Frustrations and Limitations

So, what happens if you are one or two in a group who really has a passion to push the group to the "Next Level?"

The group is Youthful.
The group is full of fun and fest.
The group has little or no discipline.
They seem to desire none of it...

Now, this group is NOT without talent and potential. Not at all-in fact, when the planets align, magic happens. The problem I'm seeing and having is that due to the nature of Youth, the rehearsal period isn't always used to its fullest potential-what I mean to say is, that if we aren't scurrying to learn and memorize something JUST in the nick of time for a performance, then there is a noticeable lack of adrenaline in the rehearsal room. If it's not a new piece, well, it's just not "Fun" enough.

The repetition needed for the first phase of learning is not what is needed for the second phase, which requires discipline and stamina on a subtler scale.

It's almost like someone who won't read unless it's on a computer: the toy is as important as the task at hand. All needs to be bright, shiny and new.

If the music isn't new, then there isn't enough interest to really polish it and make it WONDERFUL. The Youth mistakes the rush of performance for excellence.

If they're asked to repeat and dig deeper for more nuance and for better pitch or more musical understanding, more emotional commitment, well... not until I get a piece of chocolate...

The building of a true Work Ethic begins in childhood, and is groomed and nurtured in middle and high school. College is almost too late.

If the music is "learned"-that is, the notes are understood and can be sung back, then the Youthful mind says, "That's all there is. what's next?"

True musicianship and art come out of the willingness to suffer on another level to develop a totally different piece of work. The suffering is the harder more specific work it takes to break something down to the nitty gritty when you think it's already "Finished..." News Flash-it's NEVER Finished...

If posture, to take a basic example, is poor in a rehearsal situation, and causes poor intonation, sloppy diction, well, if that's what the performer is allowing to be the baseline, that is what the voice will produce in performance. The mind and the body speak to each other constantly; if the pitch is low due to bad rehearsal habits, well, the mind will not know the piece in any other "key." The body is being taught the wrong things from the start-or, the middle, really.

"I'm kind of tired of this piece..." comes the whine...ah, well, then...there we are...

Full of potential. Lots of talent. Incredible leadership. The ingredients are there for spectacular things. Where's the recipe? I keep waiting for the yeast to proof...the dough to rise...