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It's SO much easier to read a printed article than to read it from the computer screen.
Performing With Energy, Passion, and Excitement:
It's All About Communication
What Do Yo-Yo Ma, Christina Aguilera,
and The Pussycat Dolls have in common?
By Douglas Niedt
Copyright Douglas Niedt, All Rights Reserved. This article may be reprinted, but please be
considerate and give credit to Douglas Niedt.
You are on DouglasNiedt.com
I have been very fortunate the past few weeks to have had the opportunity to attend several
fabulous concerts and master classes. In Kansas City, we are treated to the best of the best by
several arts organizations including the Kansas City Symphony, Friends of Chamber Music,
Harriman-Jewell Series, University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance,
Carlsen Center Series, and of course the venerable Kansas City Guitar Society.
This month alone, I have attended master classes by Yo Yo Ma and the Miro String Quartet,
the live-via-satellite high-definition broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera stage of
Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin, and a concert by the brilliant young pianist Yuja Wang.
And just a few nights ago, I attended the triple-bill performance of Christina Aguilera, Danity
Kane, and The Pussycat Dolls. Yes, you read that last sentence correctly. But watching and
listening to such a diverse group of performers brought me to a shocking realization.
For this month's article, I want to focus on three of the performers I heard:
The Pussycat Dolls
To the guys out there, I am NOT giving you a link to their website because you won't read the
rest of my article--in fact you wouldn't get to the next paragraph!
Christina Aguilera
Yo-Yo Ma
Believe it or not, there is an important artistic similarity between the three in their live
performances! The common thread they share is actually rather simple: they have a clear,
powerful vision of what they are trying to communicate. I witnessed it vividly in all their
performances. Because all three have a clear vision of what they are about, they give no-
holds-barred performances filled with intensity, commitment, believability and intoxicating
energy. They have attitude.
In his three-hour master class, Yo-Yo Ma spoke about these qualities at length and
emphasized their importance over and over again. One of his earliest statements in the class
was, "Your primary responsibility is to translate what is in your head to someone else's head."
That is huge. Artistic performance is about communication. But Yo-Yo goes beyond just trying
to get the audience to enjoy or appreciate the music. He strives to transfer what is in his head
directly into the heads of his listeners. That is also what top-notch pop entertainers do.
Christina Aguilera succeeds extraordinarily well at making her listeners feel the lyrics she
sings. Great performers of any type of music make us feel things as strongly as they feel them.
Even more powerful is when they make us feel things we haven't felt before, which tends to
happen more in art music than popular music. There were many moments in the Eugene
Onegin opera where I felt things at a level and intensity I had never felt before. It was
profound. And to think it translated from another time, another culture, another country, and
even another language so clearly and so powerfully--what a tribute to the genius of
Tchaikovsky as well as to the skills of the singers.
You are on DouglasNiedt.com
But let's get back to Yo-Yo's master class. Repeatedly, he asked each student to give him an
adjective, just one word, to describe what they were playing. "When this word is in your head, it
makes a difference." He wanted them to have a distinct focus on how the piece made them feel
or what they were seeing in their minds as they played it. It didn't matter if Ma agreed with the
adjective or not. What mattered was that the word was constantly present. Yo-Yo said, "If you
are playing, and you suddenly stop, the audience should know what you are doing—what you
are communicating or feeling." He told the students when they practice, to stop at any moment
and ask yourself, "What is happening here?" He said, "When you have noticed something
about the music that is important to you, stay with it through the entire piece. Maintaining that
thread will make a huge difference in your playing."
Along the same line, he was very adamant about everything having a "character." "What is the
character of this piece? What is the character of this phrase? What is the character of this
section?" As he conducted a lesson, Yo-Yo didn't say, "Let's hear the 'B' theme." He said,
"Let's hear the 'second character'." A performer such as Christina Aguilera is expert at
communicating characters in the lyrics or the character of a phrase. You believe her.
I was also happy to hear Yo-Yo say that he often looked at a piece as a story or a journey
filled with interesting characters and events. I have used that technique for many years but
rarely mentioned it, thinking it was "corny," or that it wasn't a serious enough approach for
classical works. To know that someone of Ma's stature and success uses this technique was
very reassuring to me personally. Singers have an advantage in that many times the song
lyrics explicitly spell out what the journey or story is. As instrumentalists however, we must
come up with the narrative ourselves, often with no clear-cut indication as to what it might be.
But, as Ma stated, it doesn't matter if we are "right." What matters is that we believe in our
narrative, story, or character. If it is meaningful to us, if we are sincere, our listeners will be
moved.
Ma gave great latitude to how the story or journey can unfold. The performer can have a
personal story he communicates through the music. He can be the narrator telling a story
about someone else. Or he can be a group—perhaps an oppressed people pouring out their
souls and trials through the music. He can even be a swath of land with the music being the
description of that land.
