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M INDFULNESS FOR THE M USICIAN BY K AREN K ONER October 2020 • Page 34Visual aids for focus In a practice session or rehearsal, one of the main obstacles to overcome is being able to focus on the task at hand. A musi- cian can turn off all distractions, such as the television or cell phone and be prepared to practice. However, sometimes trying to remain focused on music making can be next to impossible. There are some visual aids that can help enhance focus. The first visual aid can be found in online videos. These are designed to assist with focusing on one image or idea that leads the person through breathing in and out, which assists with overall focus in any setting. The first video (https://tinyurl.com/itg2010j) is multi-col- ored (see Figure 1) and moves at a somewhat quick pace, while the second is black and white and moves at a slower pace (https://tinyurl.com/itg2010k). Musicians tend to take longer and deeper breaths, as many have been trained in this tech- nique; therefore, the second video is often more compatible with this breathing pace. However, the first video can be useful for younger students who may have a quicker breath pattern. Using a video such as the two linked above for just one minute prior to a practice session can help the musician with bringing focus to music making. The second visual aid, a technique often used with younger students, is a glitter jar (see Figure ). By using a jar (such as a Mason jar) and adding glitter, glue, water, and food color- ing, it is easy to create a focus jar to use live, instead of watch- ing a video. For full instructions, see the HeartMindKids website (https://tinyurl.com/itg2010L). Additionally, using these jars can help ease agitation, promote calm, and decrease heart rates. Meditation and visualization techniques When practicing meditation regularly, people can experi- ence lower rates of anxiety, depression, anger, and fatigue. 4 In addition, meditation has been shown to assist with increased concentration and attention.5 M INDFULNESS FOR THE M USICIAN BY K AREN K ONER I t is no surprise that every person has a certain amount of stress in their lives. According to research conducted by the American Psychological Association, of people in the United States have regularly experienced phys- ical symptoms caused by stress. In two comparative studies, the primary causes of stress for the American people from to have changed. In , job pressure regarding co-worker tension, bosses, and work overload was ranked as the top cause of stress. Money was the second-most common cause with regard to job losses, reduced retire- ments, and medical expenses; and the third-most common cause was health concerns. Three years later, in , the sources of stress in the United States had changed slightly, with the future of the nation being the new top cause of stress. How- ever, financial stress remained in second place, and work stress moved to the third spot.1 A musician’s life is often focused around two of those top- three stressors—money and job pressure. A working musi- cian is consistently striving to find the next gig, trying to make ends meet from performing in different venues, and worrying about competition from fellow musicians. These stressors can take an effect on a musician’s psychological wellbeing. For example, in a survey of musicians in a small orchestra in the eastern United States (N = ), it was found that artistic integrity, task difficulty, and social tensions were the top-three work stressors.2 Additionally, musicians are known for suffering from per- formance anxiety, or stage fright. In a study of music stu- dents and faculty at a university in the United States, reported “marked distress” from per- formance anxiety, and forty percent reported “moderate distress.” Partici- pants discussed physical symptoms that accompany performance anxiety, includ- ing poor concentration, rapid heart rate, trembling, dry mouth, sweating, and shortness of breath.3 With the lifestyle that accompanies being a musician and the performance anxiety that can arise, it is imperative that musicians of any age learn to identify these symptoms and practice exercises and techniques to assist. There are a variety of practices that can support and promote mental stability, focus, and increased mindfulness, including visual aids, med- itation and visualization, breathing techniques, and deep lis- tening practices. 34 ITG Journal / October 2020© 2020 International Trumpet Guild FA6 Figure 1. Visual aid from the first video (https://tinyurl.com/itg2010j) “77% of people in the Unit- ed States have regularly ex - perienced physical symp- toms caused by stress.”© 2020 International Trumpet GuildOctober 2020 / ITG Journal 35 If you are beginning a meditative practice at home, the steps to begin are as follows: •Sit in a comfortable position and on a comfortable surface (e.g., couch, on a pillow). •Sit with eyes closed, hands resting on your lap or to your sides (don’t hold them in a position, but rather where they are fully relaxed). •Start with a short period of time, perhaps approximately three minutes. As your meditative skills build, work up to five minutes and then build in two-minute increments when you are prepared. •Avoid as much sound as possible, especially music during, this time. Focus on the sound of your breath. •If a thought enters your mind, acknowledge the thought and then try and release it and refocus on your breathing. It is typical to be inundated with other thoughts while meditating. However, don’t