Glenn Kurtz

[0:33]" Is that beautiful sound the sound of classical guitar. It's all part of what we're talking about with -- our next guest Glenn Kurtz he's written a book called practicing musicians return to music. The music you're listening to. Well it's referred to in the book and it Glenn is here to talk about what it's like to return and what hold music as honest. Welcome back to Boston and thank you it's great you're you're returning to Boston to a certain extent that -- that's right yes I was a student at the new England conservatory and well that right off the bet it is. Is something to be very proud of because the -- and secretary is known worldwide it's phenomenal place. And we're going to be talking about the Qatar vote you and actually about practice because. Everybody in my life. That I am close to and love has had some connection with -- music and practicing including the piano and hadn't though -- if we all -- was. It's time to practice a got a 14 year old rates that work. But it it's an amazing story that you have feared what we starkly and with that the reason you wrote this in -- came back to music after leaving Nationalists and."

[1:39]" Well it's funny -- about practicing everyone hates it but I think my story of coming back to the guitar is really something that happens every time you practice you're trying for something that's unattainable. And in my story I I tried very seriously as a young person. For something that was unattainable and that at a certain point. Realized that it was unattainable in the distance between where it was nor wanted to -- was so great that I quit but not when -- When I started playing again this took ten years or so after I hit quit. I'm I realized that that this story getting over disappointment and starting again that's what practice is about it happens from day to day and it happens over the course of a -- tightened so. Come when I started playing again and thinking about it in this in these terms that there was an element as. A disappointment but that. But that doesn't it in a sense that could be with -- you instead of what causes you to stop."

[2:39]" It is a great great look at the whole the whole idea of creating art. And all the tanks that goes into creating art and what's interesting about your book. It can be read by anyone not necessarily connected to music you can be and any kind of artist athlete. Business person education student whatever we're all striving. Often for something that might be an attainable but don't we come back and revisit the process of getting there is half the fun we realize it can be fun."

[3:11]" Sure absolutely and I think it's true that it really isn't about music person I mean I was -- musicians and that sense stories about music but I think that it's true for anyone anything that you really Karabakh that you give your best attention to. Armed if it develops another dimension and in many things that we do every day but they're only a few things that we think of -- practicing. Around and that kind of attention brings with it of course all of your anxieties your fears insecurities and part of learning to practice is learning to."

[3:42]" Let -- go. I'm talking here on the Jordan ritual Glenn Kurtz his book is call practicing its. It's a musician's book but it -- as they say it's a human story success at a very early age I think this is kind of interesting for the audience to know that. Not only did you did you start very young and you attended it's fantastic school but at a very young age you were on a national stage. With -- the most amazing human beings ever to pick a bullhorn Dizzy Gillespie into. -- to be catapulted into the atmosphere and also to do some traveling in Europe and so you really tasted her early --"

[5:17]" A boat the Qatar this case that the classical guitar it has an era of mystique and aura -- it is. Even today we think about the great players segovia and so forth and look at him we think about this -- instant that seized his. Emanate for an extension of these people and yet it's sold technical nature -- calm and let's talk about the guitar affected everybody. Are listening has played -- Tucker it's always been the guys. But you're playing you you you play an instrument that really requires extremely fine concentration technical expertise sure that it. That's a challenge in itself well I."

[5:57]" Every instrument requires fine fine technique the other guitarists are infamous for being particularly on forgiving -- that -- that -- saying that it's -- very -- instrument to play badly and it's very -- instrument to play to play well so. Yeah I but I think every instrument requires that. That are paying attention and the more you listen and you care about music than them greater demands he placed upon yourself and that falls on your technique."

[6:26]" You didn't a great deal of research over the years certainly for the book. On the the history of this instrument and I've found it fascinating to think that the guitar which now so much respect. It's considered a bloody lusty in -- back and when you think about it. The way to describe it shaped like oh warm and the woman -- okay give us a census of its history -- quick it's all the book but. How it -- came about it as as one of those so nasty weapons -- anymore except."

[6:58]" Well Chris the image that we have a the electric guitar -- sort of politically subversive socially disruptive sexually very permissive instrument is actually an image that -- Qatar. Had through most of its lifetime and it's had a fairly long life emerged recognized instrument maybe 15 century. So before there was an electric guitar to compare it to the classical guitar was the guitar and it had this image -- think it happened in some sense by mistake because the the history of the guitar ancestry the guitars Greek instrument called Qatar. -- and wing and Arab scholars in the dark ages were translating the works the classical works and Greek poets and philosophers they translated the words Qatar with the instrument that was most known to them which is the mood. Which in Europe was -- pollute. So the -- received this inheritance -- classical inheritance from. The from the Greek Qatar whereas the guitar was sort of shunted off to the -- that people's instrument -- it was Strom to at least he'd play and the troubadour is -- of course we -- we know they were -- yet of course subversive so so very early on the club the classical guitar in the Qatar as an instrument had this reputation of being associated with women in the body with pleasure as opposed to -- other instrument to -- which was the courtly instrument. And of course it was also meant to -- love songs but this was accepted -- where as the Qatar was always sort of somewhat illicit --"

