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I found this chapter of ‘Musicophilia’ especially intriguing. I had never heard of this condition before, as is the case with most people. This is largely because this syndrome is very rare (affecting maybe one in 10,000 children), and was not formally described until 1961. Awareness is growing, as is support for families who are affected by it. Parents of children with Williams syndrome have difficulties in finding appropriate environments for schooling for them, since they are not mentally challenged in the usual sense. They are intelligent far beyond their years in some aspects, while severely limited in others. 

People with Williams syndrome are extraordinarily responsive to music. Not all of them are talented in this respect, but they are all deeply moved by it. The musical talents of people with WS differ from those of musical savants because there is always a strong desire to play music with and for others. (Savants are largely independent of influence by others). Some other personality traits of WS are that they’re generally very friendly and talkative, with an unusual command of language. They show a special feeling for narrative, and show great sensitivity in reading others’ emotions and moods. However, they are strangely indifferent to inanimate objects; some are unable to put simple lego blocks together. They usually have difficulty with numbers and abstract reasoning as well. Unfortunately, this syndrome is also accompanied by some potentially life-threatening complications, such as cardiovascular problems and a high level of calcium in the blood. 

Dr. Sacks talks about Gloria Lenhoff, a young woman with Williams syndrome who learned to sing operatic arias in more than 30 languages! A documentary about her remarkable musical abilities was aired on public television in 1988, soon after which the parents received a phone call. Someone wanted to compliment them on the film, but was also curious as to why there was no mention that Gloria had Williams syndrome. This was the first time the parents had heard of the syndrome. What a life changing phone call that would have been for them! Since then, her parents have been instrumental in bringing awareness to the condition. Gloria went on to join a musical group called the Williams Five, of which all 5 members have WS. Unfortunately, I could not access any videos of the group, but I did manage to find one of Gloria. Have a listen- I hope it brings a smile to your face like it did mine! 😃

I’ve shared with you about the brilliant book, Musicophilia, now see the man share about how music can help patients with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Such a captivating genius of a man! 

Part 2 of my review of Dr. Oliver Sacks, Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain.

Pitch…Perfect?

Absolute pitch has always sounded like such a wonderful gift to me, but there are problems associated with it that I’d never considered. Absolute pitch is when you hear a single note and know exactly which note it is, without having to think about it. It’s very rare (occurs in less than one person in ten thousand).

Think of it as a colour analogy- we look at blue and call it blue, without having to compare it to other colours. People with absolute pitch hear middle C and know it’s middle C, without having to compare it to other notes.

One problem with this is that instruments go out of tune constantly. If this happens, even slightly, to someone with perfect pitch it can be extremely irritating. If a piano is tuned a little bit differently than they are used to, it can be extremely difficult to play because everything just sounds ‘off’.

They can’t transpose familiar pieces (move them to different keys/positions than where they were written). Even if someone else transpose them, they find it difficult to enjoy because it sounds so wrong to their own ears. If a piece is written in the key of ‘green’ then of course it would sound wrong hearing it in the key of ‘orange’. Absolute pitch is more common in native speakers of Vietnamese and Mandarin because their languages are tonal.

Beyond hearing

There are so many interesting things that happen in regards to music and the brain! Dr. Sacks talks about synesthesia (yet another topic that has always intrigued me). This is when people experience instantaneous conjoining of the senses. The most common is seeing colours when hearing music. Some people even experience different tastes with certain music. 

Musical hallucinations are much more common than you might think. They’ve found that these are not imaginary or psychotic, but real and physiological. They often occur in people who have experienced hearing loss. It’s as if the brain (deprived of its usual auditory input) is trying to entertain itself! A third or more of the human cortex is concerned with vision, and if visual input is suddenly lost, very extensive mental reorganizations and brain mappings may occur. Your brain literally rearranges itself, so your sense of hearing is truly heightened.

There are many blind musicians, probably because children who lack a visual world will naturally discover or create a rich world of touch and sound. They are drawn to music and motivated to make it central to their lives. It has even been discovered that dystonia (a severe cramping of the hand due to repetitive movement) is due to a disorganization in the sensory cortex of the brain. It’s not just a physical issue like they originally thought.

