Today, it is the mimes. They are equally as ridiculous as memes and this particular duo is up to a very dangerous game; one that is both silent and deadly.

* * *

The end?

• Will our intrepid duo survive the harrowing journey?
• Will they get three wishes from the magic horn fairy?
• Or will this change the universe as we know it?
• Continue here to find out!

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• A joy of creative writing.
• Public service and contribution.
• A means to ponder and think out loud.
• Interaction with other people.

Since then, the psyche of musicians and what makes them tick has been a topic of many articles. It has become a subject of fascination and it is something that motivates me to speak out.

Background

After leaving my position with the Mexico City Philharmonic I became a graduate assistant at Arizona State University and studied horn with Thomas Bacon. At the time internet technology, and in particular making web pages, was a new concept. It became a hobby that quickly developed into a sideline career.

When I got started with web design in 1995, Ron Boerger’s Horn Player’s FAQ reigned supreme as a horn resource. It was the inspiration for me to try out a new medium to showcase Thomas Bacon and his efforts at ASU.

A gradual transition

Since that time I created and launched many web sites, including those for The International Horn Society, Robert King Music and Osmun Music.

I first began posting articles around 2008 with the Horndog Blog. My efforts were sporadic at first as I struggled with balancing and maintaining multiple careers in music, teaching and web development.

It was a path paved with some detours and pitfalls, but in the end I managed to land on my feet. I am fortunate today to have a good career as a web developer by day and as a professional musician on nights and weekends.

Dark shadows

The work environment for some musicians – as any veteran professional might confess – has a shadowy underbelly, one that is rarely discussed outside of the concert hall. It is like a dirty family secret, perpetuating itself from place-to-place and generation-to-generation.

How do I know so much about annoying and alienating colleagues? Mainly because (I am embarrassed to admit) I have participated in many of these behaviors myself!

As my career transitioned more towards web development and marketing this was something that became clearer over time. Looking from a different perspective can change everything.

A whithered path

Boredom and cynicism are the green-eyed monsters in the classical music world. Its venomous effect sinks in like slow, deadly poison.

Some people deal with this creatively by pursuing outside projects, for example: taking up a hobby, teaching students, becoming a soloist, making a recording or writing a book. Others, fall prey to it and cope in a variety of ways.

This is not to say that the business is inherently evil and full of misfits, but rather to say that at some point we all must face choices.

• Do I take the high road or the low road?
• Do I wallow in the mud or do I try to rise above it?
• Can I make a dent in this world?
  

Cynicism and negativity are realities in any profession really but in the Arts especially, where hearts and emotions are at the core, it is a trap that ensnares a number of good people.

It is something for all of us to be wary of and in some circumstances, something to act on proactively.

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The Jaded Clam Award

Quirky personalities are more-or-less a fact of life in the classical music profession. For non-musicians and students, it can almost seem like a dirty secret when the dramas behind-the-scenes are discovered.

A prevailing thought among spectators is that because music is performed so harmoniously, professional musicians must all get along like peas in a pod. On the surface this seems like a very logical assumption.

Yet, some musicians – especially those unaccustomed to or sheltered from social morays and business norms – exhibit a fair amount of temperamental and odd behaviors that in any other work environment would have serious repercussions.

From a deeply-jaded, professional French horn player named Archibald K. Noodlefish, here are some “tips” on how to make the best of a bad attitude.

Rehearsal tips
from the venerable Archibald K. Noodlefish

1.) Play with a smart-phone.
Let’s be honest – rehearsals are boring!

How can one possibly expect to pay attention for that long and stay on task? Most of the stuff being said does not relate to me personally, so I might as well zone out and get some Facebook time.

2.) Complain about everything.
Life is one constant disappointment after another and I like to remind everyone around me about that fact.

My opinion is fair and honest and people need to hear it. Some might say that I have a negative attitude, but I would like to think that I am just being truthful.

3.) Empty tuning slides with passionate rage.
So what if yanking out my slides sounds like coins dropping into a tin bucket?

What is the problem with blowing condensation out with hurricane force? Who cares if I spin my horn around like a drunken acrobat?

I must get that water out and sometimes it needs to happen quickly – at any cost. It’s an occupational hazard really and some people simply do not understand what I have to go through to get this done.

4.) Socialize during rehearsals.
I have important things to say and catching up to do with my buddies. So what if I giggle and goof around when the conductor is rehearsing the strings? They should just have a string sectional and let me go home.

5.) Be a “Don Juan.”
Life is short and I need to get all the romance and attention I deserve.

Dating other musicians in the group I work with makes things much easier. If it eventually doesn’t work out, I will just move on to someone else and try that out for a while.

What harm is there in that?

Archibald K. Noodlefish, Hornist Extraordinare

6.) Show immediate appreciation after every solo entrance a colleague executes correctly.
It is important to support my colleagues when they get something right and they need to know that I support them. Telling them in person afterward is just too much effort; there is not enough time during work to do that.