You are on DouglasNiedt.com
He told us that the performer himself must be a character. He (Yo-Yo) is not Yo-Yo Ma when
he performs. For each piece he is a different character following a different story or narrative.
He adopts an attitude. And yes folks, The Pussycat Dolls also have attitude. Attitude to the
max. That is one of the commonalities that results in both being such effective performers.
However, one of the many differences between them, is that The Pussycat Dolls only have one
or two attitudes whereas Yo-Yo Ma has dozens.
All of these techniques help the performer "get into" the music. When the performer makes his
music viscerally meaningful to himself and can no longer contain it, a sizzling infectious energy
is created that transfers directly from his mind and soul to the audience.
It is important to realize that the magic, passion, and energy of great performers in any field
come from similar sources. Developing attitude and character, and having a clear, sincere
vision of what you want to communicate, is crucial to a stirring performance. Sometimes
classical musicians look down on pop performers. The bottom line however, is that for all
performers, whether classical or pop, the goal is to stir emotions, arouse passions, and create
excitement. Personally, I can learn from Yo-Yo Ma and The Pussycat Dolls. Vive la difference!
You are on DouglasNiedt.com
It's All About Communication
What Do Yo-Yo Ma, Christina Aguilera,
and The Pussycat Dolls have in common?
By Douglas Niedt
Copyright Douglas Niedt, All Rights Reserved. This article may be reprinted, but please be
considerate and give credit to Douglas Niedt.
You are on DouglasNiedt.com
I have been very fortunate the past few weeks to have had the opportunity to attend several
fabulous concerts and master classes. In Kansas City, we are treated to the best of the best by
several arts organizations including the Kansas City Symphony, Friends of Chamber Music,
Harriman-Jewell Series, University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance,
Carlsen Center Series, and of course the venerable Kansas City Guitar Society.
This month alone, I have attended master classes by Yo Yo Ma and the Miro String Quartet,
the live-via-satellite high-definition broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera stage of
Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin, and a concert by the brilliant young pianist Yuja Wang.
And just a few nights ago, I attended the triple-bill performance of Christina Aguilera, Danity
Kane, and The Pussycat Dolls. Yes, you read that last sentence correctly. But watching and
listening to such a diverse group of performers brought me to a shocking realization.
For this month's article, I want to focus on three of the performers I heard:
The Pussycat Dolls
To the guys out there, I am NOT giving you a link to their website because you won't read the
rest of my article--in fact you wouldn't get to the next paragraph!
Christina Aguilera
Yo-Yo Ma
Believe it or not, there is an important artistic similarity between the three in their live
performances! The common thread they share is actually rather simple: they have a clear,
powerful vision of what they are trying to communicate. I witnessed it vividly in all their
performances. Because all three have a clear vision of what they are about, they give no-
holds-barred performances filled with intensity, commitment, believability and intoxicating
energy. They have attitude.
In his three-hour master class, Yo-Yo Ma spoke about these qualities at length and
emphasized their importance over and over again. One of his earliest statements in the class
was, "Your primary responsibility is to translate what is in your head to someone else's head."
That is huge. Artistic performance is about communication. But Yo-Yo goes beyond just trying
to get the audience to enjoy or appreciate the music. He strives to transfer what is in his head
directly into the heads of his listeners. That is also what top-notch pop entertainers do.
Christina Aguilera succeeds extraordinarily well at making her listeners feel the lyrics she
sings. Great performers of any type of music make us feel things as strongly as they feel them.
Even more powerful is when they make us feel things we haven't felt before, which tends to
happen more in art music than popular music. There were many moments in the Eugene
Onegin opera where I felt things at a level and intensity I had never felt before. It was
profound. And to think it translated from another time, another culture, another country, and
even another language so clearly and so powerfully--what a tribute to the genius of
Tchaikovsky as well as to the skills of the singers.
You are on DouglasNiedt.com
But let's get back to Yo-Yo's master class. Repeatedly, he asked each student to give him an
adjective, just one word, to describe what they were playing. "When this word is in your head, it
makes a difference." He wanted them to have a distinct focus on how the piece made them feel
or what they were seeing in their minds as they played it. It didn't matter if Ma agreed with the
adjective or not. What mattered was that the word was constantly present. Yo-Yo said, "If you
are playing, and you suddenly stop, the audience should know what you are doing—what you
are communicating or feeling." He told the students when they practice, to stop at any moment
and ask yourself, "What is happening here?" He said, "When you have noticed something
about the music that is important to you, stay with it through the entire piece. Maintaining that
thread will make a huge difference in your playing."
Along the same line, he was very adamant about everything having a "character." "What is the
character of this piece? What is the character of this phrase? What is the character of this
section?" As he conducted a lesson, Yo-Yo didn't say, "Let's hear the 'B' theme." He said,
"Let's hear the 'second character'." A performer such as Christina Aguilera is expert at
communicating characters in the lyrics or the character of a phrase. You believe her.