ignore them; acknowledge them and move forward. When first starting a meditative practice, it can be difficult to try this alone. There are many apps that can assist with this. Three of these that I currently use in my regular meditation practice are the following: Calm costs approximately us for a yearly subscription. It offers meditations for all different needs, such as assistance with anxiety and sleep. Additionally, it has visualizations on the app (like those described above) to help focus on the breathing. The Calm app also includes ideas for physical stretches to help increase mindfulness. In , they launched the Calm School Initiative, which gives a free subscription to all k – educators, so this is a great choice if you are currently teaching in the schools. Buddhify costs approximately us to download and offers a variety of meditations, ranging from walking meditations, sleeping meditations, and meditations for stress and anxiety. The meditations are color coded for easy-to-access organiza- tion and also contains meditations for children. Simple Habit is free to download and contains a large variety of meditations to choose from. There are several options to pay for subscriptions, but there are many free options as well. For example, there is an option for “On the Go” meditations, which allows the listener to choose from different sessions based on need (e.g., taking a break or going to sleep) and dura- tion, allowing the listener to design a meditation that is right for them at that moment. Breathing techniques As musicians, we often focus on breath work for perform- ance. However, it is also a powerful tool to reduce stress and anxiety. This can be a simple solution, such as focusing on the sound of the breath (such as described with meditation above) or increasing the length of your exhalation to release all the air from the body and lower the heart rate. However, there are also two additional breathing exercises that can assist with reducing anxiety for a performance situation or just in day-to-day life. Three-part breath. When we get nervous or anxious, we tend to breathe in shallow breaths in the chest area, which can cause a lack of oxygen to the bloodstream and create a strain on the heart and lungs. Practicing deep breathing techniques helps increase the oxygen supply and bring awareness to the present moment. To practice a three-part breath: 1Sit in a comfortable position and close the eyes. 2Place the hands on the abdomen. Take a deep breath, focusing on filling up the abdomen, with the abdomen and hands expanding outward as you inhale and contract- ing inward as you exhale. 3Move the hands to the ribcage. Take a deep breath and focus the air on moving through the abdomen and into the ribcage to expand and contract. 4Move the hands to the heart. Take a deep breath and focus the air going through the abdomen, the rib cage, and then the chest. Once you breathe through these three areas, release the air all the way out. 5Repeat the three-part breath at least two more times, stay- ing aware of the three-part movement. Alternate nostril breathing. Alternate nostril breathing calms an overactive mind and can reduce anxiety. It requires the prac- titioner to place two fingers in the center of the forehead (between the eyebrows) which is a pressure point to reduce mus- cle tension and improve circulation. Additionally, by having to focus on alternating nostrils, the practitioner focuses on the hand and fingers, as opposed to whatever might be making the person upset or anxious. To practice alternate nostril breathing: 1Sit in a comfortable position and close the eyes. 2With your dominant hand, place the first two fingers between the eyebrows, the thumb on one nostril, and the ring finger on the opposite nostril. 3Close the nostril with your thumb and inhale. 4Release the thumb, close the opposite nostril with your ring finger, and exhale. Figure 2. Glitter jar “Meditation has been shown to assist with increased con- centration and attention.” “Practicing deep breathing tech- niques helps increase the oxy- gen supply and bring aware- ness to the present moment.”36 ITG Journal / October 2020© 2020 International Trumpet Guild 5Inhale through that same nostril (thumb side). 6Release the ring finger, close the nostril with your thumb, and exhale. 7Repeat this process as many times as needed. Deep listening Deep listening is described as a way of hearing in which we are fully present. This involves paying attention to what is hap- pening in that particular moment without trying to control or judge the situation.6 As musicians, this can be a difficult skill to develop and practice. One way to focus on deep listening skills is to follow the meditative practices described above. In addition, spend some time without any background noise in your house, office, or classroom. For example, when you first wake up in the morning, complete your morning routine in silence without putting on any music or television. Listen to the sounds the morning brings you (e.g., birds chirping, coffee brewing, etc.), similar to listening to your breath during a meditative practice. During this time of silence, as thoughts cross your mind (e.g., your to-do list, what time you need to be at a meeting), just acknowledge them and return to the sounds around you. Once this skill starts to build, try to complete deep listening with recordings. Start with a piece of music with a minimal number of voices (e.g., an acapella piece or a duet). Close your eyes and focus primarily on the music you hear. Similar to the