Flourishing

In the last blog, we talked about when we should incorporate feedback, when we should sit with feedback and consider it from all angles, and when we should perhaps dismiss feedback (even if it comes to us from a trusted source). I then mentioned that there is background work we can do that can keep us from gravitating too far toward the two extremes of blindly accepting or flat out rejecting all feedback and advice we receive. This background work involves continually seeking to know more about the field and to continually explore who we are and who we want to be. 

Knowing more about the field informs how we receive feedback. For instance, knowing the general expectations of performing in the genre helps us frame the feedback we receive. Similarly, if we don't have a solid understanding of how the industry works, it may be difficult to see how we might fit within it. The more we know, the more informed and intentional our choices can be in forging our own paths. Some of this knowledge comes from your university training, like classes, assignments, and productions. But, try as we do, there is no way we can give you all the information or assist in developing all of the skills you will need to navigate a career in this business in just four years (or five, or six). Some lessons can only come from experience, which is gained by getting out there and immersing yourself in the theatre world. Therefore, consistently working to gain both the knowledge and the experience you will need is crucial. 

Additionally, though it may sound ironic, it can take a lot of time, attention, and reflection to know who you are and to truly decipher who you want to be. As jazz legend Miles Davis said, “Man, sometimes it takes you a long time to sound like yourself.” Because of this, we are often quick to put ourselves into categories: “I’m Gen Z.” “I’m an introvert.” “I’m a Hufflepuff.” All of that can be perfectly fine. Our brains love categories—they help us make sense of things and can lead us to discover shared commonalities with others. But they can also be limiting if we subconsciously keep ourselves in those boxes. “I’m an introvert, so it’s OK if I avoid situations where I might meet new people.” “I’m an aural learner, so I don’t need to take notes.” “I’m a belter, so I don’t need to work on my head voice.” This can actually serve to limit our experience and can keep us from becoming all we could. 

So, how do we work to know who we are while still being open to growth? Since I’m still a work in progress myself, I can't claim to be an expert on the process. But I do have some theories. :) As I mentioned in the last blog, it seems the paths to knowledge of the field and knowledge of self are the same: study, listen, engage, practice, observe, and reflect. 

Study. This doesn't just refer to memorizing things for an exam (although declarative knowledge is important). This means thinking and considering, which roughly translates to “filter it through your experience.” When something jibes with your experience, you can simply say, “Great!” and move on. Or you can stop and think, “I wonder if that’s how it is for everyone?” When something doesn’t jibe with your experience, you can say, “Nah, I reject that.” Or you can stop and think, “I wonder what sort of life experiences would lead a person to come to those conclusions." 

I know this may be a losing battle in the age of AI, but I remain a fierce advocate of the importance of reading and writing as part of study. There may be some bias at play here, because I have personally learned so much from reading and then writing out my thoughts on what I’ve read. It’s one of the best ways I have found to consistently expose myself to new ideas and consider what they might mean to me. It doesn’t matter how many books you read each year, it matters how much you gain from the books you do read. 

Listen. Take it all in through your ear holes. And listen attentively. There is a time to simply let the sounds of music wash over you and experience how they make you feel. But, ideally, that should be followed by analytical listening: What is the structure of the piece? Does the song remind you of another song or style? (In other words, what traditions is the composer drawing upon?) How did the composer set the text (and why)? One of my favorite quotes is from Saint Benedict, who said, “Attend and listen with the ear of your heart.” To me, that’s the very definition of wholehearted, active listening. 

Engage. In the old Star Trek episodes I watched as a nerdy kid (as opposed to the nerdy adult I have become), before Captain Kirk, Spock, and their team of space explorers would go to a new planet, they would meet in the transporter room. Once everyone was ready, Kirk would say, “Engage,” and they would be beamed to the planet where the adventure would begin. Engaging is where the work starts. It’s where you take what you’ve learned and apply it (turning declarative knowledge into procedural knowledge). This can mean experimenting with a new skill, asking questions and starting dialogues, or setting up scenarios where new information can be tried out. Like the Star Trek crew, it is done with an explorer's mind, being curious about what you may find and bringing a desire to learn all you can. 

Practice. The whole reason I started this blog in fall of 2014 was to encourage dialogue about practice and explore ways to make our practice sessions more effective. But this applies to more than just the voice. Anything you want to be good at can be practiced: empathy, listening skills, curiosity, integrity. If we are what we do most often, then every day provides opportunities to practice being who we want to be. 

Observe. Pay attention to the world around you and to the people around you. Observe how people think, move, and interact. Notice how they communicate or problem solve. They are all just as imperfect as anyone else, so they won't always display traits or behavior to be emulated. But we can use these observations to notice patterns that may reveal deeper thinking or may make statements about what they believe and who they want to be, which can inform how we want to be. And, just like all other learning, we have to get away from distractions in order to focus enough to learn what these experiences have to teach us. 

In the same way, I recommend observing yourself. What makes you feel good or bad? How do interactions with certain people make you feel? What brings you joy and gratitude? How is that different now than it was four years ago? What do you love about how the world works? What infuriates you about how the world works? What do you take away from the relationships you have? How have they impacted who you are? Again, observe as an investigator, without judgment. Just notice. 

Then...reflect. A famous quote from Socrates states, "The unexamined life is not worth living." In other words, a life that lacks self-reflection and critical thinking may not be a life that is as fulfilling as it could be. Once again, reflection does not need to involve judging. We can acknowledge ways that we could have handled situations differently, which informs future choices, without beating ourselves up over previous choices. I heard recently that we should all probably be quicker to admit when we were wrong about something, because that essentially says, "I'm a bit wiser today than I was yesterday." This can only occur if we take the time to reflect. 

Of course, it wouldn't be a Brian blog if I didn't find some way to quote Lynn Helding. So here's one more for the year: 

"While the physician is often concerned with matters of life and death, the teacher of singing is tasked with something altogether different, yet no less important: human flourishing." (Helding and Ragan, "Evidence-Based Voice Pedagogy (EBVP), Part 3: Student Goals and Perspectives," Journal of Singing, 2022.)

It might feel that all of this self-analysis (study, listen, engage, practice, observe, and reflect) can make us pretty self-absorbed—as though what we do with our little lives is the most important thing in the world. As Helding points out, our chosen career field is not dealing with matters of survival, like feeding the hungry or curing diseases. But I don't believe life is simply to be survived. The arts help society flourish. And our society is in some pretty desperate need of some flourishing. So, it's in desperate need of artists. 

Seniors, you're nearing the end of your university education. Classes are almost over and performances are wrapping up. But the work of exploring who you are, who you want to be, and how you want to contribute to helping the world flourish is ongoing. 

Alexa, Hailey, and Jack, it's been an absolute dream to watch you study, listen, engage, practice, observe, and reflect over the last four years. It's been such a privilege to see you all grow and create. I hope you continue to help others flourish as much as you have our community here. We'll all miss you. 

Ready...engage!

Much love,

-brian