their excitement about working at a dynamic and distinguished
international agency was visible to me from the start,
and it quickly became apparent that the pleasure they took in
their work overshadowed any eagerness they may have felt to
advance in their career. The promotions came naturally because
they were great team players, galvanizing everyone around them
20 IMANI WINDS CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL
The Secret Ingredient for Success
by edna landau
published on January 26, 2012 on www.musicalamerica.com
with their enthusiasm and joy in having a job that allowed them
to be surrounded by great performers and inspiring colleagues.
This created a family atmosphere throughout the years, despite
substantial growth in the size of the artist roster and number of
employees, which I think was a key element in the company’s success.
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony may be the most beloved work in
the classical music literature, uplifting all who hear it with the final
movement’s magnificent setting of Friedrich Schiller’s Ode to
Joy. Our lives will undoubtedly be richer and more meaningful if
we can compose, and actually live, our own personal ode to joy.
Edna Landau is the author of Musical America’s
popular “Ask Edna” blog. To Ask Edna, write
to askedna@musicalamerica.com
(Edna will not reveal your actual name unless you give permission
to do so. And please don’t worry about whether your question
has already been asked. She will surely put a new spin on it.)
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At MANNES cOLLEGE
iN NEW yORK city
Music is your passion. Prepare to make it your life.
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only New York City conservatory that offers the
resources of a leading university.
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Photo: Matthew Sussman.
IMANI WINDS CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL 21