Module 5 - Embodied Thinking

Embodied thinking occurs when we use our bodies to think, whether this is processing information, thinking of new ideas, or having moments of insight. This also encompasses using empathy to think, wherein we imagine ourselves in another's position. Because music is already so intrinsically embodied, I chose to portray two aspects of embodiment with my project: movement while I am playing (if I could dance, I would), and photos of what I am thinking of while playing the piece. So I am embodying the music through moving with it, as well as empathizing with it, by thinking of what the music reminds me of.

I chose to show my body's movement while playing the piece because I feel that dance is a very integral part of appreciating and understanding music. So while I have no ability, training, or knowledge of dance (I intend to learn how after I finish my degree), I wanted to portray this importance the best that I could. Moving while playing is a great way to get into the music and really feel it. If done properly, it will not only enhance your understanding of the piece, but will also enhance your performance of it.

I chose to show pictures of what I am thinking about while playing, to emphasize the importance of going beyond the notes. I like to tell my students that the notes, rhythms, and bowings, while important, are the boring parts of music. It really gets exciting and fun when you can actually use your instrument to communicate with your audience, which is what I believe the whole point of music is. Music truly is the universal language. So, to that end, I wanted to explicitly display what I am trying to communicate, by finding pictures  that are similar to what I am thinking and feeling while playing.

Video recording my playing always makes me look at it from a different perspective. When I am playing, I have an internal vision of what I think I look and sound like. By recording my playing, I am able to experience what the audience actually experiences, rather than just what I think they will. I see all of my awkward movements and facial expressions, then can work to make them better. It actually took several tries to get a recording I could be satisfied with, and I modified both movements and facial expressions. In the end, I was able to finish with a much more meaningful performance that conveyed a lot more to my audience.

Finding photos  to use in the other half of the screen was exceptionally challenging. It required me to explicitly define what I was thinking and feeling. Usually, when playing a piece, I have a vague idea of what is going on, emotionally. But just like trying to talk or write with only a vague idea of what you are saying, playing with only a vague idea is not nearly as productive as it could be. So in finding these, I was forcing myself to really know what I was trying to tell my audience. Sort of like writing an outline before you start writing.

After completing these activities myself, I am even more convinced that I need to work with my students to complete these activities with them. Not all the time, with every piece, or at every lesson, but definitely with major pieces that they are planning to perform. Seeing my performance, modifying my performance until I was happy with it, and clearly articulating what I was thinking and feeling while playing, really helped to make my performance work.

(If that doesn't work, here's the link to it on youtube.)