The National Flute Convention was a Blast!

What an incredible time…

…we had at the National flute Convention! There were usually two or three or even more sessions going on at the same time that I would have loved to have attended.
The flutists were top calibre. I also heard some really exquisite piccolo playing at more than one concert. Not to mention the 35 contra-bass flutists playing all together!
All kinds of music and all kinds of folks, all brought together by the love of flute under this year’s theme “Unity and Universal Oneness”.

What is better than one piccolo?
Three piccolos!
With composer Amanda Harberg at the piano,
and on piccolo: Nicola Mazzanti, Marta Rossi and Pamela Stahel.

I bought a glissando head joint that I am really looking forward to using for Meditative Music Making! Here I am with the inventor and musician extraordinaire, Robert Dick!

Here I am with the inventor and musician extraordinaire, Robert Dick!

A few more pics…

…with composers and flutists of low and high flutes, Sophie Dufeautrelle, Matthias Zeilger, Shanna Pranaitis, Valerie Coleman and Carla Rees, piccolo masters Peter Verhoyen, Julin Cheung and Nicola Mazzanti as well as superstar Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson, And many many many more!

composers and flutists of low and high flutes, Sophie Dufeautrelle, Matthias Zeilger, Shanna Pranaitis, Valerie Coleman and Carla Rees, piccolo masters Peter Verhoyen, Julin Cheung and Nicola Mazzanti as well as superstar Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson

I had fun giving my presentation “Experience ONENESS through Meditative Music Making”. Congratulations to those who found me since the room was changed once again the day before!

One participant told me that he only made it because a kind woman led him there. (The Convention Center is on several levels, not all accessible from each other.)
Another participant said that the room changed before his very eyes as he checked the Guidebook app to see where my event was going to be. (That the room got updated only happened because I accidentally ended up on the elevator with the Events Manager and mentioned it to him. He changed it right away, but only about 30 minutes before it started!)

I was very touched by the Music Therapist who came up to me directly afterwards to share this:
“This session has given me a whole new perspective on how I work on myself and my clients. No need to push!”

What did we do?

Here is a brief summary.
It’s not the same as being there, but gives you an idea.

I spoke about what Meditative Music Making. It’s a 3 step process where you learn reliable skills that will help you not only play music, but that also apply to your everyday life.

Performance anxiety is transformed into excitement and heightened awareness. (Research shows that meditation practices positively impact musicians’ well-being and performing skills.)
My guided meditations with music remove mental blocks, and improve focus.
I show you how to engage with flow, using my technique of interactive playing.

Have you ever felt nervous before performing?

Try connecting to your body using the time honoured technique of shaking. It has been used in China and India for centuries. Shake off your tension and fill yourself with life energy:

Now, tune into your body to see how you feel. Has anything changed?

We followed that with a Breath Meditation…

…which is a great way to reduce distracting thoughts. It’s also easy to do back stage.

Then we played (or hummed) along to a Tambura in C.
Playing or humming with a drone like this will not only put you in a meditative state, but will improve your intonation and sound production as well.

Try it out and let me know how it goes!

Musically yours,
Nandin

P.S. If you don’t have “The Beginner’s Guide To Meditative Music Making” yet, get it here!
P.P.S. See and enjoy also my other blogs
P.P.P.S. If you know someone who might benefit from this, thanks for passing it on!