Make A Better World
INSPIRING
Things That Matter Most
Charismatic, Inspiring Performers – What’s Their Secret?
3 takeaways
Takeaway #1: Sleep!
It seems that we have in this study yet another reason to make sleep a priority – and not just the night before, but in general. That way, we can avoid putting too much pressure on that one night of sleep, when we’ve been accumulating a sleep debt all along.
Takeaway #2: Deep acting?
This notion of deep acting is intriguing, and I imagine it plays a role in charisma in music performance too. It’s not something I ever did intentionally, but have you ever sought to engage in “deep acting” as a way of adding to the audience’s experience of your music? Though it’s important to note here that simply “feeling the music” is no guarantee that we are playing in a way that actually engenders an emotional experience in our listener – and in some cases can lead to our feeling inspired, but our audience not so much (as violinist Pam Frank explains here; and as cellist Frans Helmerson once spoke of).
Takeaway #3: Don’t take the audience reaction personally
It doesn’t matter how well-prepared you are, how beautiful your sound is, how interesting your ideas are, or how cool your shirt is.
A notable portion of your audience just won’t find you as charismatic, inspiring, and moving as others will. So don’t let that get to you. Especially if you catch a few of them nodding off. Maybe a short power nap during the slow movement is just what they need to be totally inspired by the last movement!
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Five Inspirational Films
A very interesting documentary produced in Denmark, called Nature Play, emphasizes the importance of outdoor education. This captivating film combines interviews with videos of children exploring the outside
A second inspirational documentary is called Navajo Math Circles. A collaborative effort by local teachers, college professors, and Navajo families, this educational program is an innovative approach to combining Navajo culture with a creative approach to math instruction.
Another creative and collaborative approach to education is titled, Readers of the Holocaust. An artist, a college professor, a high school teacher, and high school seniors all team together to study social justice through graphic novels.
Two additional short films that are worth noting focus on the student-teacher relationship. The first one, Teachers, is directed by Mark Columbus and viewable at PBS.org. It takes place in Los Angeles and explores the relationship between a caring teacher and a struggling student.
For my fifth teacher flick of special merit, I chose the heartwarming film, Jose and Mr. Ramos. The opening scene is of a third grade student, Jose, walking to school in front of a beautiful strawberry field with a mountain backdrop. Jose’s parents are farm workers in Salinas, California. His teacher, Mr. Ramos, likes to tell the kids that he was born in Mexico and got up at 4 am to pick vegetables. Sometimes he worked for 10 an 12 hours in the hot summer sun. By sharing his story, the kids open up to him.
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The Body Is Living Art
Anna Halprin helped pioneer the experimental art form known as postmodern dance and referred to herself as the breaker of modern dance.
The Poetry Of The Music
Money And Fame Are Not The Answer