Piano Impression

As I was finishing off my latest patchi installment for my website, I discovered the poetry of Archibald Lampman (1861 - 1899). I believe the experience of music is one of the most challenging subjects to put into words and Lampman has done that so beautifully in this sonnet, that I couldn't resist sharing it!

The Piano

Low brooding cadences that dream and cry

Life's stress and passion echoing straight and clear;

Wild flights of notes that clamour and beat high

Into the storm and battle, or drop sheer;

Strange majesties of sound beyond all words

Ringing on clouds and thunderous heights sublime;

Sad detonance of golden tones and chords

That tremble with the secret of all time;

O wrap me round; for one exulting hour

Possess my soul, and I indeed shall know

The wealth of living, the desire, the power,

The tragic sweep, the Appollonian glow;

All life shall stream before me; I shall see,

With eyes unblanched, Time and Eternity.

Archibald Lampman

Busy - but never too busy for poetry!

Being caught up in many different creative projects is stimulating and satisfying...but leaves little room for keeping up to date with such things as a digital blog or diary.

So...as a compromise, I've decided to share some more poetry that I love, and will leave more extensive musings for when I have more time!

Song

You say you love; but with a voice

Chaster than a nun's, who singeth

The soft vespers to herself

While the chime-bell ringeth -

O love me truly!

You say you love; but with a smile

Cold as sunrise in September,

As you were Saint Cupid's nun,

And kept his weeks of Ember -

O love me truly!

You say you love; but then your lips

Coral tinted teach no blisses,

More than coral in the sea -

They never pout for kisses -

O love me truly!

You say you love; but then your hand

No soft squeeze for squeeze returneth;

It is, like a statue's, dead, -

While mine to passion burneth -

O love me truly!

John Keats

Just as a footnote, I think Dymocks and perhaps other major bookshops need to take a look at their poetry section and invest in a broader range to chose from. The token smattering of poetry books that you are most likely to find in such stores do not do justice to the vivid and intriguing works that are being created by the poets of today, (such as the Book of Longing by Leonard Cohen)

It's All in the Illusion

On August the 23, there was a beautifully crafted article by Helen Greenwood in the Good Weekend about Jean-Claude Ellena, a master perfumer. Personally I own very few perfumes and I do not have any formal understanding of the production elements behind the making of perfume. However, I was intrigued by Ellena's creative process and the more I read about the ideas and concepts that lead Ellena towards a new scent,the more I found that it could be linked to the choreographic process in dance.

"It's not a matter of combining odours but of creating relationships between odours. The materials of fragrences don't mix like colours to create a new colour. They co-exist and continue to express themselves individually, while at the same time forming a new odour, a new meaning". This is a beautiful thought. I love the notion that the many different scents in one perfume have not simply been smished together, but have been introduced to one another and the resulting conversation between them produces a new odour. It is said that humans danced before we spoke. Then it should be possible to insert the words "movement" and "dance" into the above quotation. For me, a piece of pure dance is most satisfying when there seems to be a running thread between the varied movements, that in turn creates the illusion of a danced conversation, (even in a solo performance!). When you think of the best kind of conversation, it seems to occur when there has been a meeting at a shared concept that produces new thoughts and discussion related to similar concepts. So even though there may be extremely different movements or scents in a particular creation, they must be able to "co-exist" with each other in order to successfully express a new, cohesive idea.

"All art is an illusion...Illusion can be stronger than reality". I could not agree more. Ellena does not attempt to recreate a true smell in his perfumes...he evokes the notion of a scent in order to tell a story through fragrence. How is it possible to tell a story through fragrence, dance or even music? It is through weaving "notions" into your creation that ignites the imagination of the beholder, whose personal associations evoke a story in their mind. That is what art should be about...encouraging others to embark upon some kind of inner quest that either ends with a newly formed idea or another question. That is why "the idea of tea" is so much more interesting than the actual scent of tea, as everyones experience of "tea" is different.

This brings me to a recent bugbear of mine, revolving around those in society who believe performative art should be completely comprehensive and that the use of illusion or whimsy is old hat with no part to play in our compact, computer literate, reality driven modern society. Personally I think we could all do with a little more illusion in our lives, especially with the phenomenan of reality TV that has perched the banal and everyday happenings of life on such a high pedestal. We are swamped by reality each day of our lives, from traffic jams to taxes and now when you switch on the box or surf the net, you are more than likely to be hit by what is believed to be the entertaining side of reality...bitching, cheating and the depraved acts of desperate people.

