As a child, you respond physically, tactically. You're delighted by sound, you're delighted by recognizing something. It's like hide and seek. Is it there? Is it not there? Is it this note? Is it not this note? It's one fantastic game.
Yo-Yo MaRead
With every year of playing, you want to relax one more muscle. Why? Because the more tense you are, the less you can hear.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Music performance improves with relaxation, allowing for better listening and expression.
This quote by Yo-Yo Ma emphasizes the importance of relaxation in musical performance. As musicians gain experience over the years, they learn to let go of tension, which enhances their ability to listen and connect with the music, ultimately leading to a more expressive performance.
Themes
MusicRelaxationPerformanceListeningTension
In practice
Example use cases
A musician shares this quote during a workshop on performance relaxation techniques.
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I learn something not because I have to, but because I really want to. That's the same view I have for performing. I'm performing because I really want to, not because I have to bring bread back home.
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