AND
Teaching and Learning
We are all teachers - we are all learners. Experiences continually inform how we engage with, or disengage from, the world around us. And fortunately, there is a body of evidence-based scholarship on teaching and learning to guide us.
One of my most significant teachers has been the flute itself, along with the music played through it, the relationships formed around it, and the physical locations and communities experienced because of it.
Teaching and learning music has revealed endless life lessons, from self-awareness, discipline, and patience to courage, resilience, and confidence.
Teaching and learning do not happen in a vacuum - they happen through relationships - between mentor and mentee, student and teacher, community and country. AND relationships are…well, messy. Human beings are complicated; no two are alike. This means that teaching and learning happen for everyone according to each's bio-individuality (i.e., anatomy, ethnicity, and neurology), collection of social identities (i.e., socioeconomic status, nationality, and profession), and cognitive load. It also means acknowledging implicit bias. If you're looking for a "Learn the Play the Flute in 10 Easy Steps," you've probably landed on the wrong site. If you’re looking to dive into the nuance and scholarship of teaching, welcome!
Performance
Stepping out onto the stage to play for a full audience can be both exhilarating and terrifying. Ego is confronted time and time again in the practice room and on the stage. As awareness of ego and its messages continues to grow, ease with entering into the performer-audience relationship emerges. Getting to know the ego is not a bypass for practicing - practicing is an ongoing requirement, just as consistent training is for an athlete - however, a healthy relationship with the ego empowers confident and artistic decision making. A performance is a goal to motivate technical and creative growth AND it is also a canvas for sonic expression that in real time connects communities - live, online, or through recordings.
Access and Engagement
In addition to my role as Professor of Flute, I am currently serving as the TTU Director of the Institute for Faculty Excellence (IFE). Access and engagement are areas I’ve felt passionate about for a long time, but am far from an expert in. I feel an enormous responsibility: the umbrella of “access” is huge. I’m committed to learning as I coordinate the IFE programming AND am incredibly lucky to work with a team of accessibility warriors.
There are so many intersections between flute playing, teaching, AND accessibility - socio-economic struggles related to classical music performance, physical (dis)ability, aging, and neurodiversity, to list some. I do believe, though, that participating in music-making is something that can be accessible and beneficial to everyone. I also believe and have experienced music’s unifying potential - music may be the thing that can heal this divided world and the humans on it.
Full Living
“Life’s too short for OK!” - this was the response I received one day from a friend I met for lunch in a cafeteria. “How’s the food, Lisa?” I responded, “It’s OK.” They then exclaimed, “Life’s too short for ‘OK’!” - they were right. When possible, how do we get the most out of every second of this “wild and precious life”? How do we uplift every moment, meal, or conversation? Maybe it’s listening to the most exquisite flute playing you can find or trying out a new local food truck. Perhaps it’s staying at home and mindfully making a fresh cup of tea AND traveling to new destinations, however simple or exotic they may be. Full Living encompasses savoring the otherwise mundane details of the every day to being awestruck by the Natural Wonders of World. Visit the Full Living (FL) Gallery for some peeks at moments I’ve have the honor to behold.
Yoga
“I can't do yoga - I can’t touch my toes.” Every yoga teacher has probably heard those words and done an inner eye roll. Yoga has nothing and everything to do with touching your toes. Nothing, because touching your toes is not a requirement to engage in the practice, AND everything, because if the inability to touch your toes leads to feelings of inadequacy or embarrassment, that is likely your ego talking. Engaging in yoga requires you to confront your ego - that fragile yet stubborn part of yourself that’s always tossing out judgment and limitations - toward yourself and others.
Yoga postures are the perfect vehicle for diving into the relationship with your ego AND accessing your best self. The practice strengthens us while also encouraging flexibility - physically, mentally, and emotionally.
While I love the physical practice, my passion for yoga lies in the application of yogic philosophy. Sanskrit pulls on my heart like no other language. The richness of the yogic inquiry into reality organizes and overwhelms my mind. Maybe I just love a good paradox.
The essence of yoga is the ability to pause, notice, and choose. It is skill in discernment and action. This, yoga, overlays every aspect of living - from artistic choices to personal and societal change. It may be the biggest AND of all for me.
Prince and Hendrix
Phenomenal Cats
Prince and Hendrix are our two Bengal cats. Prince has been with us for three years and Hendrix joined the family in December 2022. Yes, their namesakes are musical icons who have not only influenced our (my family’s) lives, but the trajectory of music on this planet. The names were chosen to honor these influences and remind us of their contributions.
Just a word about Bengals. They are BEAUTIFUL. And because of that many people think, “Oh, I want one of those!” Please do your research and take a personal inventory - why do you want a Bengal? They are highly active and social beings who will demand your love and attention. If you give them that, they will love you deeply and likely become your best friends. If you aren’t committed to giving them that love and attention, best to get a beautiful rescue cat (like many of our other past and present pets) with a chilled out personality.
Prince has changed my life for the better. He’s taught me that most often, in order to get what you want, you have to ask for it again and again and again. People will eventually hear you and give you what you’re asking for so that 1) you’ll be quiet or 2) because they finally understand that your need is valid and likely one that others have as well. Prince has taught me that chasing others around the house is FUN! So is hide-and-seek, and peek-a-boo. These games just don’t lose their charm with age. He’s taught me that dedicating a significant amount of the day to self-care is a normal part of existence - whether that be bathing, getting regular massage, or unabashedly napping in the sun. The lessons are numerous and ongoing.
Hendrix is Prince’s nephew. Prince needed a friend because I just can’t chase him into some of the places he wants to be chased - I don’t fit under the bed or in his play tunnels. I’m also not willing to wake up at 2am and join him in “the zoomies,” and neither is my husband nor our dog Samantha. I’m learning a lot from Hendrix too, especially about the healing power of a cat’s purr.
If you want to learn more about these family members, feel free to read posts about them in the UP blog, and follow them on social media: princeandhendrix (Facebook) or @princeandhendrix (Instagram).