Shuffling feet, thrusting out a leg or making kiss-kiss noises are all good options worth exploring. Of course if they mess up I will not shuffle or signal any kind of approval.

That would be silly and disrespectful!

In any case I am fairly sure that the sudden void of praise will go completely unnoticed. Besides, I will just make up for it next time with an even bigger acknowledgment.

Maybe I should wave a flag or shoot off fireworks?

7.) Avoid eye contact with the boss.
I can see the Maestro just fine in my peripheral vision. The guy is a bit leery of me anyway so I might as well take advantage of his insecurity and ignore his attempts to control me. That dirty bastard…

8.) Bark commands. Give dirty looks.
Rehearsals are done in a rush! Who has time for manners and politeness?

I take it personally when mistakes are made. If someone around me is doing something wrong I let them know right away and in as few words as possible in order to save time.

Sometimes a facial expression alone – one that looks like I just tasted cow manure and accidentally saw my parents having sex – lets people know that I disapprove.

Also, do not underestimate the power of sarcastic eye rolls and loud, exasperated sighs filled with bitter angst. Oh my goodness, those are precious art forms in themselves!

(He chuckles to himself for a moment, then gets serious.)

If the recipient of my feedback cannot handle an intense appreciation for rehearsal efficiency that is their problem, not mine. They just need to get a thicker skin and toughen up.

9.) Play a little louder and a little longer than everyone else.
I create dulcet tones and lovely art when I play. It is imperative that everyone hears and appreciates my Art.

Need I say more?

10.) Park your chair in someone’s line of sight.
I absolutely need to see the Maestro and sometimes I need to move my chair around to get the best view.

The people behind me are not important and I do not need to acknowledge their presence or their need to see the conductor. They can adjust their chairs around me.

11.) Avoid saying things like hello, how are you?, good morning or good-bye.
I see my colleagues every day – sometimes two or three times! They are not going anywhere, so I might as well take advantage of this and spend that time warming-up or playing with my smart-phone.

Besides, I dislike most of those people anyway!

Warmest wishes for a successful and memory-filled career,
Archie K.

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Occasionally too a popular teaching anecdote – such as paralysis by analysis – loses its original meaning as it gets mixed into our conversations about brass technique. Context becomes less clear as it passes from person to person, generation to generation, and in some circles this phrase has become somewhat of a rallying cry to denounce critical thinking in brass techniques.

Along this line of thought is “Mouthpiece Pressure Myths” by David Wilken. In this article David presents some fascinating highlights from research published in 1986 from the New Scientist.

In terms of the big picture I think it illustrates one thing quite clearly. Brass players are fairly flawed in their ability to gauge and interpret mouthpiece pressure.

Going further, David Wilken suggests that this

…is yet another reminder that I need to be careful about proclaiming judgments that I “know” to be true. Even experts in their fields are guilty of accepting certain false statements as true simply because they are commonly believed.

The results are fascinating and I highly suggest reading David’s article for an overview.

Mouthpiece pressure

On this particular topic, John Ericson has written a few articles of interest:

• Breaking the rules
• Cousins on pressure
• Using too much pressure

I echo John’s sentiments and encourage readers not familiar with these articles to give them a read.

I would only add that in my experiences with teaching large band programs at elementary and middle schools, I saw a number of beginning and intermediate brass students using intense pressure – without putting any facial muscle support behind it – in order to get high notes.

Points and counterpoints

A teacher of mine once said that heavy mouthpiece pressure was nothing to be concerned about as long as one “meets the mouthpiece.”

In illustrating this he would make two fists with his hands, touch them together at the knuckles and then push them against one another. With his hands, he was illustrating the concept that force and counter-force can balance one another.

A different teacher advised that I only use enough pressure to make a hermetic seal with the rim of the mouthpiece. At the time it made great sense and I made progress.

Another teacher suggested that I “blow the mouthpiece off the face.”

Yet another said that I should always buzz intensely loud on the mouthpiece; another suggested that this was harmful and something to be avoided.

All of this advice – in its time and place – meant something to me in my life as a horn player.

The rim as isolator

These days the pendulum swings in another direction.

My attention is focused on the mouthpiece rim as an isolator. In this role, I would argue that it helps to lock-down the vibrating area of the embouchure and separate it from the non-vibrating, supporting musculature outside of the mouthpiece.

With high and loud notes in particular, something much more than an airtight seal is required.

This is of course speculation based purely on personal observation. So, when conveying a concept like this to another person it generally comes with the dutiful and honest disclaimer of it works for me, and it has worked for some of my students in varying degrees.

Tell it on a mountain

Anecdotes and stories can without a doubt broaden the mind and inspire changes. They have purpose and value in music education.

As a classroom teacher for example, I maintained a vast arsenal of jokes, stories and activities. Sometimes the right story at the right time can ignite a spark inside of a student’s head.