I am a whimsy addict. Daydreams tickle my life, and when I am offered the opportunity to experience someone elses vision (be it through scent or performance), I'll dive right in. Somewhere scattered in the illusion are realities worth finding.

A stunning Jiri Kylian moment

Last week was hectic...and the forecast is turbulent for the remainder of this week. It's times like this that minities just don't cut it for me. I crave moments of pure beauty such as this segment from Jiri Kylian's Bella Figura, which remind me to simply breathe and appreciate the sensation of being alive.

Competition on the Scales

The Sydney International Piano Competition of Australia, (SIPCA), has arrived and while listening to every note that has been either coaxed or demanded from the keys, I've been weighing up the pros and cons of competition.

"Music competitions are meant to identify the strongest young players and contribute to the establishment of their professional careers but are they necessary and do they really turn out the best performers?" This is an interesting question, and you'll find it at the Classic FM SIPCA website, (click on the title of this blog for the website link)

I've been looking forward to this prestigious competition all year, and I had not really thought about why until I came across the above question. I think one of the resons for all the excitment is the promise of all these young aspiring pianists coming to one place and providing a smorgasbord of entertainment and musical exploration. I love the fact that competitions entice contestants from all over the world to participate and consequentially bring their own culture with them to the stage through their music.

On the issue of whether competitions are a necessity in the development of future careers, I think they can be a starting point and a helpful key in getting yourself noticed. However, I do not believe that winning a prestigious award constitutes a definitive pathway to becoming a renowned and inspired musician. Music, for the most part, is a visceral expression of life. I believe it is the inexplicable need to express the varied elements of the human condition through music, that creates and nutures the true musician.

This process can take a whole lifetime, and it is inspiring to listen to both young and more mature performers, as you can get an idea of how interpretations evolve and change with the aquisition of life experience.

In weighing up competition, it is also necessary to think about all of the elements involved that are not so conducive to bringing out the best performances. 1. The pressure to play in a way that will impress the panel and ultimately win you a prize, rather than presenting personal interpretations of the compositions through the pure joy of making music 2. The thought that "I can't afford to make one glitch, because the person in front of me made no mistakes", or in other words "unnecessary noise". 3. The chance that you could come across a negative critique of your performance which throws you off. 4. Rivalry between competitors (although from what I've heard, the contestants for SIPCA were generously supportive of last minute changes in scheduling due to delayed flights). 5. Delayed flights.

So, where does competition lie on the balancing scales for me? Just now I'm listening to a fantastic performance from a pianist who I would not have heard of if it were not for SIPCA. However, the end results will hold little importance to me. In other words, "the competition" is meaningless, as what is important to me is the music being made and how it speaks to me in the moment.

Divine Heights

Chanted echoes hover over the cavernous space while solemn artefacts age quietly by the wayside. The eyes lift to the high ceilings and the mouth exhales silence. But not a prayer escapes. Not here, in the old turbine hall.

Yesterday I spent an invigorating day on Cockatoo Island being challenged and uplifted by the contemporary art installations for the 2008 Biennale of Sydney. There is much to discuss after seeing such a variety of work. However, I was most affected by the juxtaposition of the divine and the profane.

Walking through the old turbine hall, I felt as if I was entering a sacred space; a sense that was heightened by the haunting sound installation by Suzan Philipsz. The rusting remnants of equipment used by the men who used to inhabit the space told their stories and it was as if the place had conserved the spirit of shared toil.

In stark contrast, a work consisting of historic graffiti in the shipyard bathrooms proved that many of the workers held less than honourable ideals. This was not Vernan Ah Kee's only contribution to the exhibition. For the Biennale, Ah Kee has created 12 magnificent charcoal and pastel portraits.

"The drawings inhabit the space as an Aboriginal and 'human' presence. On gazing at the oversized portraits, the viewer experiences a sense of discomfort, as the confrontational act of the stare...is strongly felt"

Having been previously confronted by these extraordinary drawings, I was overwhelmed by revulsion as I entered the bathrooms and saw the racist, sexist and derogatory remarks scrawled all over the walls. Alone these works provoke visceral reactions, yet together this was powerful art; work that points the finger and delivers the evidence.

