Rania Chrysostomou

To value and devote time to recap. Go through what you have learnt so far and practice them on a beginners level. Practice slow. Playing or reading about what you already know as long as the intention is to move forward. You might realise something new, build muscle memory and brain memory, and my favourite, to make new brain connections to understand something else entirely different to music (if there is such a thing!).

Recapping, revisiting something already known shows a disciplined character. Do it with full purpose and intention, be humble to your knowledge and expertise and allow your body, brain and mind time for digestion time for digestion.

When I was at university I studied saxophone. My teacher would start my lesson with tenuti, so I had to practice them. I felt embarrassed at first, it didn’t sound interesting. I was doing this when I first started saxophone and my family would leave the house for the time I was practicing. Then this exercise progressed to “dropping the harmonics” as he called it. Something I wouldn’t be able to do as a beginner. I continued studying as my teacher guided: “slowly, take your time, challenge yourself for longer, listen, go again, be mindful”. My sound was comparable to the teacher’s in just 6 months.

Patience. Be patient with yourself. Be firm. Listen. Think. Organise. Take time and give time.

© Rania Chrysostomou, 2017