The Failure Project

Author: Sarah Christianson – 5 minute read

The Failure Project can be viewed at the bottom of the page

“Caïn venant de tuer son frère Abel” by Henri Vidal

Can you remember a time when you made a super embarrassing musical or professional mistake? Of course you can! These moments always seem to be deeply burned into our minds to forever haunt us and remind us of how we missed the mark. All of us in the Achelois Collective have moments like these, such as playing our worst in a rehearsal, making new mistakes in a performance, or succumbing to nervous habits in an audition. Even though these moments are common for all of us, we really don’t talk about them much, and in doing that, we’ve allowed ourselves to be isolated in our own worlds of failures. 

What if we instead decided to not only discuss these moments with each other but share them with the world? Introducing the Failure Project: a crowdsourced database of our most embarrassing musical mistakes.

The idea behind the Failure Project came to me a few months ago after an orchestra rehearsal. I had played with this ensemble on-and-off for a number of years, but even so, there were a couple times throughout the years when I really did not jive well with the conductor. Going into this rehearsal, I remembered the shame I felt as I was called out from the podium, the sense of inadequacy I felt as they picked me apart in front of the whole group, and the overall sense of discouragement I felt in those moments. Time for rehearsal to start.

When I was playing, no matter how hard I tried to focus on the present and leave the past behind, all I could think of was failing. As a result, I obviously did not play my best. Thankfully I did not attract the conductor’s attention as I had before, but I still left that rehearsal feeling ashamed, inadequate, and discouraged about my musicianship. I figured that most musicians (if not all musicians) have felt this way at some point, but at the same time, I couldn’t remember a single conversation I had with other musicians about this topic. I felt so alone in my problem.

As I continued to dwell on these thoughts, I remembered an art piece I saw a while ago that dealt with failure head on. It was EITHER WE INSPIRE OR WE EXPIRE by artist Liam Gillick and data analyst Nate Silver (the guy that predicts the presidential elections). Their piece showcased various failed business trademarks in order to paint a more accurate picture of success in business.

I loved this piece. It was simple and direct: failure happens often, and this is how we will prove it! 

I was struck by how the artists were able to convey major failures as ordinary occurrences. Not that they were trying to minimize the impact of failing, but that by making it seem commonplace, failure was shown to be a normal part of life rather than a defining moment. 

What if I tried to view my failures this way, both as a common occurrence but also as something that can connect me with others? The Failure Project was born.

To create the project, we reached out to as many musicians as possible, asking them to share their musical failures. We included specific guidelines: stories must have taken place within the last 5 years, no specific identifying information, and no more than 250 characters. Reading through all the submissions, I noticed some common threads:

• Every submission felt deeply personal. The performers all seemed to remember the details very clearly, as if each mistake had been stored in perfect record in the corners of their minds.

• Each submission seemed to serve as a cathartic release for the performer. Whether or not they were submitted anonymously, it was obvious that the performers truly desired to get something off their chests.

• The focus of each story wasn’t necessarily a moment of failure but how the performers themselves felt like failures. 

Contributing to this project has helped me know that whenever I make a debilitating mistake, I’m not alone. I don’t have to hide my story or my feelings. But while sharing these moments certainly brings us together, will community alone help us to view failing in a better light?

After my “failed” rehearsal, I talked to a therapist friend of mine. She helped me realize that the reason I not only felt like a failure but further continued to make mistakes was because I had the wrong focus. I was thinking too much about how I would sound and what I would do instead of how the music should sound. Sure, we all want to sound our best. But when we concentrate on our personal performance in the moment, the music itself automatically takes a secondary role. 

Since I hashed this out with my friend, I’ve made a conscious effort to focus more on the music, and these are the benefits I’ve noticed:

• I have much more fun in every performance, which makes sense because playing music brings joy! When I was instead focused on my own performance, my joy was contingent upon success, and I often came up short.

• I have much more confidence in my musicianship because I’m not trying to measure up to a standard of perfection. Instead, the standard of measurement is eliminated and replaced by a simple box to check: did I make music in this performance?

• I’m not embarrassed by my failures. I still make mistakes, but they’re meaningless because they’re simply part of my musical performance, not a defining characteristic of my musicianship. And the mistakes I do make are relatively minor. I assume this is because my primary focus on the music limits the possibility for a major slipup. 

To musicians of all ages: we in the Achelois Collective encourage you to focus on the music you’re making rather than trying to achieve “success.” When you do make a mistake, we hope you don’t view it as a flaw but simply as a component of your beautiful performance. And non-musicians, we hope you can apply a similar approach to your own work and passions. 

Happy fails!

Starting Fresh: Creative Habits

Author: The Achelois Collective, edited by Sarah Christianson – 8 minute read

Fall is here! The crisp fresh air, the reappearance of your flannel shirts, and pumpkin EVERYTHING all point to this exciting transition from summer fun to autumn coziness. While we’re busy replacing our summer habits with those more appropriate for the season, one can’t help but feel the urge to start fresh, whether you’re a student doing your best in school, a teacher implementing new lesson plans, or an office worker trying to be more productive on the job. All of us in the Achelois Collective want to celebrate this season of fresh starts with you!

 

So…care to join us in taking up a new habit? Specifically, a new creative habit?

 

A creative habit is a practice done regularly that exercises one’s imagination and/or ability to form original ideas. The goal of practicing creative habits is to become more well-rounded artists and appreciators of art. As musicians or artists, tapping into the imagination creates new possibilities for how we do our craft. Whether the product of your creative habits is new to you or new to the world, these practices will help you see both your own work and others’ work differently and cultivate a more comprehensive appreciation for that which is unfamiliar. And if you’re not an artist of any sort, exercising the imagination has practical applications too. Creative habits can help you think outside the box and develop your critical thinking, and they also spice up your life by helping you see the world differently and explore new, uncharted territory.

 

So, how do you go about adopting a new creative habit? We have some ideas for you! Each member of the collective has shared her/their thoughts on starting a new creative habit.