However under the auspices of instrumental pedagogy and brass methods it is a good idea to back up the stories with sound technical knowledge, or at the very least with working hypotheses that lead towards tangible solutions and goals.

Delusion

Beyond the horn-related humor there was an underlying theme to my horn brain cartoon posted a few days ago. With even the strongest and greatest minds in the world there is no immunity from stray thoughts and delusion.

This is something too that the research published in the New Scientist really shows.

As humans we are all somewhat flawed.

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The Mind of the Horn Player. Click for a closer look.

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* * *

Sometimes in our musical lives with colleagues, teachers and students, a dance-of-power can rear its ugly head; one that can lead to a lot of unnecessary drama and anxiety. Stephen Karpman first described this psychological dance in 1968 as the drama triangle.

A basic understanding of the roles and pitfalls behind this triangle can be of great value to musicians, students and teachers. It is a classic model of human interaction and behavior that counseling and leadership experts reference today.

A vicious cycle

Karpman’s model outlines three habitual (and toxic) roles that a player might take on in a given situation. The progression typically cycles in this order:

• Rescuer
• Victim
• Persecutor

Blame and guilt are in the stew that feeds this triangle, and I imagine that this is why it is so hard to recognize and break out of once trapped inside.

The pattern goes roughly like this: one individual tries to steer and control another, feels victimized when things don’t go as planned and then, ends up resenting their target.

Ulterior motives

This is a power game really, played all too often in the music profession. I would daresay that a number of well-known teachers in our field utilize this power play as a default – whether by accident or on purpose. Students too may take on the Victim role as a starting point in order to exercise control over their teachers, parents or other students.

The ulterior motive in this game is for unspoken (and possibly subconscious) desires to be met in a way where satisfaction and power are achieved. This behavior ignores of course the broader harm being done to the situation as a whole. It is based on personal needs, rather than on responsibility or true altruism.

Rescuers

Rescuers are fairly easy to spot. They get caught up in enabling and helping people – whether they need it or not. They see themselves as good and doing good for other people. Their approach can vary, ranging from soft-and-gentle (passive aggression), all the way up to being assertive and bossy (active aggression).

They offer unsolicited advice and will rationalize it as “I care so much” or “I am just trying to help.” Rescuers are generally not aware that pity and disrespect are often at the core of their behavior ( i.e. “I know what’s best for you”).

When in public with my sister-in-law and her new baby for example, I am always amazed at mothers that will approach her with unsolicited child-rearing advice. This kind of encounter is typically more about the person giving the advice than the person getting it.

A Rescuer will typically slide into feeling victimized  (“Poor me, I give so much, yet no one returns my efforts or truly recognizes them”). In time a Rescuer will even grow to resent their target (“That jerk just doesn’t get it. Why did I waste my time?”).

This cycle goes round and round, and with each shift in roles there is Drama, hence the name of the model. What is most destructive with this cycle for musicians is that it is all about the Drama, which ultimately stands in the way of problem-solving and progress.

Indifference as a tool

I have only taken a handful of lessons from Philip Farkas, but I once heard that when introducing a new concept, he would wait for the student to become inquisitive before repeating himself and spelling out the new concept in more detail.

Avoiding the Rescuer role in music education translates into accepting that indifference can actually be a good mindset. It can be very useful and productive to wait and see if a student steps forward for themselves or to see how they end up doing things differently than originally anticipated. As David Krehbiel (former principal horn of the San Fransisco Symphony Orchestra) would often say, it is an attitude of “creative not-caring.”

What the drama triangle illustrates for us as musicians is the value of being non-reactive, and somewhat detached and non-judgmental in our practice.

That is not to say that we must be devoid of emotion (like the ultra-logical Mr. Spock character from Star Trek). I would suggest rather that identifying strong feelings and thinking about them appropriately before speaking out loud is a more positive and productive approach.

This realization alone can be very helpful in owning and experiencing our feelings, instead of being controlled by them.

It’s a trap!

Understanding the general idea of the drama triangle alone can help us as musicians to be more aware of our own tendencies to engage in dysfunctional emotional entanglements. To someone tangled in its web, simply knowing about it can bring some relief.

If caught in a drama triangle, the only escape really is to confront the problem. Learning to be comfortable as a Bad Guy is necessary in this instance in order to break the pattern.

I am not a psychologist or a doctor and have only a surface understanding of this principle, but I think at a minimum it should be noted that unwanted, unsolicited advice as a personal practice can be a very slippery slope.

For the receiver, it is strong indication of a hidden agenda to be wary of.

Resources used in this article

• http://www.truthortradition.com/modules.php?file=article&name=News&sid=229
• http://www.therapyideas.net/triangles.htm
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karpman_drama_triangle
• http://www.ta-tutor.com/!dratri/xdrallp.htm
• My wife and her marvelous brain

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As with anything new, there is a period of adjustment required. Declaring yourself as a collegiate major in music is a significant choice. It indicates that you intend on being a professional and that you are now accountable to a higher standard in order to improve and hone your craft.