It was the return journey to Circular Quay that turned my musings towards the approaching mayhem of World Youth Day. As we successfuly pulled into the quay, a group of exuberant Italian visitors broke out into songs of praise. I could not help but smile at their joy and at the thought of the multitude arriving in Sydney to embrace a shared expression of their belief.

Faith is a pure foundation for spirituality. How sad it is that cracks appear in the walls when those held high abuse their power and scrawl their profanity over the lives of the innocent.

Tongue Tapestries

Recently I went to a stimulating show entitled Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, which seamlessly welded together music, performance and surreal projections. The group 1927 began when Paul Barritt heard Suzanne Andrade’s twisted tales on the radio and hence sent Andrade some sketches. During the show it became clear how Barritt’s drawings had evolved, as the language Andrade uses is rich in metaphor and ignites the imagination. With the growing phenomena of texting and the increase in the use of computers, I sometimes wonder about the direction of language. Here is a poem from my childhood that I still love to read outloud. Here are some frumious words to outgrabe SMS lingo!!

Jabberwocky, from Through the Looking Glass, by Lewis Carroll

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

‘Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!’

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought-
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

‘And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh Callay!’
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

In Combat with Filezilla!!!

During the process of uploading my website, (and to be honest, the complete creative process), I asked myself numerous times why I chose the computer as a creative medium. It freezes, it malfunctions and bluntly refuses to negotiate if you accidently press the wrong combination of keys!

It is often said that it is the user, not the tool, who is at fault when things go pear-shaped. I whole-heartedly agree, knowing full well how computer illerate I am. So perhaps I should not direct my anger at the tool in question, but rather at those who I have turned to in utter desperation, who have then assumed I do understand html lingo, proceed to speak in this language in fast mode and I'm still at a loss!! I reflect back on the night I uploaded my website, and I'm sure I conveyed to those on customer help how little experience I had in dealing with website publishing and FTP*... and then I remembered...these poor people have been staring at computers all day long too!

The blame comes full circle back to the computer. They sap our energy and drain away the subtle techniques required for human interaction. This is why the escape into the imagination is such a vital part of being human. It can be used as a coping mechanism.

So, coming back to the computer yet again...it's not all bad...in fact, it is the perfect place to share our escapes with each other and find mutual consolation in what makes us tick.

* Just a note, the FTP program Filezilla worked like a charm...it was the dumbo user who put in the incorrect file destination :)

How to explain...

So...what's contemporary dance?

Perhaps the most dreaded question to be put forth to a member of the contemporary dance species. The answer is often inconclusive and leaves the questioner looking at best confused, and at worst returning to the cliched belief that you belong to some strange cult of people who get the most out of life by rolling around on the floor and leaping through grassy fields, Isadora Duncan* style.

Maybe I'm exaggerating...but it is frustrating to be asked to clearly define the indefinable and put in a box an element in your life that you are passionate about because it forces you out of the box, exposing you to fresh experiences.

Sure, it's possible to just give up and remain a defiant member of the facebook group Yes I'm a contemporary dancer..and don't ask me to explain. However, as artists we should be encouraging people to ask us the hard stuff, and have an amazing answer at hand so that they then become intrigued and commence a thorough investigation of our artform through becoming an avid audience member.

So, what do we say to those who don't know what contemporary dance is? What do we say in order to entice the uninitiated to our domain? I've been thinking a lot about this. Let me know if you've got an suggestions!

* I'm actually a fan of Isadora Duncan...and even though some of the representations of her work can make you giggle, she was a pioneer of contemporary dance and a woman who never baulked at confronting the rigid conventions of society. As being both a woman and a dancer, I found it an inspiration to read about her life.

No new ideas?

Have you ever had one of those creative "EUREKA!!!" moments...only to discover that someone else (or even multiple persons) has been there done that? It's annoying...or is it?

I tend to think the best ideas have come from somewhere else...but it seems that we're always in search of the holy grail of the "undiscovered". So why is it so important to be the "first" at something? Is that how our creative success is measured?

Creating aPatchi

Yes...it's almost there...almost...for those of you who know me I've been talking about my creative website for a while now...and once I understand all the "FTP" business it should be uploaded within the next two weeks!!!

The website is called "aPatchi creations", and basically it is a self-designed platform for me to share my creative visions with all of you on the web. I am dancer and a pianist who loves to create...and each "Patchi" that I upload onto the site is a miniature doorway into my imagination.

Hopefully I will be transporting this page to the site proper...or there will be links provided until I work out how to do it...and in the meantime...lets talk creative!!!!