Anna:

Domplatz in Mainz, Germany

In the past, creative habits have helped me from completely breaking down, especially when dealing with burnout. It's always been a relief to give myself a break by exploring other avenues of creativity even though I may be completely burned out musically. For instance, watercolour painting was a creative outlet that I rediscovered last year, and it became my Covid-19 lockdown pastime. I did not realise how much I'd missed painting or it’s positive effects for my mental health until I started up again. I often feel a large amount of joy mixed with overwhelming frustration when starting a new creative habit. It’s still quite difficult for me to pull myself out of my competitive headspace when painting, and I still find myself struggling to view a project as a success if it does not perfectly resemble the vision I had in my head. (Yes, I know, I know.) I have been making an effort to remind myself that: 1) Whatever I am painting doesn’t need to be perfect; 2) I'm painting to give myself a mental break, so, take the mental break! 3) The whole point is to simply create something, in my own way, and in my own time, even if I feel it sucks.  

Anna’s painting of Domplatz in Mainz, Germany

Jade:

Something that I make a point to do everyday is to have what I call “bowl time”. It has been my little midday escape since starting work from home! I turn off my notifications for a bit and put in headphones with some music that matches my energy that day. Then I purposely make a pretty and nourishing snack for myself in my favorite bowl. I usually do some variety of a smoothie bowl with fresh fruit arranged in intentional shapes! Sometimes I’ll do some rice with veggies on top in the same way. For me it’s about a number of things: 1) Taking time for myself; 2) Feeling creative in making different flavor and aesthetic combinations everyday; 3) Intentionally doing something kind for my body by taking a break and feeding myself with some great nutrients! It seems simple, but working full time with various other life and work responsibilities means that sometimes you take that creative time where you can get it.

Kathryn:

When I attempt to pursue or develop a new creative habit, it actually brings a lot of stress onto my plate. Over the years I’ve attempted and attempted to do something creative outside of my composing, but it always ends up making me feel frustrated and I can’t keep the habit. It’s one of the most frustrating things about a neurodivergent brain - not having the executive function to do something that has no instruction or end-goal. Even if something does have steps, if they aren’t specific I have trouble interpreting what they mean and it adds even more stress. Even within my composition, I struggle without a plan - with each piece I have to pick a time and plan out the whole timeline of the piece, create my own deadlines for  myself, plan out the progression of the piece, etc. or else I won’t know where to start and will only feel frustrated. With other creative outlets, I have yet to find one that sticks due to the stress that the lack of bounds creates for me. I have found comfort with a similar daily schedule that works for my brain and keeps my stress levels low so I can pursue my endeavors in composition. 

Momo:

I feel like I’ve become a child whenever pursuing a new creative habit. My body and mind feel clumsy around my ideas, I find myself a stubborn idealist about my own work, and when I close my eyes to sleep all I can see is my new venture unfolding behind my eyes. It can be really frustrating to have ideas but lack the necessary skills to execute your intentions. But as you learn and explore, creative habits are also a way to enjoy your other interests in a fresh light. How we think shapes our minds, so to develop a habit of creativity is to develop the extremely rewarding habit of self-exploration and growth!

Nicole’s painting

Nicole:

I cannot tell you how much paint, how many canvases and how many paint brushes have passed through my hot little hands. I love to sketch and draw, and the idea of relaxing with some watercolors en plein air sounded (and still does sound) divine. Well, my work looks more like what Rothko had for breakfast than an inspired Klee, so painting has become my low-stress-we-suddenly-need-an-art-somewhere-in-the-house activity. I also discovered that large and simple abstract wall paintings are SUPER FUN and am currently fighting the urge to use all of my leftover paint samples to mural the whole house. So, I’ve not become a successful “painter,” nor have I studied and practiced it for years, but I have become a successful “designer” in my home of oddities and curiosities and bits and bobs and a cat and dog. And no, I refuse to do a second coat: we’re going for “Rustic Ikea” here.

Nicole’s painting

Sarah:

Thinking about creative habits is a little complicated for me. I love improvising and exploring new music, or at least, I love those concepts. When I actually try to improvise or play something unconventionally, I find that I often feel self-conscious. I worry that the sounds I’m making sound immature, or that if other people heard me, they would be unimpressed. I think the key to overcoming self-consciousness in creativity is to separate yourself from judgement (whether good or bad) and focus entirely on the task at hand. Literally manufacture a judgement-free zone and create from there.

Victoria:

To be honest, the emotions that come to mind when I think of creative habits are apprehension and the fear of failure. Although I value my education, the process of receiving so much criticism from well-meaning and not-so-well-meaning mentors extinguished the spark I once had. We just don’t realize how much long-term damage can arise from constant judgment for the sake of education until it’s too late. Unfortunately, I’ve found that this fear has crept into other creative ideas. To remedy this, I need the mentality of remembering that I am my only judge in what I do. Assuming that there is no physical or mental danger, there is no “right” or “wrong” way to do something creatively. Rather than seeking some intrinsic endpoint for everything I do, I try to focus on how I feel when I actively create something. Whether it’s meant as an outlet for stress or a way to nurture my overall ability to create, I remain focused on just how holistic and encompassing a creative pursuit can be.

So as you can see, we have a love-hate-relationship with creative habits. But what’s consistent with all of our experiences is how we drive forward and find solutions to our creativity struggles, which helps us become better artists in the end.

As a collective, we’re excited to start fresh with our habits, and we invite you to join us! We’ll soon be introducing a 10-Week Improvisation Challenge aimed at encouraging artists and art-inspired thinkers to regularly incorporate creativity in their lives in little ways. Throughout this fall, we’ll introduce 10 weekly improvisation prompts with application suggestions. These prompts would also be great for teachers to do with students! So stay tuned for our upcoming challenge, and think creative thoughts!

Our Sources and recommended resources:

Oxford Languages definition of “creativity”

The Perfect Wrong Note: Learning to Trust Your Musical Self by William Westley. Suggested reading for releasing judgement in musical (or creative) practice.

Notes to Myself: My Struggle to Become a Person by Hugh Prather. Suggested reading for releasing judgement from everyday life and focusing on an encompassing holistic self.

The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp. Title says it all.

Outside the Self – Interpretation

Author: Sarah Christianson – 7 minute read

The final installment in our “Outside the Self” graphic score series is all about interpretation! Earlier in our series, we discussed the artistry involved in transforming musical ideas into visual art and back again, as well as how to flex your creativity muscles as you form your own graphic scores. Interpreting graphic scores involves both artistry and creativity, but it also requires fearlessness, listening, and dedication.