For music performance majors this means hours of practice – the method to improve and meet the challenges presented in weekly lessons. These lessons in turn are the mechanism to diagnose and test the efficiency of the practice.

Under pressure

For some, this can be a big change from previous learning experiences. If you are not accustomed to a higher level of scrutiny and accountability, you might find yourself crumbling under the pressure.

The first semester of college music lessons can end up being a series of random trials and errors. Mine certainly was, and I imagine that this is not an uncommon experience.

Six tips on how to deal with criticism

1. Don’t make it personal

Sometimes it might feel as though a comment in a lesson is a direct criticism about personal style and beliefs. It is important to keep in mind that learning is subjective and that the teacher is there to help you improve and see that you graduate, ready for employment.

2. Develop a thicker skin

It can be difficult sometimes to take criticism on something we have worked on for a long period of time.

When presented with your work, only rarely will your teacher be 100% satisfied with it. This is a good life lesson too – we all should surrender to the fact that we will always receive criticism – both positive and negative. (Ultimately, this is a good thing of course!)

3. Ask questions and seek advice

Teachers and counselors exist to help you succeed in solving problems. If something is not clear to you, ask questions. If your first round of questions feels unanswered, keep searching. Use the resources readily available on most campuses – other faculty, campus advisers or the library.

In college, the time for lazy thinking and spoon-feeding is over. Student comprehension is no longer the direct responsibility and duty of the teacher. In college, students are now young adults; their academic quest for knowledge and a career demands taking charge, asking questions and taking responsibility.

4. Act like a professional

College is a good practice field for testing out basic tenets of professionalism and teamwork. This includes acceptance of methods and beliefs different than your own. Be confident in what you do, always keeping in mind that the goal in college is to be a professional and handle yourself accordingly.

5. Stand up for your musical choices

If you feel overly criticized for some reason, speak up for yourself. As a teacher myself, I like it when a student makes a firm musical choice, even if it runs counter to my own.

6. Journal your experiences

I will probably write about the value of journaling until my fingers wither to the bone.

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As with solving a technical problem on an instrument, the first step lies in realizing and acknowledging that there is a problem.

A continuum

Being a visually oriented person, a rough graphic came to mind – kind of a musician danger zone – drawn out as a continuum:
The title of this post – which is cheekily based on a song sung by a muppet -  refers to the two extremes of this spectrum.  From the inexperienced newbie to the burned-out and thoroughly-jaded musician, both are shades of green.

A classic model

At this point the Kübler-Ross grief cycle – the 5 steps of emotions that occur in terminal illness – comes to mind.

If viewed in terms of musician stress, it offers some very relevant parallels. This cycle can apply to any level of musician – from the inexperienced with fantastical expectations, to the seasoned veteran experiencing burnout.
The danger for some musicians I believe, is that they get mired in the muck and never see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Getting stuck in a loop

A textbook problem with this cycle is that a person may get get stuck in one step, or may loop between several steps -  for an extended period or even permanently.

A musician stuck in denial for example, may never move on. They may feel anger, but may repress it or bottle it up inside. In the same way, a person may be stuck in permanent anger or repeated bargaining.

A different trap is cycling – a person moves on to the next phase without having resolved an earlier phase, and so they loop in cycles that repeat previous emotions and actions. A person that finds bargaining not to be working for instance, may go back into anger or denial.

In the classic application of this model, cycling is a form of avoidance – going backwards feels like a time extension before the inevitable happens.

The spark

The Kübler-Ross grief cycle begins with a shock. In its original context this would be the realization that a terminal illness will result in death.

For the purposes of analyzing musician’s stress, this shock could be:

• a specific negative event,
• a series of accumulated negative events,
• an impending change that creates a sense of doom and dread,
• or big changes whose outcome might be hurtful yet unavoidable.

Management in denial

Generally speaking, big changes in orchestra managerial operations can initiate something in business management theory known as the Change Roller Coaster.

As Philip Farkas notes in Chapter 10 of The Art of Musicianship, music performance involves the emotions.  By the very nature of the art itself, our emotions lie very near the surface.

This roller coaster effect therefore can have tremendous impact on a musician’s attitude and psyche. It can activate the grief cycle or open up the musician to the “danger zone continuum” illustrated earlier.

(Events here in Phoenix were parodied in a previous post last March bearing in mind this very management theory.)

Smart managers should be at least aware of these principles and take appropriate measures in times of crisis.

Clueless managers are … well … clueless.

To be continued…

*Kermit the Frog, the Kermit the Frog image and the term “muppet” are the property of their respective owners. They are used here under the auspices of fair use as defined in our terms.

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A regular job in a symphony or opera orchestra, or chamber group is a job that is like no other. The experience at its best includes:

• the joy of performing great music

• the pleasures of making music with others

• sharing that experience with audiences

Why look at the underbelly?