morning exercise, try to not be distracted by sounds around you, such as a door opening or a dog barking. Focus only on the music you hear and do not multitask as you listen. Do not follow along with a musical score. Do not think about what the performers did well or what you did not like. Just try to focus on the sound you hear. Once this activity can be com- pleted, add in music with more instrumentation or more com- plex harmonic material. Building this type of mindfulness skill allows the musician to listen to the exact, true performance of a piece of music, rather than what the piece should sound like. Final thoughts The term “mindfulness” and catch phrases like “let it go,” “stay in the moment,” or “focus on the now,” have become pop- ular in the last several years as people try to get a handle on their own stressors at home, at work, or in society. However, alongside these catch phrases can be many different interpreta- tions of what they mean and how to apply them to your own life and situation. For example, “live in the now” does not mean “do not plan for the future by saving money, planning, etc.” Instead, it simply means enjoying that moment in time of dinner with friends or a walk in the park without worrying about what is happening the next day or constantly checking your phone. As a yoga instructor, I often discuss with my students how to stay in the moment, and I approach this from the view of knowing we all have worries and stressors. However, by taking those few moments on a yoga mat and focusing only on your breath, movement, and your practice, you will increase your ability to concentrate, improve your focus, and take some time for your own health. This increased concentration and focus will then eventually carry over into other areas of your life, such as during a long practice session or rehearsal. A consistent mindfulness practice can help a person learn to control anxiety in high-stress situations, improve concentra- tion and focus, avoid approaching situations too impulsively, and maintain a calmer overall approach to life. Additionally, consistent practice can assist with assessing a situation through a non-judgmental lens, which can help a musician listen to a performance, rehearsal, or practice session in a less biased way. As you embark on a mindfulness journey, remember these helpful hints: 1You only need one minute a day to start a meditative prac- tice. This can be at any time of day; just make sure this is part of your daily routine. 2Make sure to turn off any notifications from a phone or a laptop. Don’t forget your smart watch, too! 3Breathe in and out of the nose when you meditate, as this fills the body with cool air and helps bring you to a place of calm. 4Sit comfortably! Everyone is different, so find the position that allows you to relax fully while sitting and not holding any tension in the body. This may be sitting on the floor with the legs crossed or in a chair with the arms at the side. 5Set a timer for the amount of time you wish to meditate, so your mind doesn’t worry how long you have been there or about being late to your next appointment. 6Remember—this is a practice, just like practicing your instrument. As such, some days you will meditate better than others. Don’t give up if you have a tough time med- itating one day; just try again later or the next day. 7It can help to find a mantra to think about as you meditate to avoid letting your mind wander to other things. A sim- ple way to start this is to inhale and then, as you exhale, think of the word “shanti” (which translates to “peace”) or “om” (which represents the union of mind, body, and spir- it). If this works well, you can start to develop phrases or words that may have a deeper meaning to you. About the author: Dr. Karen Koner, assistant professor and coordinator of music education at San Diego State University, is a specialist in instrumental music education, holding degrees from the University of Maryland and the University of Arizona. Her research interests encompass topics related to music teacher education, with a particular interest in current prac- tices, trends, and needs of k – music educators. Dr. Koner can be found in her spare time instructing yoga, with a special- “Listen to the sounds the morn- ing brings you (e.g., birds chirp- ing, coffee brewing, etc.).” “Building this type of mindful- ness skill allows the musician to listen to the exact, true performance of a piece of music, rather than what the piece should sound like.” Continued on Page 39 © 2020 International Trumpet GuildOctober 2020 / ITG Journal 39 ty in Restorative Yoga practices. She enjoys combining her two passions by working with musicians and educators on tech- niques to increase health awareness in the music classroom. Endnotes 1The American Institute of Stress, accessed July , , https://www.stress.org/stress-research. 2Saroj Parasuraman and Yasmin S. Purohit, “Distress and Boredom Among Orchestra Musicians: The Two Faces of Stress,” Journal of Occupational Health Psychology , no. (January ): . 3Robert B. Wesner, Russell Noyes, and Thomas L. Davis, “The Occurrence of Performance Anxiety Among Musi- cians,” Journal of Affective Disorders , no. (March ): . 4Yi-Yuan Tang et al, “Short-Term Meditation Training Improves Attention and Self-Regulation,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , no. (October , ). 5Daniel P. Barbezat and Mirabai Bush, Contemplative Prac- tices in Higher Education (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, ). 6Ibid. Mindfulnesscontinued from page 36Next >