How do you interpret that?

To interpret traditional musical notation, one first needs to know how the language works. Here’s a short excerpt from Beethoven’s Minuet in G Major, WoO 10:

In just a few measures of music, the performer needs to interpret what each note represents, what all the straight lines mean, what the hashtag symbol and curved line tell them to do, and what the numbers and fancy p delineate. Since all of these aspects have clear definitions, the interpretive process is based primarily on prior knowledge. Of course, each individual performer can decide just how much to mind the little p or how best to place each note, which involves artistry and creativity. 

The interpretive process required to read a graphic score is quite different. Take a look at this score I made:

In this example, the performer needs to ask theirself different kinds of interpretive questions. These might include, why are there so many different colors? Should I flip the score upside-down? How can I make a long curvy sound versus a short scribbly sound? Should I perform the colors first, and the lines second?

What’s great about graphic scores is that their interpretation does not have a set ability requirement in order to perform. Of course the interpretation and performance of traditionally notated works is remarkable and inspiring, but a musical work that can be successfully performed by both the concertmaster of a professional orchestra as well as an 8-year old with some toy maracas is quite remarkable in itself. Graphic scores provide a performance platform for anyone who is willing to read them, and in doing so, they provide everyone the opportunity to have fun and experience joy through music.

It gets real

I’ve become so inspired by the accessibility of graphic scores that I wanted to share them with others, so I decided to introduce my 7-year old general music students to graphic notation during summer camp. These students had spent most of their music classes learning the basics of music: how to read and perform rhythms and pitch, and how to make music using their voices and a few percussion instruments. Their classes had mostly focused on basic musical knowledge rather than creativity and innovation, so I had no idea how they would take to graphic scores. 

I showed them a graphic score divided into six different sections, each containing a different formation of lines and circles. And I could not believe how bold and convincing their performances were! The kids performed with instruments, found objects, and their voices in ways beyond what I would have thought to do. Their interpretations were so compelling and ingenious that I could easily tell which section of the score they were reading. These graphic scores were certainly a success!

The next day, figuring that my young students had mastered graphic scores, I wanted to challenge their interpretive skills in a new way: by re-interpreting musical concepts as graphic notation. I assigned my students to imagine musical concepts like dynamics, mood, and tempo (basically just how music sounds and makes you feel) and transform them into graphic notation. Seeing as they had not only studied these concepts thoroughly but also demonstrated great confidence in performance, I figured this exercise was perfect to stretch their brains.

But. I. Was. Sooooo. Wrong. 

After giving my students 10 minutes to create graphic scores by themselves, the finished “scores” were nothing more than smiley faces, various words in plain writing, and sketches of living rooms. And when it came time to present scores to the class, one student, after seeing the graphic score that I had created, quickly grabbed a fresh sheet of paper, made some scribbles with a pencil, and called that his graphic score. The thoughtfulness and courage the kids demonstrated in performance was almost nonexistent in the scores they created.

After this experience, my views of graphic scores had changed. I used to think that this non-traditional notation allowed all people the chance to make high-quality art and music, but maybe it’s not that simple. Two-way interpretive powers––the skill to not only read and create but also to understand and re-create––may not be inherently accessible to all regardless of age or ability. 

But honestly, I think that’s ok. Because if interpretation were easy and natural, how could we find artistry and creativity in a graphic score?

Mmmmk?

What an unexciting conclusion! Let’s try to re-interpret it (see what I did there?)! Rather than viewing graphic scores as simple and available to all, let’s truly apply ourselves to their performance and creation. 

The next time I teach my students about graphic scores, I plan to stretch their interpretive muscles by challenging them to really dig into how they read a graphic score. I plan to ask them questions like “What do these circles mean to you?” and “How does the sound you chose fit with the score?” This way, they’ll be simultaneously reading the music and discovering what it means, and one day way down the road when I give them the opportunity to create scores, they’ll have a knowledge base from which to work.

And for myself as a musician, I’m curious to study graphic scores similarly to how I practice score-study when preparing to play with an orchestra. Rather than just playing what I see, I want to understand how each note fits within a greater whole.

So I guess graphic scores really are available to all, so long as we have the encouragement to dig deeper. And how does this relate to thinking outside the self? Graphic scores remind us that artistic and creative success isn’t found in just solving the problem but in building a solution. When we hone in on one side of doing something, our success is limited. But after questioning and learning by taking a step outside your head into a new world with new possibilities, we develop tools to build effective and lasting results. 

Whether or not you’re a trained musician, and if you are a trained musician, regardless of your ability: take a chance on graphic scores. Try performing some of the ones on our blog and social media, or maybe create your own, and always ask yourself why you did what you did. The more you question your ways and what’s around you, the more vulnerable you can be with yourself and with others, and the more equipped you will be to interact with the world outside you.

Outside the Self – Creativity

Authors: Jade Garcia and Nicole Sonneveld – 4 minute read

Welcome back to our second installment of “Outside the Self:” Creativity! In our last post, we introduced the concept of a graphic score and graphic notation. With a background of the history, we now have the chance to place ourselves in the work and dive into the endless possibilities of this kind of notation! 

Creativity is a wide-reaching concept that would be impossible to truly discuss in a single blog post. Instead we offer this approach summed up by Charles Mingus, “Making the simple complicated is commonplace. Making the complicated simple––awesomely simple––THAT’S creativity.” 

While this series is called, “Outside the Self,” we believe that a crucial aspect of fostering vulnerability and openness with others is by being vulnerable and open with oneself. We constantly work toward uncovering a deeper level of understanding of ourselves and the work that we do. But what if we aimed for a simple approach? We’d like to suggest a take that prioritizes simplicity and a connection to the inner self. Below, we offer some guidance and examples of how we approach graphic notation with a simply creative mindset. 

All of this has, at its core, the goal of encouraging a positive form of growth! The skills that one applies to thinking creatively while inventing a graphic score are skills that are applicable to everyday situations and that add to a skill set encouraging a more well-rounded being. 

Creativity, You Say?

Over at ACEd, we love a graphic score! One of the main reasons that we enjoy them so much is because ANYONE, yes, ANYONE can make and perform graphic scores! 

“But I can’t read music or play an instrument!”

That’s okay! ANYONE can participate!

“But I’m not very creative!”
We disagree! ANYONE can be creative!