Regular readers may notice that when writing about the music profession, I often examine its darker side.

The reasons for doing so are an earnest attempt:

• self-analysis of my own music career and experiences, past and present,

• to expose younger musicians to potential pitfalls that they might encounter along the way, and how to avoid or cope with them,

• and to affect a positive change by drawing these darker issues into the light.

Compare and contrast

So if performing music is all about doing what you love, why do some professionals seem kind of bitter and jaded?

To a student especially this attitude may be very confounding. It seems so antithetical and counter-productive towards all the great things that great music is about.

Speaking in very broad and general terms here is one angle to consider – perhaps this odd dichotomy, in part at least, is a generational gap:

Younger people,
with the remainder of their lives well ahead of them, look forward to new things and new adventures in their lives. With an abundance of energy and a clean slate to drawn upon, they are ready to tackle the world. The young are eager to forge ahead with their lives.

Older people,
at the middle or end of their lives also look forward to new adventures, but at a certain point the majority of their life experience lies behind them. Older adults may look backwards more often and will want to share those experiences with others, as both encouragement and as cautionary tales to the young.

Younger people
may expend their energies in a wide spectrum, casting a wide path. They will explore as many avenues as possible to take advantage of all that life has to offer. They may take greater risks in pursuit of greater rewards.

Older people
having already explored a wide path and having discovered what works for them, might be less inclined to take big risks. Having acquired some experience, they may prefer to take more measured and calculated risks.

Younger people
in school get to experience a great deal of freedom and autonomy in musical tastes and repertoire, though large and small ensembles, and recitals.

Older people
who perform in orchestras or freelance may have less freedom and opportunity, but are able to support themselves with the earned income.

Perspective

Generally speaking, the quality of a musical life may have much to do with attitude, age and experience. There are positive things to be learned from each generation of course – the open-minded sense of wonder from the young, and the benefits of wisdom from the aged, as examples.

These are just a few broad points to get started. I invite comments below to continue this discussion.

Further reading:

• How does such great music engender such bitter people?
  Max Levinson
• Some thoughts of an orchestral musician concerning auditions and the musical life
  Marylou Speaker Churchill
• Perfect pitch – the orchestral musician
  Karen O’Conner
• The puzzle of our lives
  Doug Yeo
• Sex, drugs and symphony orchestras
  Norman Lebrecht
• Orchestra life
  Robert Levine

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When the nerve connection breaks down.

When I recently visited John Ericson to discuss launching this website, he was ending a lesson with a student afflicted with focal dystonia. (He has written briefly about focal dystonia before.) I had an interesting discussion with this student and it opened my eyes to this debilitating medical condition.

I have perhaps seen this condition in several students, but at the time was not fully aware of the possibility that it might have been focal dystonia.

Dystonia is a neuro-muscular disorder that causes muscles in the body to contract or spasm. “Focal” dystonia is generalized to one region of the body. For musicians, it typically affects the specific area of the body that is used to play the instrument.

A failure to communicate

The connection between the specific muscles for playing and its corresponding area in the brain — for some unknown reason — short-circuits itself. Something goes awry with muscle memory.

It is not something that occurs overnight. According to a post at Chamber Music Today:

• Multiple parts of the body can be affected, or sometimes just one such as hands, arms, neck, face, eyes, or vocal cords;
• Symptoms are usually chronic and progressive;
• Varying degrees of disability and pain, from mild to severe, interfering with performing on your instrument;
• Affected body parts specifically are ones that are intensively utilized in your performing—ones that are the focus of intense attention, cognitive effort, and repetitive rehearsal.

Treatment

By all reports, it is incurable. Medications used to treat dystonia are generalized and temporary, and do not cure the condition.

Dianne Rhem, a National Public Radio personality that I regularly listen to, receives periodic shots of Botox directly into her vocal chords to help treat her spasmodic dysphonia. Sometimes this Botox treatment is prescribed for focal dystonia.

At Embouchure Dystonia, Joaquín Fabra suggests that Botox injections into the embouchure might ruin it forever.

This disorder is generally unknown among doctors, most of them have never seen a case and have no experience on this matter, generally they are cautious and sincerely admit they do not know the disorder, but others may dare to suggest botox which can ruin the embouchure forever.

Botox is, after all, a poisonous substance – a botulinum toxin. There may be some validity in Mr. Fabra’s assertion. How many Hollywood celebrities have we seen with plastic, frozen facial features from too many Botox treatments?

Trombone professor David Vining at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona recounts his experience with embouchure dystonia and his more holistic approach towards treatment.

This is what can be very puzzling about dystonia; it is not easily diagnosed and, at present, there is no recommended medical course of treatment.  This leaves the patient to find alternative non-medical avenues to rehabilitation.

My approach to this problem was exactly that – I aggressively sought non-medical options.

Adaptation and coping

Other musicians choose to adapt, as Billy McLaughlin did. Fortunately for him, switching hands was an option.