It’s been proven that racers (swim, bike, run) are most often able to reach their best times when listening to music with a strong beat. Using five-finger piano exercises as a training test, Harvard studies have shown that the motor cortex in the brain can show changes within minutes of practicing simple sequences. This occurs not only with physical practice, but even just with mental practice.

“It’s not surprising that anatomists today would struggle to differentiate between the brain of a visual artist, a writer, or a mathematician- but they could recognize the brain of a professional musician without a moment’s hesitation.” I’m sure everyone has heard that ‘music makes you smarter’. This is quite a summarized statement, but there is most definitely truth and proof behind it. Music awakens parts of your brain that would have otherwise remained dormant. What a powerful thing!

This book was incredible. I’ll try to break it down in a couple of blog posts, although I highly recommend reading the book yourself – I’ll definitely read it again someday!

The Power of Music

“Music, uniquely among the arts, is both completely abstract and profoundly emotional. It can pierce the heart directly; it needs no mediation. There is a deep and mysterious paradox here, for while music makes one experience pain and grief more intensely, it brings solace and consolation at the same time.”

It’s fascinating how music affects the brain like nothing else, and how the brain can affect how we perceive music. Music doesn’t have to be familiar to affect us emotionally. Nor do we have to have any formal knowledge of it or be particularly ‘musical’. It has the power to affect us all in one way or another. It’s a language that knows no barriers.

Learning Through Music

Music has the power to embed sequences, and to do this when other forms of organization fail. Every culture has songs and rhymes to help children learn the alphabet, numbers, and other lists. Even as adults we rely on mnemonic devices or patterns sometimes, and the most powerful of these devices are rhyme, meter, and song.

Dr. Sacks gave some examples of patients who could not carry out simple tasks (eating, getting dressed, etc.) without setting them to music. What an incredible relief to know there is something so easily accessible that can help people function (at least somewhat) independently on a daily basis.

Even though music affects each individual differently, people are bound together by rhythm. It’s not only heard but internalized, identically, by everyone present. Rhythm turns listeners into participants and synchronizes them. It’s very difficult to remain detached, or resist being drawn into the rhythm of chanting or dancing.

Do you hear what I hear?

People often joke that they are tone deaf if they can’t sing well. But true tone deafness is only present in about 5% of the population.

When we listen to music, there are many different dimensions we’re perceiving (whether we are aware of this or not). Among these include tone, pitch, timbre, loudness, tempo, rhythm, and contour. ‘Amusia’ is the term used when the perception of some or all of these qualities is impaired. There can also be a partial or total loss of the feeling or emotions normally evoked by music, even though perception of music is unimpaired.

People with an amusia can veer off key without realizing it, or be unable to recognize off-key singing by others. These people can still enjoy music and singing (even if it’s not pleasant for those around them 😅).

I had a young student when I first started teaching, almost 20 years ago now. She couldn’t tell two notes apart and had no sense of whether notes were moving higher or lower. At the time, I thought she just didn’t want to do that particular exercise, so we moved on to something else. Looking back after reading this book, I wonder if she maybe had some sort of amusia. If only I could travel back to that time temporarily, knowing what I know now!

Some people never want to play for anyone else’s ears, and that’s ok. But music is meant to be heard! It’s meant to be shared, and this will only make you that much better (as a musician AND as a person) if you do. It will help make you stronger and braver, and take you out of your comfort zone! And just like anything else… the more you do it, the easier it will get because you WILL get better at it. As terrifying as it might be those first few times, it does get easier! I know this because I have always suffered greatly from stage fright. It could be 35 degrees celsius and my hands are still freezing cold, due to nerves. This makes it extremely difficult to play, especially when you combine it with trembling due to nerves (which I suffer from as well)! It’s not usually visible, but I feel it big time, and my playing does suffer because of it. But you will be surprised at how encouraging and appreciative people can be about your playing, no matter what level you’re at. It can be so inspiring and motivating to hear feedback from your listeners. Start with playing for just one other person- someone you really trust. Then branch out from there as you become more comfortable. Remember, the majority of the population doesn’t know how to play anything on the piano. So even if you’re just playing a 5-finger melody, you’re ahead of the game! 💪

Here is my first recorded performance of Brahms Intermezzo (op.118, no.2)

Think about your pieces. You need to have them in your head. Imagine hearing it played in your mind! See if you can hear every note of the melody and every note of each chord, every dynamic change, every phrase ending- see how many details you can remember without having the music in front of you or hearing someone else play it. You could even try imagining what your piece would sound like if it were played by a string quartet, an orchestra, or even a rock band! Musical imagination is a very powerful tool.