I was also happy to hear Yo-Yo say that he often looked at a piece as a story or a journey
filled with interesting characters and events. I have used that technique for many years but
rarely mentioned it, thinking it was "corny," or that it wasn't a serious enough approach for
classical works. To know that someone of Ma's stature and success uses this technique was
very reassuring to me personally. Singers have an advantage in that many times the song
lyrics explicitly spell out what the journey or story is. As instrumentalists however, we must
come up with the narrative ourselves, often with no clear-cut indication as to what it might be.
But, as Ma stated, it doesn't matter if we are "right." What matters is that we believe in our
narrative, story, or character. If it is meaningful to us, if we are sincere, our listeners will be
moved.
Ma gave great latitude to how the story or journey can unfold. The performer can have a
personal story he communicates through the music. He can be the narrator telling a story
about someone else. Or he can be a group—perhaps an oppressed people pouring out their
souls and trials through the music. He can even be a swath of land with the music being the
description of that land.
You are on DouglasNiedt.com
He told us that the performer himself must be a character. He (Yo-Yo) is not Yo-Yo Ma when
he performs. For each piece he is a different character following a different story or narrative.
He adopts an attitude. And yes folks, The Pussycat Dolls also have attitude. Attitude to the
max. That is one of the commonalities that results in both being such effective performers.
However, one of the many differences between them, is that The Pussycat Dolls only have one
or two attitudes whereas Yo-Yo Ma has dozens.
All of these techniques help the performer "get into" the music. When the performer makes his
music viscerally meaningful to himself and can no longer contain it, a sizzling infectious energy
is created that transfers directly from his mind and soul to the audience.
It is important to realize that the magic, passion, and energy of great performers in any field
come from similar sources. Developing attitude and character, and having a clear, sincere
vision of what you want to communicate, is crucial to a stirring performance. Sometimes
classical musicians look down on pop performers. The bottom line however, is that for all
performers, whether classical or pop, the goal is to stir emotions, arouse passions, and create
excitement. Personally, I can learn from Yo-Yo Ma and The Pussycat Dolls. Vive la difference!
You are on DouglasNiedt.com
BE SURE TO VISIT DOUG'S "SECRET VAULT"
It contains many of Doug's Previous
Guitar Technique Tips of the Month
It contains many of Doug's Previous
Guitar Technique Tips of the Month
Have a comment?
Question?
Suggestion for the website?
We would love to hear from you.
Question?
Suggestion for the website?
We would love to hear from you.
We have a Printer Friendlier (PDF) version of this article that's also easier on the eyes.
It's SO much easier to read a printed article than to read it from the computer screen.
It's SO much easier to read a printed article than to read it from the computer screen.
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| These are my very detailed, in-depth articles and high-def videos on how to play the classical guitar. It's like getting your own private guitar lesson every month. Need info on classical guitar right hand technique? Guitar scales? How to play bar chords? Harmonics? Looking for a classical guitar practicing routine? Tips on performing onstage? How to tune a guitar? Looking for easy Christmas guitar arrangements? Chances are, I have covered it, or will soon. The tips are by subscription only. |
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over 20 pages. Most of the videos run from 15-30 minutes. The tips are thorough and the
production is excellent. Check out the free tips in Doug's Vault for a sampling.
A one-year subscription (12 tips) is only $24. That is only $2 per tip.
Purchase a ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION to:
DOUGLAS NIEDT'S GUITAR TECHNIQUE TIP OF THE MONTH
Doug's Guitar Technique Tip of the Month will be sent to you monthly. These are the best on the
Internet. No one else's technique articles and videos even come close. Most of the written tips run
over 20 pages. Most of the videos run from 15-30 minutes. The tips are thorough and the
production is excellent. Check out the free tips in Doug's Vault for a sampling.
A one-year subscription (12 tips) is only $24. That is only $2 per tip.
Be a better guitar player or teacher. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Purchase a ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION to:
DOUGLAS NIEDT'S GUITAR TECHNIQUE TIP OF THE MONTH
Doug's Guitar Technique Tip of the Month will be sent to you monthly. These are the best on
the Internet. No one else's technique articles and videos even come close. Most of the written
tips run over 20 pages. Most of the videos run from 15-30 minutes. The tips are thorough and
the production is excellent. Check out the free tips in Doug's Vault for a sampling.
A one-year subscription (12 tips) is only $24. That is only $2 per tip.
Purchase a ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION to:
DOUGLAS NIEDT'S GUITAR TECHNIQUE TIP OF THE MONTH
Doug's Guitar Technique Tip of the Month will be sent to you monthly. These are the best on
the Internet. No one else's technique articles and videos even come close. Most of the written
tips run over 20 pages. Most of the videos run from 15-30 minutes. The tips are thorough and
the production is excellent. Check out the free tips in Doug's Vault for a sampling.
A one-year subscription (12 tips) is only $24. That is only $2 per tip.