Time is never available in the quantity I’d like when getting ready for a musical performance – this always been more the case with so many competing weekly commitments. In the rare moments that I steal to reconnect with practice and familiarisation with the music, it strikes me that the deeper goal is to become increasingly at one with the instrument. What is it to apply mindful attention to instrumental practice?
I return to embodiment, a key teaching of mindfulness.
With the cello this means cultivating a growing fluidity between the fingers of the left hand and the motion of the right, bowing arm, so that both act in harmony, with ease and intention. This physical alignment directly shapes sound rather than being purely technical. My intention of sound quality is in terms of depth of expression and clarity.
With the piano it’s about channelling the weight of the entire hand behind each finger, so that every movement is made with only the tension that’s truly needed. Each finger is supported by the hand, each hand by the arm, and the arms by the whole body – creating a chain of support that enables freedom, control and a resonance in the sound.
With recorder, too, it’s about economy of motion, lifting each finger only as much as needed above the holes. Mastery comes from isolating fast, awkward combinations and working through them rhythmically, shifting emphasis across different notes to expose weaknesses and build precision.
These embodied principles are at the heart of how I teach instrumental technique, moving beyond mechanical repetition into a space where technique enables expression and movement becomes music.