You can try running through the piece on your lap. Follow the music this time, but have your fingers ‘play’ the piece away from the piano. (This can even be done while you’re lying in bed trying to go to sleep!) 

This is scientifically proven to help. Dr. Pascual-Leone from Harvard has observed that ‘mental stimulation of movements activates the same central neural structures required for the performance of the actual movements.’ That is to say that thinking about doing something activates the same parts of your brain as actually doing it. 

I met a student at an internationally acclaimed performance school in Poland, who started piano at age 7, like I did. Unlike me, though, she didn’t have a piano to practice on at home for the first 2 years she was taking lessons. Her parents drew out a piano on a long piece of paper, and that’s what she used to study her music! The only time she would get to play an actual piano was when she went for her weekly lessons. Her imagination would run wild through the week, thinking about all the sounds she couldn’t wait to make on her teacher’s piano when she got there for her lesson. I don’t recommend people try this, but it does go to show how much work can be done and progress can be made even if you’re not sitting at a piano. 

I have solved many technical issues away from the piano. If I get stuck on a part, and can’t just seem to make it comfortable for my hand, I think about it later. Sometimes it can be easier to come up with a technical solution when you’re not limited by the keys in front of you, and you’re not distracted by the sounds you’re creating, trying to figure out the right movements. Your imagination has a little more freedom to come up with different physical approaches. It doesn’t always work, but even when I don’t come up with a physical solution I am still solidifying the music in my mind. So it’s always a win! Sometimes it’s a win-win. Definitely worth it!! 😁

You can check out the 2nd movement of Beethoven’s Pastorale Sonata (work in progress!)

Tip number 4 for practicing the piano: Be self aware and realistic.

Know when something isn’t working, and work on something else! Save that frustrating, just-can’t-figure-it-out section for your next lesson. That’s why you have a piano teacher like me! I’ll help you through that difficult section when we have a lesson. We all have our days.

Chances are, that if a certain piece or section isn’t working one day, you could come back to it the next day and everything falls into place. Or maybe it’s time to work on something else entirely… do some sight reading, improv, figure out a melody by ear, or do theory work! All of these things contribute to a well-rounded musical education and give you a break from the pieces you’ve been practicing for months. 

You want to practice when you’re fresh. This is another reason why it’s a great idea to do it in smaller sessions. Often in practice, we hit a wall. No matter how hard we try, we just can’t seem to get that part exactly the way we want it. Or we keep making the same mistake, on the same note- so frustrating! If you walk away and take a few deep breaths, have a little snack or cup of tea, go outside for a walk, even watch a few minutes of television or play a game, and then come back to that same part- often we find we’ve got it! All the hard work we put into it really did pay off. It’s just that we needed to take a step back in order to see that. The music needs time to settle. This is part of the reason why students (and parents) can get discouraged- we want instant results! But music (and come to think of it, almost anything worthwhile in life) doesn’t work like this.

I can’t resist sharing this little story… I have one student who has a particularly hard time with practicing on their own. Even in class, if they don’t get it right the first time they are immediately discouraged. So I had to ask if they thought I got everything right on the first try at the piano. She said ‘yes, of course you do.’ I couldn’t help but laugh. I only wish!! If that were the case, why would I spend such a huge part of my life practicing? 🤔😂

Here’s my first Chopin Mazurka, op.63, no.3. I kind of dove into the deep end with this one, but I just couldn’t resist! Preparing this for Jarred Dunn’s Mazurka Workshop last weekend definitely helped speed up the learning process for me. Deadlines can be a very good thing sometimes! 😆

Practicing the piano can get repetitive, and that is what turns a lot of people off. It’s why you need to make things interesting for yourself. Switch it up!

We talked about giving yourself freedom in the last post – but what does that look like when you’re practicing? Here’s tip number three for practicing the piano: Practice one phrase in as many different ways as possible.

