An essay by Xia Jing
Xia Jing is an intercultural arts promoter and accomplished performer of the Guzheng, the Chinese plucked zither. She earned a Master of Arts degree from the China Conservatory of Music and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Applied Intercultural Art Research at the University of Arizona. She was awarded the first prize in the 7th World Rising Star competition and the Golden Bell Award, the highest recognition in Chinese music. She has performed as a soloist with symphony orchestras and chamber music ensembles and appeared on stages across the world. Xia Jing and classical guitarist Bin Hu formed the Duo Chinoiserie in 2016. More information and videos can be found on their website: https://www.duochinoiserie.com/. In spring 2020, Xia Jing took a free online course titled “An Introduction to Contemplative Care,” developed and taught by Koshin Paley Ellison and Robert Chodo Campbell in partnership with the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care. The course was promoted at UA as part of a collaboration with the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine and the Center for Buddhist Studies. She wrote this essay after taking the course and applying the concepts to her musical practice.
"Slow practice" is a concept that music teachers often talk about in class, whether it is slowing down to practice a difficult passage, establish a consistent speed, navigate a change in pitch, or refine musical expression. Practicing slowly not only reduces speed, but it also gives performers the time to think and perceive. As the saying goes, "The Master only leads the way by opening the door, the student practices," meaning that the teacher imparts knowledge to the students and the students must then take their own initiative to understand and practice the music. So how should a student practice at home? I would like to share a method I learned called "mindfulness practice." I hope this type of practice will help musicians increase awareness, practice more efficiently, achieve inner peace and joy, and unify body and mind.
My teacher Lin Ling often mentioned the concept of "awareness" when I was an undergraduate, asking us to pay attention to every movement of our fingers in the present moment. Later in the United States when I took the "Contemplative Care" course, I learned to build inner awareness and self-generated connections to help groups in need of care. In the process of learning commonly used terms like "consciousness," "awareness," and "connection," I recalled that my teacher Lin once mentioned the concept of "awareness." Is not the practice of music also a practice of mindfulness?
Every day, we physically wake up, open our eyes and start the day's activities, busy until night and then we close our eyes to sleep. But sometimes our bodies and minds do not maintain unity during daily activities. Instead, we leave ourselves, forgetting what we have done, what just happened, and our consciousness falls asleep. In the era of information overload, we can easily know the world, but we seem to be "missing in action,” absent in some way. The same can be true of musical practice. Boring, repeated practice can become mindless, and soon our minds become cloudy, leaving only the body to mechanically and unconsciously carry out repeated motions. This kind of practice is inefficient and futile.
I used to practice basic musical skills without mindfulness. Then, following my teacher's instructions, I slowly began to practice more consciously. We can practice this way not only with respect to the movement of fingers and muscles, but also focusing on how to practice holistically, with the "whole" Guzheng. Your body, brain, heart, hands, and breath are joined together to play every note in the present moment.
I used to know only “seated Zen” and then learned “practice Zen" after taking the mindfulness course. Drawing upon the basic concepts of Zen, we can practice in daily life and while playing an instrument. As far as I am concerned, practicing Guzheng is also a meditation practice. Musical instruments are a medium through which we practice the same movements in a meditative manner, so as to perceive our body and mind and observe the present moment.
Every movement is connected to breathing, and the body and mind are always awakened to perceive what is happening at this moment. We are aware of the fingers, the strings, and the connections between them. We are mindful of sitting with an erect back, lowering our shoulders and elbows, keeping breath and movement uniform, moving slightly, and playing with awe in every moment. We are aware of the beginning and ending of each sound, the space between sounds, and the integration of oneself and the whole environment to perceive the Guzheng.
After taking the “Contemplative Care” course and applying it to my musical practice, I offer this advice. As you practice a new piece of music, be comfortable with silence, be patient and mindful, put aside any competitiveness, and feel full inside and outside.