After all, “creative” is just a different way of saying “new,” and we’re here to help you tap into your inner innovator!

Step one in any creative process is to let go of negative self-talk! So, in order to be creative, you should: 

• Be kind to yourself

• Be kind to others

• Be open to new ideas

Now, let’s make some art! 

Creating A Graphic Score: Food for Thought

Unlike your favorite batch of chocolate chip cookies, there’s no real “recipe” for how to make a graphic score––and that’s the beauty of it! You can do whatever pleases your palate! That being said, so much possibility can be overwhelming, so here are a few suggestions (chocolate chips, raisins, nuts etc.) to consider if you don’t know where to start:

• Use colors to represent “moods”

• Use textures to represent different sounds

• Use lines and dots to represent long and short

• Use directions to represent speed and tempo

• Use force to represent gestures

With this baseline in mind, here are some exercises to flex those creative muscles!

• Get out your favorite coloring tools and paper and graphically notate a verse from your favorite song

  • What does it look like?

  • What shapes, lines and colors do you see?

  • If this were a texture, what would it feel like?

• Graphically notate the emotion “joy” with a friend and interpret each of your pieces

• Record a conversation and graphically notate it

  • Why did you choose this person?

  • What guides your gestures?

• Graphically notate any word:

  • What does it feel/sound/smell/look/taste like?

  • What is important to you about that word?

  • What does that word tell you about other people?
    
    

Bonus Content: A Graphic Score in the AC Wild!

Check out Jade’s fresh new take on Charles-Marie Widor’s Introduction et rondo, Op. 72!

Jade and Nicole each transcribed her playing in graphic notation. Their scores are below!

Jade’s score

“This looks pretty abstract but I had fun drawing it and it makes sense to me! I was imagining a lot of different levels and colors all coming together through emotion represented by the heart on the bottom right. I added a more linear moment when I felt the music was more angular, and a ladder because it felt like steady climbing through transitions. All in all it is very ‘me’ to have a bunch of shapes pasted together and that brings joy!”

Nicole’s score

“As an adult, any day when I get to color and say, “Yeah, it’s for work,” is a great day. First of all, this isn’t to scale, and instead I chose to focus on the gestures that really stood out to me. For example, the arpeggiated section toward the end is depicted as moving from calm to tense to relaxed with color, dots and dashes and movement up and toward the right. At least, that’s what I see!”

Check out our #ACed social media this week to see graphic scores created by the collective!

Outside the Self – Artistry

Authors: Katya Barmotina, Sarah Christianson, Anna Wilkens-Reed – 3 minute read

Introducing the first installment of our Achelois Education summer series: Outside the Self!

“Outside the Self” is all about inspiring courageous and vulnerable human connections, especially with people who seem different from you. In this 3-part series, we’ll explore themes such as empathy, social awareness, and active listening through the means of the graphic score. If you’re unfamiliar with a graphic score, it’s a medium containing symbols, images, shapes, or animations from which musicians read as they perform. Anything goes for a graphic score! 

Owing to their flexible notation, graphic scores can offer specific instructions for performance or merely present a visual interpretation of the piece itself, leaving the stylistic choices entirely up to the performer(s). Early graphic scores were originally referred to as "Augenmusik", which literally translates to "eye music”. This music is to be appreciated sonically and visually with some of the oldest surviving compositions from the Renaissance period.  One example of Augenmusik is the canon “Tout par compass suy corposis”, composed by Baude Cordier (ca. 1380 – ca. 1440). Take a look below for a manuscript animation and performance.

These days, graphic scores and other forms of contemporary music are typically performed by highly trained musicians for audiences of other highly trained musicians. But since performing graphic scores often requires no prior training or musical knowledge, these pieces naturally welcome the participation of a broader audience. In “Outside the Self,” we hope to tap into this innate accessibility of graphic scores and use them to inspire high-quality music making regardless of prior knowledge or experience. So let’s take a look at some of our favorite graphic scores from the past 60 or so years!

Stripsody for Solo Voice (1966) was the first musical work composed by mezzo-soprano Cathy Berberian. Using the onomatopoeic sounds of comic strips illustrated by Roberto Zamarin, which are used to communicate a succession of intriguing vignettes, Stripsody set a completely new standard for new music composition during the 1960's.

Music for Airports by Brian Eno (interview quotes from https://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/new-again-brian-eno)

Brian Eno is a contemporary musician known for using graphic notation. He had no formal training in music education and thus wasn’t able to notate in a traditional form. He made graphic scores a typical part of his normal process because he didn’t know another way to write. In describing his creative method, he said: “quite a lot of what I do has to do with sound texture, and you can’t notate that anyway… That’s because musical notation arose when sound textures were limited.” 

In his piece, Music for Airports, Eno gave his performers simple instructions for interpreting the score such as ‘play the note C every 21 seconds’. 

Check out the score for Eno’s Music for Airports and its performance.

Luminous Axis (2002) composed by Leo Wadada Smith

Composers with formal training have also turned to the medium of the graphic score. Luminous Axis (2002) is an electronic piece composed by American Jazz trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith and is described by the composer as "An Electronic Sonic Garden of Delights and Transformations, Events 1-15". See the score and hear its interpretation below.

George Crumb’s Spiral Galaxy is one of the most recognizable graphic scores today. It combines traditional and graphic notation.

“Spiral Galaxy” composed by George Crumb

So you’re probably wondering; how do graphic scores relate to human connection? Well, meaningful human connections require putting yourself out there and trusting that others will appreciate who you are. Performing graphic scores mirrors this: both the composer and performer demonstrate complete vulnerability with one another. They trust that the convergence of their work will be valuable and know that their unique creation is impossible without the other. This differs from music using traditional notation––the black and white pages rely on a common language and background between the composer and the performer, so less vulnerability and risk are necessary. Unmarked territory is a necessary part of graphic scores, and it reminds us of how refreshing and exciting it can be to explore that which is unfamiliar.

Take a look at the image above for a moment. What would it sound like to you? What colors, textures or emotions would it carry? The sky’s the limit, so be creative!

We’ll be posting our own graphic score creations soon, so keep a look out!