[9:07]" Yeah will segovia really revolutionized the guitar as an instrument in its technique but also very much its public image use the first great house broadcaster the guitar. In 1920s and later of course. And so he was like an ankle and the gentle goddess the Qatar because he was hovering in the air all through my growing up when I played scales when I was learning to play an instrument he didn't -- scale what they were called. Because he had standardized fingering and even written the repertoire it was a -- guitars repertoire was called the segovia repertoire. That he was the one who had brought out of obscurity and present it for on the public. So when I was 17 -- first heard him playing cards you'll recitals York. And and this really changed changed my relationship to the instrument playing rock and jazz. Or that classical as well. But when I saw him religious changed orientation and this this --"

[10:09]" So in terms of the the transition through your life but they should mention that you you carry your guitar what you. And you treasure it and it's a beautiful thing but in terms of the -- career transition. You talk about going to Europe you talk about Vienna. And it's it's almost like playing sandlot baseball playing little league even playing partly. There's a difference between that and Fenway in the majors let's face it and I think all of us have dreams even very good players have dreams. But that the odds so stacked and that's got to deal you've -- it's going to mess would you have you done so much to get to this point yeah I."

[10:50]" I think it's too and of course if you have some success as a young person you set your standards are high whereas I think if you struggle only operates in since may be happier with you have -- in any case in my instance I had a very high standard I had this idea of success would mean for atlas to be a performer -- likes and then in my mid 20s I had gone to Europe and -- was trying to to build a career. And I think I just realized that the career is going to have was not the one that I had dreamed. And I I was able to support myself as a musician but not doing the kind of music that want to not performing in the kind of venues than. So it was really this ideal of success that I had that defeated and sons. And I eat I quit because I thought -- the distance between these two -- and the nor was just aren't unbridgeable."

[11:45]" And -- tuck here -- Glenn -- the book practicing subtitled the musicians return to music. It music's the kind of thing if you play an instrument singing involving median -- sultan music beyond being just in. It's a very difficult thing to walk away from completely because you're surrounded by music and it's all over. And I know that even in my life my son is it is 14 he's been replying now for four or five years he's much better science technical. But every once in awhile I sit down and it just dabble and I realize. It and transported back to. My eight years as a as a kid planes or my -- faking unit in a couple of lounges and I fake it. That's the thing it into it's almost an immediate returns like while muscle memory it's it's here never quite coastal."

[12:35]" Well there is the other is muscle memory in this sort of emotional loss -- emirate as well and I think those don't go away I mean of course you lose technique any physical skill if you don't practice Hughes after awhile but if you start early enough. There's always some remnant that there. And I think I started practicing again because that emotional muscle remembers at some point I had come across -- journals when I was at the conservatory just suddenly remembered how to play and I -- patent or a way to had been too painful. In the interim."

[13:11]" I think I think the point that you make who wrote practicing is a good one for audiences to realize that even the masters especially of the masters. Anyone who is is at the top of his or her game. It's and we're only seeing that. The pinnacle or above the surface of the water line we're where we're not realizing the amount of time it takes. Two to fine tune the craft."

[13:36]" Right well and that's the thing -- most musicians will spend far more time practicing and performing. What -- our audience sees these you know this hour and a half. At the end of the six hour day -- seven or eight or ten hour in so practicing it's really what musicians to most of the time although of course for performing musician it's very much focused. Preparing for performances but. It's not different than for amateur musicians are people who just love it you'll spend the majority time."

[14:08]" And Glenn in terms of self critique it. Has a person who has studied music most of your adult life and and plates -- And I I really believe that we always need another year to. Direct us it certainly in my into the business in in voice. Do you think that it it there can be that it's such a lonely thing to beat Greg is a -- Elan. At some point do you need to lose two to here have other people hear what you do."

[14:37]" I think it's it's essential Yeltsin's I think if you practice alone only it's very easy to get into this world sort of theoretical imaginary world that your own where you either imagine that factions this year all. Perfection to perfect this. Your practicing or if it's it's also possible I think to delude yourself that we are here and I think. Something that's essential that music almost the essence musicality is sharing with people and and creating an environment -- and experienced. In which the tying him with music takes a group of people another person out normal every day. And and musical time shapes your experience."

[15:25]" You'll also I think have achieved something that that many people are striving for nets and you editing writing about it is cathartic. And it provides you that that balance and that is balance. I remember that the film with Geoffrey rush shine which was amazing film about a real person. Struggling with -- mental illness and also there's this demand on him by others. Two perfect one of the world's most incredibly difficult to piano pieces rocks three and I remember seeing that and thank almighty god. That's me trying to play. From the Thompson book and trying to get a -- afraid to make a mistake. I think -- there has to be Frankfurt for the ultimate beliefs may be an musicians like I'm guessing the idea that. If I play a clunker here. I'm still doing what I want to do it didn't."

[16:10]" Does that make sense short and that's I think that's what I -- in performing its so important because that kind of theoretical protection that I talked about where your fingers do everything exactly right on the some people me achieved but probably not. But there's another kind of perfection which is possible performance where. The moment is perfectly shaped and it's amazing if you can establish that kind of report with an audience. Where you are sharing this experience music you can make. All sorts of mistakes and it doesn't damage the quality that that experience and that I think is very important to recognize."

[17:21]" Rent you know there's a wonderful essay by the Psycho analyst Adam Phillips and he has this sign that says success has not been a success for most people and I think that that's that's in the sense what you're saying there's this drive to be one who succeeds of course one will succeed but and there are hundreds of thousands who don't. And and says that -- of success has been probably damaging for the vast majority of people think a lot of people's struggle. With intense overcoming. Their own I deal of success and this was what happened with me I had to overcome what I thought it meant to succeed and up with something new."