Go with the flow of music.

07/08/2022

Hi flow lovers!
We know that flow experiences during practice are connected to flow experiences during performance.This is because the habit of flow becomes stronger when you develop it during practice and then it naturally 'flows' into your performances. If you want more flow during practice then immerse yourself, make it interesting and don't let your mind wander off. If you would like specific strategies to optimise your practice feel free to contact me. Personalised strategies can really help build the flow habit for auditions, concerts and exams allowing you to play at your maximum potential. Remember to fully immerse yourself in your practice, enjoy learning and go with the flow of music!

07/08/2022

12/03/2022

11/03/2022

Hi flow lovers!
I'm very happy to have recently finished my Phd on flow experiences in music. One of the interesting findings was that experiencing flow during practice helped to set the scene for flow during performance. So, if you want to feel the deep immersion and joy of being in the zone in your concerts, keep your practice focussed on the connection between physical sensations, enjoyment of your sound and personal expression. Explore your music in every way possible and avoid mechanical repetition. Go with the flow of music and fully enjoy your practice!

10/01/2022

Hi flow lovers!
Now that the new year is with us and we are looking forward to new challenges, flow ideas can offer a scaffold for coping with pressure. In her book Flow in Sports (1999), the internationally renowned flow researcher Susan Jackson stresses that your belief in yourself is important for facilitating flow experiences because nurturing your confidence can provide a foundation for building positive experiences. I believe this is true for musicians too. If we focus on improving our skills we are more likely to maintain a positive attitude even when under pressure. To help with building skills in sport Susan recommends creating a personal skills inventory including physical; mental and technical skills. I recommend you add more to the list to reflect the usual musician skill set such as expression/communication and performance practice skills. Rate each skill out of 10 in terms of both importance to you and what you think your level is and identify which skills you would like to focus on. Then decide on methods for improving those specific skills to help develop strong self-belief and inner confidence.

Using this process you can take control of your own positivity levels to cope with pressure better and... go with the flow of music!

22/10/2021

It is with sadness that I learnt of the passing of Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi yesterday. As the founder of the flow theory his ground breaking discoveries led to increases in the quality of life for so many people in different walks of life all around the world and have been absorbed into diverse areas such as education, sport and the workplace. His explanations of the experience of flow have resonated well beyond academia through his clear and eloquent descriptions.

"The best moments in our life are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times... the best moments usually occur if a person's body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile." (1990)

It can certainly be said that he set a fine example with his own life's work which will no doubt continue to inspire others into the future leading them to the best moments of their own lives.

Vale Mihalyi!

07/09/2021

Hi flow lovers! There has been a long break in my posts as I have been working on my Phd which is all about my Flow Music Method. The exciting news is that I found many positive effects of using the method during instrumental practice and performance and now I am writing a book all about it. These effects were obvious to me during a recent performance (after many cancelled ones!) when I was reminded that trying too hard or aiming to impress others (or yourself!) just creates excess tension and stress. In contrast, trusting in yourself and loving the music reduces the strain and effort allowing wonderful feelings of smoothness and ease to emerge. So let go of trying too hard and enjoy the natural ease of smooth flow!

18/04/2020

In these times we have a lot of worries that we have never had to face before and this stress can really prevent us from enjoying even our favourite activities. Flow studies with thousands of people have shown that you can set up the pre-conditions for flow yourself. Firstly, select a task that you feel is within your reach so it is not overly challenging or too easy for you.Then make sure you set really clear goals and find ways to monitor your progress as you go along as this will help with your concentration and immersion levels.
When you set up the pre-conditions you will notice that the deeply enjoyable feelings of flow that result are different from the type of pleasure you feel from passive activities because afterwards you will feel greater satisfaction and emerge with a stronger sense of self. So, set up the pre-conditions for deep enjoyment and go with the flow!

28/03/2020

Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi' s model of the flow state showing challenge and skill levels with mood states

27/03/2020

Hi flow lovers! For some of us this is our first weekend in lockdown and it makes me realise how important flow ideas could be for creating positive experiences at home. Csikszentmihalyi who founded the theory of flow describes being in the zone as the deep enjoyment that appears at the boundary between boredom and anxiety, when the challenges you face are just about balanced with your capacity to act. So, what does that really mean? Firstly, choose an activity that you already enjoy that requires you to be actively involved with both mind and body (such as music, gardening, chess, games, art, writing, composing, cooking etc), then select an achievable task with a limited time line such as 45 minutes. Make sure the boundaries for action are very clear and that you know exactly what outcome you want to achieve so that there is no doubt in your mind. If you want you can run several of these time frames back to back as long as you have regular breaks. Don't be tempted to keep going too far beyond your planned time frame units though as then you may start to experience frustration or exhaustion which can lead to a lack of motivation down the track. This will be especially important in these days when we have more spare time than usual. If you have several activities that you really enjoy, control the time frames by alternating between them during the day to allow variety and a chance to refresh yourself. Remember to avoid too many passive activities (such as watching TV) as they will 'break' your flow habit. Try these flow tips and create a deeply enjoyable flow zone at home. Go with the flow!!!!!!!

07/10/2018

Focussing on enjoying your playing whilst suspending negative judgements of yourself during performances can help to connect to the expressive purpose of the music and generally feel more positive. It can be an important decision to choose to turn away from a negative or perfectionistic mindset in order to embrace a flow mindset that places a priority on enjoyment. It doesn't mean we stop caring about high standards and rigour but rather we can add another dimension to help us feel more liberated and expressive. Simply by asking ourselves, 'What can I do to enjoy myself more?' opens the flow door, so have a go, see what happens and Go with the Flow!