---

my sources

Anderson, Jennelle, "George Crumb and Makrokosmos, Volume 1" (1996). Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects. 281. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/honors/281

Cheek , Taja. “Wadada Leo Smith in Conversation with Taja Cheek.” Walker Arts , 2 Mar. 2020, walkerart.org/magazine/jazz-llc-wadada-leo-smith-interview.

Hall, David. “Graphic notation: the art of visualizing music.” http://davidhall.io/visualising-music-graphic-scores/

Hotle , Dana. What in the World Is Augenmusik? 2013. www.chamberprojectstl.org

Kim, Rebecca Y. Cathy Berberian: Stripsody . www.yellowbarn.org.

Stamp, Jimmy. “5 1/2 Examples of Experimental Music Notation.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 5 June 2013, www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/5-12-examples-of-experimental-music-notation-92223646/.

She who washes away pain

Author: Claire Niederberger – 3 minute read

Artist: Ovidiu Nicolae Baiculescu

Our namesake, Achelois (pronounced “ah-khe-LOH-ees”), was a minor Greek lunar goddess. Her name translates to the phrase seen above––“she who washes away pain”––as she was looked to as a source of comfort and healing for ancient Greeks.

I have to say, I am not familiar with Greek mythology at all. I have had to do quite a bit of research to understand moon deities, oracles, etc...these are topics that are totally out of my zone of knowledge. I wanted to write this blog post to better understand the story of our name, and I figured some of our audience––you!––may be in the same boat. 

Here are some things I learned:

• Greek gods and goddesses had human characteristics and personality traits and received human names, whereas Roman gods and goddesses were named after objects and did not possess a gender.

• An oracle is an intermediary between people and gods. The term may also refer to the site of the oracle, like a portal, through which the gods spoke directly to people. 

• Achelois was associated with the oracle Dodona, which is located in the northwestern part of Greece. This is known to be one of the oldest Greek oracles. 

• This Dodonian Oracle is best known for its association with Zeus (king of the gods of Mount Olympus, a.k.a. one of the major Greek deities). However, sacrifices were frequently made to Achelois at the Dodonian Oracle, as a plea for her assistance in curing illness and other maladies.

• When the gods were communicating through the oracle, as in a sacrificial order to Achelois, those on earth would listen for some sounds in nature: oak leaves rustling, or the ringing of bronze pieces hung from branches, similar to windchimes of today. 

I could continue with more miscellaneous mythology facts that I picked up as I traveled down the internet-mythology rabbithole, but I’ll leave those for later. The biggest takeaway from my somewhat-limited Achelois research (there’s really not much info about her) was that people looked to her to relieve their pain. They would petition her for comfort and healing in whatever they faced. 

Today, people have nearly unlimited sources of comfort. Some examples that have been helping me recently: fried chicken, weighted blankets, wine, puppies, etc. The list goes on, and for many people, it probably includes music. Music is used as a method of healing in so many ways. We have music therapists who utilise music in several forms to help people soothe their pain and reach their therapeutic goals. We can attend concerts for enjoyment and listen to music for stress relief. And the act of playing music can transfer our focus from our lives’ troubles to the joy and peace of creative expression.

This is where our work as the Achelois Collective ties in. We present the works of underrepresented figures in music, writing, and other arts, with the hope of providing some comfort and healing to both the audience and to underrepresented communities. If we can imagine Achelois as a presence today, her work may be similar to that of the women celebrated in our “Here’s to…” concert series. Audre Lorde, Phillis Wheatley, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz…Achelois fits right in.

APPLICATION SUGGESTIONS

Non-musicians – Think of how the arts provide a source of comfort for you. Maybe you can dive deeper into these creative avenues! You could prioritize the arts more in your life by taking a class, attending performances more regularly, or finding local artists you can support. Don’t forget that when you support the arts, you not only receive the joy of embracing creativity, but you join a community of artists seeking to be heard and seen.

K–6 – See if you know any other characters from Greek or Roman mythology. If not, ask your parents to help you do some research. Did they help people, like Achelois? How does their story go? Can you make a drawing of them, or a song about them? See if you know any people in your life who are like these characters. 

Musicians – Do you know of any interesting pieces with references to mythology? Or mythological tales that have references to music or musical instruments? Could be an interesting concert theme...

My Sources

https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/goddesses/achelois/

https://earthandstarryheaven.com/2018/08/22/dione-oracle/

https://www.diffen.com/difference/Greek_Gods_vs_Roman_Gods

How to Recover from Artistic/Creative Burnout

Author: Anna Wilkens-Reed – 5 minute read

Creative Burnout: a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion from creative work.

Since quarantine first began last year, I have been in a constant battle with fighting burnout. Like many people, my creative burnout has always had a strange tinge of desperation to it, where I often think

"Okay, so I am barely hanging on right now, and yet how do I still feel like I'm not doing enough?"

Does this sound like you?

In undergrad, my standard reaction to feeling burned out was to ignore it, because I'm a musician and music school is inexplicably stressful ( I always believed I could handle it) and there was always too much work to be done. Taking time to rest always appeared to be a waste of time. However, that coping mechanism quickly proved to be unproductive, unhealthy, irresponsible and most importantly, unsustainable. My mental health suffered as I began to dread making music. My exhaustion knew no bounds and I was in a constant state of self-doubt and shame. I had become so used to being in a perpetual work mode that by the time I realized I had reached my capacity for productivity, I was already miles beyond my limit.

So over the past year, I began paying attention to my body's signals for rest, which has proven invaluable for me to maintain attention and stay proactive. As writer Nathalie Sejean says: “Creative burnout is not a fatality, it’s an injury. And, that’s an essential one to remember in your art practice. You haven’t dried up your well of creativity, you’ve overworked your creative muscle. You forgot to stretch it. You repeated too many times the same movements, over-developing sections and weakening others.”

As I am still combating creative burnout, here are some guidelines I've set for myself to stay productive, keep my creative juices flowing and ensure my body and mind are well-rested. Please know that these are guidelines that have worked for me personally and are only offered as a means of support!

1. First, I had to train myself not to see creative burnout as shameful. There is nothing wrong with me, I have simply overused my creative muscle and now need to take time to recover. This pandemic is exhausting in and of itself, and forcing myself to work in the same unhealthy way as I did pre-Covid 19 is simply not feasible anymore.