Other resources:

• http://www.youtube.com/user/davescragg
• http://www.dystonia-foundation.org/pages/musicians_with_dystonia/180.php

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By far the number one page in the site was the page of playing tips, which has been transferred over to Horn Matters here. After that, the top seven posts were these, in order:

• A single B-flat horn FAQ
• Kruspe 1930 catalog illustrations
• A Devil to Play, but watch the plagiarism
• News of the Phoenix Symphony
• Three big elements of “the mellophone problem”
• A fingering chart for single F, double, and single Bb horn
• My rotary valve “Vienna horn”

It is a somewhat random group but reflects the top things people were looking for information on. As a final group the following were the next 13 most popular posts in order. Again, it is a rather random list that reflects some trends in searches and unique information in the site.

• Eriksson [Larsson] plays the long call
• Is the real horn the F horn?
• Caruso studies and the horn
• Nerves and bananas?
• Dukas Villanelle and the natural horn
• Highland Cathedral
• Classic mellophone
• Dissertation acknowledgments
• Fingerings and notations for the single B-flat horn
• SEHW 2009
• Wagner tuba news
• Hermann Neuling
• Hand horn technique and the Baroque horn

Some of these have been renamed slightly in the Horn Matters site; the above are all the original titles. There were at the close of the Horn Notes Blog 520 posts, and all of the above posts have been transferred over to the new site. Most will likely remain popular as the archives are very accessible in the design of the site. I welcome you to check them all over.

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UPDATE 6/13/09: a retraction.

A manager involved with non-profit public relations always wants to put the best face on a company, even when the going gets tough. During times of crisis, they know that donors shy away from giving money to an organization that looks like a sinking ship.

But there may a very fine line between crafted PR spin and sleight-of-hand.

Lipstick on a pig

When the news hit that the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra (PSO) was once again in financial dire straights, it came as a big shock to the local community. By all reports things were looking as sunny as ever.

Dimitri Drobatschewsky writes in a 6/5/2009 Musical America article:

The news came as a surprise. Phoenix Symphony executives, in one pre-performance speech after the other, had been reporting only good news: “This is our fifth consecutive balanced-budget season!” “Ticket sales are increasing at a record rate!” or, as in the case of the May 23 program with Joshua Bell as the soloist, “We have another sold-out hall!”

Stephen Lemmons at the Phoenix New Times (6/2/2009) called CEO Maryellen Gleason to task, pointing out that the recent dismissals of veteran players were supposed to help make the organization more stable.

“We only want to have the best artistic product we can get,” Gleason said at the time. “And all of the decisions were made in the spirit of making the orchestra sound better. And we’re getting more donations, and we’re selling more tickets.”

Lemmons adds later:

Gleason won’t cop to mistakes in the way the symphony has treated its musicians, but perhaps she should.

Perhaps Gleason’s avoidance of responsibility is a tactic from the Napoleonic old-school: in politics, never back down and never admit mistakes.

Defeat at Waterloo

In dismissing cellist Richard Bock, the PSO powers-that-be claimed that Mr. Bock had violated a state law regarding the confidentiality of contract meditations. As it turns out that interpretation was incorrect, according the National Labor Relations Board.

…NLRB regional director Cornele Overstreet pointed out that the law in question, A.R.S. 12-2238, is essentially a rule of evidence.

“It is not a rule of criminality,” said Overstreet. “It simply guides how the court looks at evidence.”

The PSO has paid dearly for that mistake. Bock (and one other fired musician, Peter Rosato) have won legal settlements. While the amounts have not been disclosed, one can imagine what retroactive back pay and advance future pay — two, three, or five years in advance — might amount to.

Drobatschewsky wonders if these settlements may have had a direct impact on the orchestra’s operating budget.

The question now making the rounds is whether the symphony was insured for such settlements, or whether the musicians’ pay cuts are subsidizing them.

Eight musicians so far have lodged complaints against Music Director Michael Christie with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

It appears that Gleason’s proposed mission to stabilize the orchestra may have done more harm than good.

Comments across the Net

The public outcry and debate at comment sections throughout the Internet is interesting to say the least.

A few examples:

From the Phoenix New Times 2/06/09, Gary Jones writes:

This music director came here with a very ugly agenda which seems to have had nothing to do with improving the music-making in the orchestra and everything to do with personal power and self-glorification, and he has been enabled every step of the way by Gleason.

From “appalled music lover” at Adaptistration 6/10/09:

This brings up the lack of credibility that Ms Gleason and Mr Christie now have with the orchestra and community. The betrayal of trust relates not to just her claims of 5 years of balanced budgets, which are now seen as smoke and mirrors, but also to their attitude toward the musicians and resulting actions.

The debate at the 3/23/09 New Times post gets particularly impassioned. Perhaps a bit hyperbolic at times, it nevertheless gives a very good impression of how heated this issue is.