Play it in a different register (higher or lower); use different articulations (bouncy sounds, smooth sounds, etc); play it at half speed, double speed, and every tempo in between; use different dynamics… this is just to name a few! All of these things help you to become more aware of what’s in the music.  This gives you the capability to manipulate the notes into whatever you want them to be. If you exhaust all the options, there can be no surprises in performance! 

If you’re practicing the piano – you’re a musician. Take inspiration from other musicians. Listen to one of your favourite popular songs, then listen to different cover versions. See how much the whole mood of a song can change just by changing the pace or the register. When you’re tackling a phrase, and it’s frustrating you – feel free to take some liberties so that your fingers learn where to go.

Maybe as you’re practicing a difficult phrase, give yourself a mood to perform instead of focusing on just the notes you are hitting. Bluesy. Upbeat. Sad. Happy. There’s lots to choose from, and maybe giving yourself something other than playing the notes at exactly the right time will help you relax enough to enjoy the learning process.

Musicians are creative – you’re a musician. So be creative!

Here’s the Bach fugue I’m working on. It’s in G# Minor from book 1 of the Well-Tempered Clavier (BWV 863):

I was very excited when Jarred Dunn proposed we do a workshop together. Even more excited when he offered to play at the end of it, and more excited still when he offered to do it for nearly half his usual rate! 

But it would seem that not everyone is excited as I am. We have had very little interest in this event, and I am puzzled as to why. 

Is it because people feel they are not at a high enough level to participate? All levels are welcome! 

Is it because everyone is sick of being online? It’s the only possible way we can connect! 

Is it the nicer weather, and people want to be outside? Well, no argument there from me 😅

Is it because people aren’t familiar with Jarred Dunn? Check out any of his YouTube videos, or download his album on Apple Music- he’s amazing! 

Is it just that people aren’t feeling inspired to do something like this right now? That’s the point- let’s get together with an incredible artist so we can get inspired!

Is it the fee? It’s nearly half the usual cost.

It’s sad to think I have to go here, but is it just that people are uninterested in learning about music? 🥺

I would love to hear feedback on all of this! Please correct me if I’m wrong here, or if I’ve missed anything. I really would like to understand what people are thinking, and what people would expect or want in order to make something like this happen. I’m sad to say that if we don’t have any enrollment by the end of next week then we’ll have to call it off. Sad, but true. That’s just life sometimes. 🐳

Tip number two for practicing the piano: Listen to your pieces.

Students have endless recordings available to them, right at their fingertips. They can listen to many different performers/teachers/other students playing and/or talking about the very same pieces they are practicing. I didn’t have such a luxury when I was growing up. YouTube and Apple Music didn’t exist. I basically only had the opportunity to listen to my teacher play for me. (I was lucky enough to have a teacher who could play any piece I could ever aspire to play, which was amazing)! Before, you had to remember how your teacher played a particular part when you were practicing. Now you can record them (if your teacher is ok with this, of course), and listen back as many times throughout the week as you find helpful. Or you can find someone else’s interpretation to inspire you.

It’s always good to listen to as many different interpretations of the same piece as possible. It allows you more freedom in learning the piece. You set out to learning a new piece with a vision of how it should sound in the end result. Maybe you think it should sound exactly how your piano teacher played it. But maybe slight changes in certain areas will feel more natural to you.

It doesn’t always end up exactly as planned. This is completely normal! Sometimes what works in our imagination doesn’t quite work in our fingers, so it’s important to know that there are other ways to make the music sound good. Giving yourself this freedom isn’t easy for everyone. Some people like to play something exactly as they heard it. And that’s ok, too, if you can pull it off!

This newfound freedom doesn’t mean you go and create something completely different from what is written, but music isn’t so rigidly structured that you can’t take some liberties in how it sounds when you play a piece. Have a little fun with it!

Chopin- étude op.25, no.9 (Butterfly)

One of the dreaded black key études! 😅 Thankfully this is just a practice video (please keep that in mind)! It only took me about 25 takes lol… and it’s still not nearly as good as I was hoping for. Totally blew by the ritenuto, too. Oh well!! This is why it is good to record yourself, well before the performance stage- it shows you where you’re truly at with the piece! 🤓