2. "What am I watching/reading? Can I change my surroundings? Can I limit my screen time? How am I sleeping? What duties could I possibly delegate?” We know that these environmental factors can help or hinder our productivity, so why wouldn’t our rest periods be similarly affected? So, if possible, take time to assess what you need to adjust and/or change about your current lifestyle and environment. .

3. As I currently work from home, I try to plan my entire day as best I can, meals, breaks, practice sessions, gym, and downtime included. This way, I have a clear understanding of where my energy and time are going and what my return on investment should be. This type of detailed planning took awhile to get used to, but the benefits of knowing exactly which tasks and priorities I’m to accomplish each day gives me peace of mind.

4. I try to direct my energy into being creative in areas that are completely unrelated to the topic I'm currently burned out in. This could mean journaling, pulling out my watercolors again, photography, etcetera. What areas in your life could you refocus your creative energy towards?

5. I have also learned when it's time to stop, put down whatever I'm doing and be done for the day. This has probably been the hardest thing for me to incorporate in my life, as I never feel like I have accomplished enough to “deserve” the downtime. However, I've experienced the hard way that I will work myself to ill heath if I don't set clear productivity limits for myself. Ask yourself: “What signals does my body give me to alert me that it’s time to stop?” Learn to recognize these signs as best you can (and trust me, I know it’s easy to ignore them) and listen to what your body is trying to communicate.

Long story short, as a result of putting these guidelines in place, I have learned to appreciate my rest and downtime periods for the invaluable and necessary gifts that they are. Inevitably, I may occasionally fall back into unhealthy habits because it's true: you still have to keep going, and the workload does not stop. However, it is still up to me to set clear boundaries for myself, and prioritize my goals so I can be at my best, both physically, mentally and artistically.

If you are like me and easily push past your boundaries, take a look below.

Causes for creative/artistic burnout include:

Stress

Perfectionism

Decision fatigue

Lack of personal boundaries/limits

Need for control

Overwork due to fear of failure

Lack of clear responsibilities for your role

Possible consequences of Creative Burnout

Physical manifestations of burnout (headaches, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular issues, etcetera)

Irritability

Insomnia

Depressive episodes

Excessive stress

Procrastination

The phrase "sharpen your axe" has never been more pertinent than in the past year. Be gentle with yourself and strategize healthier ways of being productive so you don't run yourself into the ground.

Application suggestions:

Non-musicians – Between Zoom fatigue and heightened familial obligations, it makes sense that you are going to feel exhausted. Take a few minutes and figure out what your top priority is, then rank two or three other priorities underneath it. Once you have that in mind, you will be able to easily decide what gets the best of your energy and attention and what shouldn't. You'll also be able to determine when you can let go of a task to take a break.

K–6 – There is a lot is going on in the world right now, so it only makes sense that at some point you will feel overwhelmed. Talk to a parent, mentor or someone you trust about how you're feeling and what might help you become more relaxed. Everyone (adults and kids included) needs time to rest and recover. So if you need a break, don't be afraid to speak up for yourself or negotiate a situation that works for you.

Musicians – As much as possible, plot your practice times, breaks, rehearsals, meals, sleep schedule, and other professional activities. As with most things, priorities are the key. If you are feeling any kind of guilt or shame over not being able to do everything you planned, please don't blame yourself. Creative burnout is inevitable in even the most normal situations, not to mention a worldwide pandemic. Our music is a mirror of ourselves, so if you're suffering mentally and physically, it's only a matter of time until your playing will begin reflecting this.

Tag us with #ACED and share how you're managing your creative or artist burnout! We've all been there, so let's share some tips and look after one another!

My Sources:

Sherrie Bourg Carter’s article, “The Tell Tale Signs of Burnout…Do You Have Them? from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/high-octane-women/201311/the-tell-tale-signs-burnout-do-you-have-them

Nathalie Sejean’s article, “Creative Burnout is Not a Myth” from Medium: https://medium.com/activate-creativity/creative-burnout-is-not-a-myth-10ba58cf5899

Anne-Laure Le Cunff’s article “Creative burnout: when the creativity tap runs dry” from Ness Labs: https://nesslabs.com/creative-burnout

Here’s to Audre: Speak, listen, transform

Author: Sarah Christianson – 5 minute read

Photo by Elsa Dorfman

It’s 2021. Think back to last year and all that took place and was said. You may think of the “unprecedented times” brought on by the pandemic, or how our country is “more divided than ever.” While these catchphrases seem uniquely tied to 2020, let’s be real: the struggle isn’t new. Sure, a pandemic is new, but the undue burden it’s placed on disenfranchised communities just reflects what’s always been going on beneath the surface. And national coverage of police violence and racial injustice seems like a fresh take, but it’s really just shedding light on an issue that’s been present yet ignored for decades.

Yes, this may sound cynical. But let’s repurpose this cynicism into hope, peace, and action.

In honor of The Achelois Collective’s upcoming concert, “Here’s to Audre,” this post will feature some of Audre Lorde’s writings about pursuing social justice. 

I admittedly didn’t know much about Audre prior to planning for this concert, but as I’ve been reading her work, I feel equally inspired and challenged. Inspired because she demonstrates such beauty and thoughtfulness in her work, and challenged because I know that I can’t rightfully read her writing without seeking change in myself. For those who are like I was and don’t know much about Audre, her self-description––“black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet,”––reveals her honest and forthright ways of addressing complicated issues. She didn’t just write about seeking justice, she used her words get in the face of injustice. And she didn’t just call for change, she discussed how hard it was to really get there. Her words are real; they show both the truth of the world and the truth of her emotions. 

As I was exploring Audre’s poems, “Timing” has remained the most memorable. Here’s the opening of the poem, maybe read it a few times through:

In our infancy of action we were women of peace

come to service islands with no bridges in sight

in the beginning we all dreamed of an ending

but the wars of our childhood have aged us.

This stanza conveys a sentiment that many of us may have faced during the past year. That feeling that comes after the protest marches, the petitions, and the other efforts focused on making a difference. The feeling that questions, “now what?” and becomes complacent and distracted by the comforts afforded by our privilege.

The poem continues:

When donations of soup from my yesterday’s kitchen 

sour in the stomachs of beggars now miles away 

and they toss in their sleep in doorways 

with a curse of worry upon their lips 

then even my good deeds are suspect

Again, maybe you relate to this. One day you stir up the courage to do something good for your community. But the next day, you still witness your neighbors’ hunger, hurt, and hopelessness. So what can you do?

