The Secret Ingredient for Success
By: Edna Landau
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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 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.
To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.
© Edna Landau 2012
Tags: askedna, Beethoven, career, classical music, Edna Landau, musicalamerica, Perlman
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Tags: askedna, Beethoven, career, classical music, Edna Landau, musicalamerica, Perlman
January 26th, 2012 at 10:26 am
The eloquence of your feelings and deep passion for what makes music ‘music’ and the performance of music an exciting moment in time for the performer and the listener, should be the paramount emotion of every aspiring musician from their waking minutes each and every day. No two days should ever be the same. I remember lessons with the passionate teacher, Adele Marcus. You bet your bottom dollar that every lesson had to be like your best performance. And she was right about that. She used to say, ‘Don’t play for me like you’re in a small room. Play like you’re in a large hall, dear. Project that way no matter where you are playing’. I suppose she was after the same of her students as you hoped for in listening to the auditions you attended. And just for my own two-cents, YES, joy can be taught. It can be taught through the eyes of the teacher, through the way they illustrate at their instrument, the words they choose, and the repertoire they teach.
January 27th, 2012 at 1:00 pm
Bravo! I absolutely agree. And what a timely observation, as more and more of our young people’s lives are being reduced to accomplishments, activities, and pursuits meant to produce an impressive resume. Music-making is one of the most elemental ways to tap into self-expression, creativity and joy. As the opportunities for creative exploration in everyday life decline, it is our responsibility as music educators to help foster this joy in the next generation.
I still sometimes check myself during lessons to see whether I am teaching the concept… or the student. I recently resigned from a corporate position in order to return to full-time teaching, and the same qualities that made me successful in the business realm both help and hinder my creative instruction. While lesson planning is essential, it’s easy to get caught up in our agenda for what the student “should” be accomplishing during any given lesson. As you mentioned, when a piece resonates with something deeper within the student, the true magic can happen. I have found this to be true even with beginners: when concepts are presented in a way that is meaningful (which may be different for each and every student!), music transforms from a set of right and wrong answers into something that delights and motivates.
Thank you for the reminder that this holds true in every area of life as well. Children who are encouraged to seek joy often become adults who create a life path that is meaningful to them. Let the music play!
January 27th, 2012 at 3:30 pm
Sometimes I think conservatories do everything possible to beat the JOY out of young musicians. It’s so good, Edna, to put the spotlight on JOY, because every single one of us musicians pursued music for the love of it. In these difficult times, we’re always called upon to justify our existence, or at least our funding. Simone Weil said that “beauty opens channels to the heart” and our world needs it. Keeping those channels open is where the joy lies. Thank you, Edna, for the reminder.
January 27th, 2012 at 4:28 pm
Perhaps this begins to touch on why it is that orchestral auditions have turned into mills that consistently choose a good, bland player. When relating, communication and personality are not only superfluous but actively discouraged and considered negative, they end up a) NOT choosing the best player present, and B) making excuses for how no one interesting comes to the auditions, where they have first actively rooted out all the interesting, engaged players. I’ve been on both sides of the screen many times, and it’s sad to see how good to mediocre players, when called upon to pass judgement on others, suddenly become perfectionists, where no one is good enough for them.
February 14th, 2012 at 2:18 pm
My thanks to all of you for your eloquent comments. I am happy to know that this topic resonated with you and that you chose to share your own experiences with our readers.