Sabrina Ho--earth jazz

     In Ecology of Eden, Eisenberg writes, "Ditch your notated score--whether ascribed to nature or yourself--and learn to improvise. Respond as flexibly to nature as nature responds to you. Accept nature's freedom as the premise of your own; accept that both are grounded in a deeper necessity. Relax your rigid bet and learn to follow nature's rhythms--in other words, to swing" (pp. 293). This quote, as well as the rest of the chapter, reminded me a lot about my own musical training. For over eight years, I learned the specific techniques and theories around classical music, with such precision that a minor incorrect tempo change would make my professor immediately make me restart the 6-paged song. Changing teachers was one of the biggest adjustments I ever had to do. This new teacher almost completely ignored the speed, volume, and dynamics written on the page. At first, it was frustrating for the both of us: I was frustrated at the lack of regulation and precision, and she was frustrated at my need to follow the page to the dot.

    It took me almost a year to learn how to play a song not based off what was written on the page, but more like how I felt it was meant to be heard, putting myself more in the music and "reading" my audience to gauge what was more appropriate. Similar to Eisenberg's chapter, it can be daunting to ignore conventionality and rules we have lived by and feel comfortable in. But, for me, learning how to play piano like this felt not only freeing, but I also felt my connection with the music so much deeper than with my old teacher. The importance of this is even stronger when considering Eisenberg's notion that music is a universal language--as something that can be understood by all, and can transcend cultural and regional barriers, it is even more important that music is an expression, as opposed to simply a performance. I think this lesson could even be extended beyond music: is it possible in other aspects of life that breaking the discomforting barrier of conventionality will result in a greater, deeper bond with nature? 

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