Audre provides one solution in her essay, “The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action.” In this Audre writes about the necessity of speaking through fear, especially the fear of becoming visible. As much as we all try to make ourselves more seen and heard, I think we all can relate with the inner desire to blend in. Maybe you’re the only person of color at your office, and you feel nervous steering the conversation to racial injustice for fear of judgment by your colleagues. Or maybe you’re a white music teacher, and you’re scared to program works from other cultures because that puts you out of your comfort zone. And honestly, this is all especially awkward if you feel like you want to speak up and fight for what’s right, but you just don’t know what you yourself can do.

I think this is why Audre writes: 

the transformation of silence into language [is] an act of self-revelation, and that always seems fraught with danger.

When we decide to submit to the quiet urge inside us to do something, we start to not only realize what’s important to us, but we become what’s important to us. We step into a world that we don’t know how to navigate, but at least it’s the world we entered with intention and didn’t settle into through complacency. 

Audre ends the essay with one final component of transforming silence into language and action: 

And where the words of women [or others who are oppressed, I say] are crying to be heard, we must each of us recognize our responsibility to seek those words out, to read and share them and examine them in their pertinence to our lives.

Sometimes the most heroic step we can take in fighting for justice is simply listening to what people are already saying. Audre gives some great examples of how this could look as she examines the artificial walls we build between ourselves and those who seem different than us:

For instance, “I can’t possibly teach Black women’s writing––their experience is so different from mine.” Yet how many years have you spent teaching Plato and Shakespeare and Proust? Or another, “She’s a white woman and what could she possibly have to say to me?” Or, “She’s a lesbian, what would my husband say, or my chairman?” Or again, “This woman writes of her sons and I have no children.” And all the other endless ways in which we rob ourselves of ourselves and each other.

Wouldn’t our lives be so much better if we stopped imagining little walls between us and people who are “different?”

So even in fear, let your confidence speak. When you’re uncomfortable, find the courage to listen. And when the future seems bleak, take action to create hope. Here’s to Audre.

Application Suggestions:

Non-musicians – Check out some artists whose work centers on social justice! Artists need audiences in order to remain relevant, so your support empowers them to continue their mission. I’m sure you’ve seen an arts event or concert that has ties to a greater mission but decided instead to spend the night in front of the TV (I know I have…). Next time you see an opportunity to join an artist in their fight for social justice, don’t let your negative emotions get the best of you. Even in fear or discomfort or even apathy, you can still do your best for the world around you.

K–6 – Have a discussion with an adult, like a teacher or parent or other family member, about something you notice in the world that you wish were better. Maybe you saw a person who is homeless on the street and wish they could have a warm place to live, or you saw someone being picked on while you were playing outside. Talk about why it makes you upset, and then take an action step toward making a change in the future. You could donate your allowance to a homeless shelter, or start an anti-bullying club at school. Don’t be afraid to speak up for others!

Musicians – The next time one of your friends or colleagues has a concert that centers on social justice, prioritize your attendance. It’s so much easier to spend free time practicing or relaxing rather than attend yet another concert, but if you want your trade to remain relevant to others, you need to make it relevant to yourself. 

Don’t forget to check out our upcoming concert “Here’s to Audre” on May 28 at 7:30 P.M. CDT! Get the concert link here.

My sources you can use for further study:

Audre Lorde’s “Timing” from The Black Unicorn published by Norton: https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393312379
Audre Lorde’s “The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action” from Identity Politics in the Women’s Movement edited by Barbara Ryan: https://books.google.com/bookshl=en&lr=&id=v6kUCgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA81&dq=audre+lorde+&ots=ScdympH04a&sig=8uEgVAsRNNcdNiqlBfsa8NEtMWM#v=onepage&q=audre%20lorde&f=false

Stop, Look, and Listen...

Authors: Claire Niederberger, Kathryn Blake, and Sarah Christianson – 5 minute read

Sound waves measured on an oscilloscope (https://academo.org/demos/virtual-oscilloscope/)

Pause for a moment. 

What do you hear right now?

Birds chirping...cars driving by...the laundry machine running?

Whether what you hear is enchanting or mundane, these sounds can tell a story! A story about this one minute, about this entire day, or even about your whole life.

Think about which sounds you hear every day, like the sound of your instrument or the TV, and which ones you hear less often, like the laugh of a friend who lives far away. How do these sounds relate to the stories for those days?

For many years, composers have looked to their environments to find inspiration for the sounds they put in their music. In classical music, we frequently hear references to the natural world (bird calls, wind blowing through trees, ocean waves, to name a few), and also to the folk, traditional, or popular songs of the time. For example, hundreds of years ago, Beethoven was inspired by his walks in nature to write his Symphony No. 6, the “Pastoral.” More recently, composer Valerie Coleman wanted to depict the sounds of urban life in her trio Rubispheres, for flute, clarinet, and bassoon (you can hear this piece on our upcoming concert on May 28!). Similarly, in pop music, the group MGMT used the sounds of children playing on a playground in their song “Kids”. Musicians are constantly looking to their environments and non-musical sounds for inspiration.

In this day and age, with our busy, technology-infused lives, we are constantly surrounded by sound. Within our homes, we may hear the sounds of many electrical objects: the TV on in the background, a smartphone dinging, a kitchen timer going off, computer keys clacking, or a clock ticking, to name a few. Outside of our homes: dogs barking, the warning beeps of construction vehicles, cars honking as they drive by, or loud music playing at the restaurant down the street. These sounds can all tell a story––what kind of story do they communicate?

Right now––stop reading. What do you hear happening around you?

Our resident composer, Kathryn Blake, has recently been experimenting with different methods of composing. She listens to the sounds around her, observes and records them, and then layers them all together to create a new piece that tells a story about her life. Kathryn was inspired to experiment with sounds in this manner over the course of the past pandemic year, as it allowed her to express herself in a new way. Check out Kathryn’s composition below:

Now it’s your turn to be a composer and storyteller! Appreciate the sounds you hear throughout your day and don’t take them for granted. Even the most annoying sounds are important! Your noisy neighbor or the construction work across from your office can show the intersection of your story with someone else’s. Take advantage of all of these sounds to tell the story of who you are today.

