From an early age I was driven by a passionate desire to know “How?”
As I listened in wonder to Dinu Lipatti playing Chopin waltzes so exquisitely, I asked myself – “How does he do that?”
Likewise, when I experienced the very different, but equally mesmerising genius of the great jazz pianist, Oscar Peterson, and, later, marvelled at Artur Rubenstein’s ability to achieve dazzling virtuosity, colour and passion, while performing with elegant effortlessness and poise. How was this possible?
And so it went on...
Through my childhood, my student years, and then my professional life... whenever I heard magic, I asked the same question... “How?”
In my own playing I wanted to know how to achieve what I wanted, how to change what didn’t work or feel right to me, but teachers seemed not to deal in “How?” They just told me what to do. “Do this and all will be well.” “Yes, but how should I do it?” No one could tell me.
The search went on... Sometimes I gained insights, some clues, most often when I was privileged to work with great artists, who were generous with their suggestions, and with sharing their secrets. The greatest revelations came when rehearsing and performing with these musicians. Much later, I was to learn from observing and working with distinguished actors.
Over the years, I also explored various branches of psychology and body/mind therapies, including Feldenkrais, Alexander technique, Yoga, Tai Chi and Pliates. I learned something from each, but the culmination of my quest came when I discovered NLP (Neuro-Linguistic-Programming) popularly known as “the study of human excellence”.
Another definition I like is “how to be your best more often”. NLP shows us how we create our own experience, and how, if it is not working for us, we can choose to change it. This is done by using powerful techniques and processes which work at a deep level, which is where most of the problems lie.
Here at last were the answers and solutions I had sought for so long. I had come home. It was the end of my quest, but a new one was beginning – to truly fulfil my own talents and creativity, and to share with others the means of fulfilling theirs.