THE TRIANGLE OF INDIRECT LEARNING & VIRTUOSITY

THE TRIANGLE OF INDIRECT
LEARNING & VIRTUOSITY

"You can't know a thing by an instrument
that's wrong." F.M. Alexander

We shape the world and the world shapes us.

Three steps on the path to musical excellence are
wholly in-direct steps, that is, they require that we
step out of our practice rooms, and give attention
to our primary instrument—not our piano, or trumpet,
or violin—but our own physical-mental instrument,
or our mind-body.

All learning is cyclic. All learning is rhythmic. So the
triangle of virtuosity and indirect learning is best
practiced as a daily rhythmic cycle. The basic principle is
one-two-three infinity, or that, once we with diligence,
determination and devotion establish a cyclic practice,
the energy of the cyclic movement become essentially
playful and self-sustaining. (It is also a crucial part of
the awakening of self-awareness, both alone and
together with ones real—that is, nonvirtual—friends
and teachers, that one becomes aware both the things
one should and should not do to get the cyclic triangle
going.)

In brief sketch form, the three synergistic steps are:

(1) Yoga & AT (Alexander Technique): With Yoga, we
mean not just a sustained and serious life-long practice
of exercies and asanas and meditation, but more
generally a life path which is based on movement
without force. With AT, we mean not just doing a
course of lessons with the best available teacher of
Alexander Technique in your area, but also in more
generally, a life path which is based on movement
without tension.

(2) Singing, Drumming & Solfeggio: With singing, we do
not mean the much dreaded "ear training" classes of
universities and conservatories around the world, but
more generally, the simple awareness that your primary
instrument is your inner voice. This is your unique vision.
It is what moves you. And what moves your listeners
when you perform. Paradoxically, this inner voice can
only be awakened through sustained, intense, outward
movement, most especially singing, dancing and
drumming.

(3) Hiking, Running & Biking: Rhythm in music is both
awakened and rooted in the feet. And it is here, as we
venture bravely out onto city streets, or into the wilds,
that be begin to meditate on how our art, our music, is
related to our own physical instrument of the mind body,
but also, and much more generally, to the essential wider
contexts of Culture and Nature as one living whole.

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