APPLICATION SUGGESTIONS 

Non-musicians – As you go throughout the day, use your phone to periodically record some of the sounds you hear. Maybe it’s your footsteps as you walk to work, or the sounds in your kitchen as you make dinner, or snippets of your conversation over Zoom with a friend. Upload those files to Bandlab or something similar, then experiment with layering and lining up your sounds so they tell an expressive story about your day. Congratulations! You’re a composer now!

K-6 – Record 5–6 sounds throughout your day using your phone or your parent’s phone. Maybe try to record 1–2 sounds before school and 3–4 sounds after school. Any sound will work! Then with the help of a parent or teacher, upload your sounds to Bandlab or something similar. First listen to each sound by itself, then to all the sounds together, and then experiment with moving the sounds around in different patterns. What kind of story do these sounds tell? Do they tell an exciting story, or a sad story, or a funny story? Write your story down in 3–5 sentences. You can draw pictures of it too!

Musicians – As you go throughout the day, periodically record some of the sounds you hear. You can include a mix of musical sounds (rehearsal or practicing) and non-musical sounds (walking, talking, watching TV). Upload those files to an audio workstation (such as Audacity, Bandlab, or GarageBand) and experiment with layering and lining up your sounds so they tell an expressive story about your day. Finally, use this composition as a backing track for improvisation that communicates your story.

Upload your piece as a video to Instagram and use #ACed to share your piece with us! 

Memories in Sound: an Introduction to Pauline Oliveros and Sonic Meditation

Author: Sarah Christianson – 5 minute read

Pauline Oliveros, courtesy of The New York Times Magazine

How did one moment ago sound?

How did yesterday sound?

How did last year sound? *

*Don’t answer these questions with words!

Instead, answer them using actual sounds.

Sonic meditation is a concept created by composer Pauline Oliveros in the 1970s. It’s a simple concept––

Sonic = sound

Meditation = concentration without distraction

Sonic + meditation = concentration on sound without distraction

Pauline’s group, the ♀ Ensemble, would practice sonic meditations together every week. Often they would even avoid using verbal communication during meetings in order to intensify the meditative experience. What’s great about sonic meditations is that they can be practiced by both musicians and non-musicians alike! Sound is sound, and everyone is invited to explore it on a deeper level than they did yesterday.

Pauline Oliveros (1932–2016) was not just a composer or performer, but rather a force that changed the definition and application of the word, “listen.” In addition to creating the concept of sonic meditation, Pauline also pioneered a practice called Deep Listening, which she describes as, “a way of listening in every possible way to everything possible, to hear no matter what you are doing.”

Pauline introduced the world to her new meditative practices in Sonic Meditations (1971), which is essentially a collection of meditative prompts performed by the ♀ Ensemble during their weekly meetings. While today anyone is invited to practice sonic meditation, Pauline intended the first meditators to be just women! Her reasoning behind this was that since women had struggled so long to get their artistic voices heard, they should be the first ones to experience the healing power of her new meditative practice.

Following Sonic Meditations Pauline wrote a number of other text scores. A text score is a musical score that functions like sheet music, except instead of music notes, words tell the performer what to do. What’s great about this notation is that it levels the playing field by welcoming both musicians and non-musicians to perform. With a text score, both groups are equally challenged to leave behind what they know (or don’t know) and bravely enter a new sound world that they create with the guidance of the composer.

Sonic meditations were initially intended to be a group activity, but after their first publication, Pauline also wrote several “solo meditations,” which expanded how sonic meditation can be practiced. Whether practicing alone or as a group, Pauline’s guidelines (paraphrased below) should always be considered:

1. “Actually make sound” using your voice, your body, objects, or instruments.

2. “Actively imagine sounds” using trigger questions to create internal sound worlds you can share.

3. “Listen to present sounds” that are both within and outside of yourself.

4. “Remember sounds” using trigger questions that form memories you can share.

Now that you’ve read about it, you might as well try it out! So here’s your sonic meditation prompt for today, inspired by Pauline Oliveros’s For Allison Knowles (a.k.a. All is On):

How did your 2020 sound?

Application suggestions:

Non-musicians – First, think back to a significant or defining moment of 2020. Then reimagine the sounds (or even the lack of sound) that made up that moment. Finally relive the emotions that were present, whether they were inherent or expressed or conveyed by media. Take 1–2 minutes and live in that sound world internally (maybe set a stopwatch to define the time). Then recreate those sounds using your voice, body, or found objects.

K–6 – Think back to a special moment in the year 2020 (year can be changed if kids can’t remember). Don’t tell anyone that special moment yet! But imagine it in your head. What were the different sounds you heard? Were they happy sounds, or sad sounds, or something in between? Try to imagine those sounds for 10–30 seconds without thinking of anything else. Then recreate those sounds using your voice (singing, vocalizing, etc.), your body (tapping on a table, shuffling your feet, etc.), or a musical instrument.

Musicians – First, think back to a significant or defining moment of 2020. Then reimagine the sounds (or even the lack of sound) that made up that moment. Finally relive the emotions that were present, whether they were inherent or expressed or conveyed by media. Take 1–2 minutes and live in that sound world internally (maybe set a stopwatch to define the time). Then recreate those sounds using your voice, body, or found objects. After sonic meditation, use your sound world as the basis for improvisation. Improvisation can be less than a minute or several minutes long, performed alone or with a group. Be brave and be totally attuned to yourself.

Bonus activity for all ages and abilities! – After following your steps above, try engaging with sound through a new medium. Draw a picture of the sound world from your meditation. Whether your drawing accurately depicts the scene you imagined or symbolically describes it, make sure the sounds are the focal point of your creation.

My sources you can use for further study:

Kerry O’Brien’s article from The New Yorker: “Listening as Activism: The “Sonic Meditations” of Pauline Oliveros” https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/listening-as-activism-the-sonic-meditations-of-pauline-oliveros

The Center for Deep Listening, founded by Pauline Oliveros: https://www.deeplistening.rpi.edu

Pauline Oliveros’s Sonic Meditations published by Smith Publications: https://www.smith-publications.com/

Pauline Oliveros’s Anthology of Text Scores published by PoP & MoM: https://popandmom.org/products/anthology-of-text-scores