Questions

This all leads to some very pressing questions. One cannot help but to wonder:

• Is there indeed a connection between the deftly-named “Landmark Accord” and these legal settlements?
• Does Music Director Michael Christie have designs on firing more musicians?
• Will there be an additional price to pay beyond the severe 17% pay cut?
• Is it an accurate assessment to blame the economy for declining contributions?
• Will any heads roll for this mess?

And as for myself as a member of the Arizona Opera Orchestra where contract negotiations will be resuming soon:

• Might the PSO management, looking for fresh revenue sources, be tempted to undercut the Arizona Opera musicians and engage in a campaign of hostile takeover bids?

Bad press can be a good thing

At Adaptistration Drew McManus interprets the recent press attention as something akin to civic “tough love.”

It indicates that the public cares about more than just the artistic output of their respective orchestra. More to the point, they care about whether or not local arts organizations are governed and managed by standards and practices that meet minimum levels of community approval.

Looking ahead towards a better future

As an occasional extra musician with the PSO, a concert patron and a concerned community member it is very disheartening to see my musician colleagues treated like this.

Over the past 15 years or so the PSO musicians have endured setback upon setback. The tremendous effect on morale has been palpable, something I imagine that is not unlike Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

One can only hope that radical change and improvement will happen sooner rather than later.

See also:

• PSO Gets Serious
• What a Mess in Arizona
• Second Horn Audition in Phoenix
• Phoenix Symphony Blues

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In writing Negativity, Narcissism, and More Thoughts on Narcissism, I did some investigating and postulating to figure out events in my own life. A comprehensive article found recently at Slate.com has more-or-less confirmed some of the points made.

1.) The arts attracts narcissists.

In But Enough About You …What is narcissistic personality disorder, and why does everyone seem to have it? Emily Yoffe writes:

The arts, medicine, politics all attract inwardly injured people with an outsize sense of themselves and a desire for the world to recognize them.This seems entirely logical as narcissists thrive on attention, adulation and praise. The concert stage is a perfect arena for this.

2.) Narcissists can behave like children.

Many times I have read online or heard elsewhere the comment that musicians behave like children. There appears to be some truth in that observation in cases of narcissistic musicians:

Those involved with someone with NPD frequently say they feel as if they are interacting with a kindergartener. In some way they are. According to a study in the journal Advances in Psychiatric Treatments,

narcissists are stuck with the emotional development of 5-year-olds.

3.) “Quiet” narcissism can be a good thing

To a certain degree self-adulation and confidence is beneficial, even necessary, to a musician’s psyche. Not many people do their job, in real-time, in front an audience. Strong motivation and confidence then, is needed in order for a musician to focus on performing well.

Narcissism fuels drive and ambition, a desire to be recognized for one’s accomplishments, a sense that one’s life has meaning and importance.

This blog for example, involves some narcissism I suppose. (Although I would like to think that it is more of a pursuit for meaning and purpose than for attention or adoration.) In that regard, “quiet” narcissism is a good thing.

For any musician, there is nothing wrong with feeling confident and strong as an Artist.

4.) Narcissists can drive you crazy.

The leading theory is that Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a condition born of environment, not genetics. It is nearly impossible to treat as the afflicted individual thinks they are fine and rarely seeks treatment. Traditional anti-depression medications in fact, can exacerbate the affliction rather than treat it.

… researchers explored whether NPD should even be considered a disorder since the people who have it, by definition, think so highly of themselves. The authors conclude it is a pathological condition but one that uniquely causes “pain and duress” not to the sufferers but to those closest to them.

… NPD can be summed up as, “Contempt of other people and their emotions.”

A favorite phrase of one backstabbing individual I have dealt with was that other people were “crazy” when they disagreed with him. This explained everything, even justifying his own heinous, irrational acts.

People with NPD are convinced there is nothing wrong with them; it’s everyone around them who is impossible or crazy. There’s some truth to their perception because often the spouse and children of the narcissist have been driven mad by their cruelty, disparagement, rages, and vindictiveness.

5.) It is on the rise.

There are many indicators that narcissistic behavior has become something like a virus in our modern, wired culture. Preliminary studies have indicated that up to 1% of the general population has NPD. More recent studies show that this number may now be as high as 10%.

And as for Arts leadership in this current economy -

…narcissists can be charismatic forces for change—because of their drive, vision, risk-taking, and even ruthlessness, many corporations turn to narcissists for salvation.

Desperate organizations want visionaries with promises of salvation. A charismatic can be very appealing.

But such people can become dangerous because their success fuels their already ample grandiosity and feeds the sense they got there by disdaining the normal rules. … working for or doing business with a narcissist have to be careful not be drawn into crossing legal and ethical lines.

Read the full Slate.com article:

• “But Enough About You …What is narcissistic personality disorder, and why does everyone seem to have it?”

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*UPDATES:

June 8, 2009:

• Press attention focuses on lawsuits and the rosy pictured painted prior to the “landmark deal.”

