Hello all, In this fast-paced, instant-gratification world, we are constantly bombarded with (and I use the term loosely) 'information' of one sort or another! The black hole known as "reality t.v.", video games, the internet, e-mail, etc., has contributed to the dilution of our natural ability to focus mentally on the tasks at hand-- such as practising orchestral excerpts, studies, and such-- and cultivates a kind of superficial level of attention, rather than deep, effortful concentration.
It's pretty easy to tell these days: just ask the parents of your students how much time each day their kids spend in front of one screen or another. I mean honestly: does a teenaged adolescent really NEED an iPod? iPhone? Or a Blackberry? Sometimes, parents even give them as gifts! Then it becomes up to you (the instructor) to re-train their brains to be able to concentrate for more than seven minutes at a time during a lesson-- let alone actually practise! While there is more than one way to achieve greater mental focus, evidence suggests that augmenting this ability is possible, and very desirable; improving one's ability to focus mentally can also yield significant benefits in horn playing. Take accuracy, for example. Combining what Bob W. and Steve M. have written here about "flow" and "awareness" I submit that having a well-developed ability to focus mentally (concentration/attention) would be the third element in this "formula". A worthwhile read is: "The Attention Revolution: Unlocking the Power of the Focused Mind" by Dr. B. Allan Wallace, Ph.D. For a while, it was out of print but a new edition has recently been released. Using meditation, the author guides the reader to be able to achieve a deeper level of concentration, which can lead to to a greater capacity for sustained mental focus and clarity. I have found it helpful; your mileage may vary. Cheers, martin bender On 2011-08-27, at 9:19 AM, Herbert Foster wrote: > I have been reading another fascinating book: > > "The Mind and the Brain. Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force" by > Jeffrey M. Schwartz and Sharon Begley > > Recent research has shown that the brain remains plastic throughout life. > That is, the brain is remodeled by experience: new connections are being made > and even new neurons created. > > With the proper exercises severe OCD (hand washing, etc.) has been cured as > well as focal distonia in pianists. Stoke victims have regained the use of > limbs after years of disuse, even when the other hemisphere has to take over. > The secret of the brain remodeling is that attention must be paid to the > exercises. It is the attention that facilitates brain remodeling. > > I like the word "attention" better than "concentration," which conjures up > furrowed-brow tenseness. > > Herb Foster > > > > ________________________________ > From: Robert N. Ward <[email protected]> > To: The Horn List <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, August 26, 2011 1:14 PM > Subject: Re: [Hornlist] Concentration > > Hi all, > > The issue of concentration is an interesting one. As I read many of the > emails posted here over the last couple of days, I was struck how much > concentration was thought of or referred to as almost a discrete entity. So I > began reflecting on what it means to concentrate. One fascinating book that I > have often recommended to students is called: > > "Flow, the Psychology of Optimal Experience" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi > > In it, he explores the state that most of us have experienced, of being > completely absorbed in an activity - a state which is highly pleasurable. In > fact, the author makes the case the quest to be in the flow state is a > universal desire across all races and cultures. Most musicians can remember a > performance or rehearsal where everything just went right and it was > effortless - if so, you were in the state of flow. The book definitely has > something to offer in regards to this exchange about concentration, and I > highly recommend it. > > B > > > Robert N. Ward > Principal Horn > San Francisco Symphony > [email protected] > > > _______________________________________________ > post: [email protected] > unsubscribe or set options at > https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/herb_foster%40yahoo.com > _______________________________________________ > post: [email protected] > unsubscribe or set options at > https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/axe102%40rogers.com "All great things are decided not by machines or gadgets, but by willpower; whoever has it will finally prevail." Winston Churchill _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