I live in Phoenix and from time-to-time play extra with the local orchestra. They are a great group of talented musicians, although wounded by a long history of conflict. Sometimes as an extra, it can be felt: the doldrums, the negativity and the stress.

A long article at the New Times titled, “Michael Christie and the Ongoing Rumble in the Phoenix Symphony” sheds some light on the current mood.

According to the article, while the Maestro is cleaning house he faces charges of age discrimination. The NLRB may even get involved.

As a middle-aged musician, I can imagine how it would feel to work under those conditions. I would hazard a guess that the bumpy road now feels more like a scary roller coaster ride.

• See also:

  “Bad Stuff in Phoenix Indeed” for additional information.

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As musicians we are trained in school to be free and assertively pursue our musical ideas. Taking chances and “going for it” is our mantra, our purpose.

In the professional realm, it is a somewhat different matter. While orchestral musicians do have a certain degree of autonomy, the bottom line is that we are to blend into the orchestral fabric, lead by section leaders and the commander-in-chief.

This lack of freedom and control is one of the major factors that leads to stress and unhappiness in many orchestral musicians. Our school youth is spent with rose-colored glasses on and ideals of what the future holds. If not matured and adapted to professional expectations and standards, these ideals can over time turn into sour milk.

The Hand in one sense then, is symbolic. It can represent a rude awakening for brass players not prepared to deal with the realities of being a professional.

While the Hand cannot be controlled by those under its command, one’s personal reaction to it most certainly can be. You can choose to get angry and be a sourpuss, or, to get creative and be clever.

Once upon a time in Mexico

Over the course of my career I have experienced a few occasions when a conductor has demanded a nearly imperceptible soft dynamic level. One such occasion was in Mexico City with a well-known conductor who was notorious for being an eccentric autocrat, sometimes firing musicians on the spot with no notice.

It was an ordinary place in the Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique where I was singled out in a rehearsal. The Maestro stopped the entire orchestra and asked me to play a short passage by myself. It was marked piano so I played it at what I thought was an appropriate dynamic level.

“No, no, no!” shouted the Maestro. “That was not piano. You need to play it softer.” He went on in more detail and even took a brief tangent to insult my masculinity (I had a long ponytail then).

I tried again.

“NO! Again!”

And again I tried. Fortunately for me I didn’t get too rattled by his constant tirade of insults. He seemed hell-bent on breaking me. I was equally determined not to react.

This cycle went back and forth for a few turns and finally the idea jumped into my head that maybe the Maestro thought that I wasn’t trying hard enough. Without changing anything in my embouchure or dynamic level, I scrunched my eyebrows downward to telegraph the impression that I was trying REALLY hard.

Luckily for me, it worked – like a charm. Whew.

It was a curious incident that my colleagues and I had a good laugh over later. Apparently I had passed the Maestro’s test, and the next day he even greeted me with a heartfelt hug. (?!)

Pianissimo and beyond

The anecdote above is an extreme case of course. This “eyebrow technique” amounts to a psychological trick basically, to shake off a mad dog.

Under normal circumstances there are some simple techniques to achieve softer dynamics. Here are three suggestions:

First, a soft pianissimo might be better conceptualized as what Sam Pilafian calls a “baby forte.” Playing softly in other words does not mean a weak air stream. It just means a slower, more controlled airstream.

Second, Farkas’ illustration of a large, open-ended coffee can covered with a cloth pull-string bag (from the The Art of Brass Playing) is an excellent model. Another visual image might be hangman’s noose. Squeezing the corner embouchure muscles for a soft dynamic is much like pulling the strings on this cloth pull-string bag or tightening the rope noose.

In other words, pucker the lips.

Lastly, playing softly does not mean less quality air, but rather slower, more pressurized air. Imagining a large inner tube squeezing around the mid-section helps to activate the necessary abdominal muscles, which in turn provide the needed compression and air pressure.

(I personally avoid using the word “support” as this term can cause confusion.)

Fighting fire with fire

A very handy trick (no pun intended) that I picked up long ago was to fight the Hand with my own hand – the right hand that is.

(This is a much better method by the way, than fighting back with the “finger” — either metaphorically in the mind, or literally with the … uhm … middle finger.)

Forming the right hand with the tips of the thumb and fingers touching, and inserting the hand so that the bell is semi-closed, I push in the main tuning slide about one inch and play a normal pianissimo.

This “quasi-echo horn” technique not only lowers the dynamic level but it also muffles treble frequencies from the tone, which enhances the effect. Coupled with placing the bell held snugly against the body, this trick is a last resort.

It is however a useful effect that has made many a conductor happy. It has saved me from much anxiety over meeting unreasonable demands to play imperceptibly quiet. Used on isolated sustained notes (such as in a quiet woodwind chord) it works very well.

UPDATE: 3.23.09

- please read David Thomas’ great article, “Breathing Comes Naturally.“

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