Old Town School – On The Road

Dispatches from the road from our wayfaring travelers.

Hank Roberts

Hank Roberts is here this week. A more amazing, open, giving musician I have yet to meet. And he’s a cellist so I feel a special connection. I am the only cellist among the participants here at Banff so I feel like I have found a long-lost family member. I’ve never really felt this way before – maybe it’s also being a rock girl around all the jazz musicians – but it sure is great to see him play his instrument and know that only a cello could make those amazing sounds.

He started the class by confessing that he was slightly inimidated by the level of musicianship here – even though he has been playing for more that 40 years and has a strong jazz background.

He talked to us about how we use our bodies when we play – how to breathe and connect to the large muscles in our back and legs to help us make music. About finding and communicating from your center. Playing what you know and not trying to compete or impress – to play from inside yourself and let that be enough.

It was powerful for all of us to hear him talk after 3 incredibly intense weeks where I think we had all been going through our private changes – feeling challenged, intimitated, uplifted, inspired, discouraged – often all in the span of 12 hours. It was incredibly moving to see and hear this accomplished musician present himself in such a vulnerable way.

Then he played for us – some arrangements of Native American tunes he had been given as well as original music he had composed. The last piece he played, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room. It was that powerful and I’ll never forget it.

To give you an idea of his spirit, I’ve been hoping I could have some time with him – to play him some pieces of mine and just talk to him about being a cellist and a writer. But the faculty’s time is so hard to come by and I hate to impose. I had decided it was okay if it didn’t happen. Then yesterday evening, when I was feeling ready to go home – that I had experience my fill – I passed him by and he called out to me. He said “I think we should get together, us being the only cellists here?”

So tomorrow at five, with one day before I leave, my cello and Hank’s cello are going to have a conversation. I can’t wait to hear what they say…

Filed under: Banff International Workshop 2009, Canada, Notes from Alison by Alison | June 4, 2009 | Comments (2)


2 Comments so far

  1. Jason on June 5, 2009 9:18 pm

    Just incredible. This story gave me chills.

    Clarence Penn’s Advice, right? ” Be in the now. Be open. Be inspired from within before looking elsewhere; seek knowledge from your peers and friends.”

    Beautiful.

    See you soon.
    Jason

  2. Maria on June 8, 2009 2:22 pm

    Hi Alison!

    Thanks for sharing this great experience! How did the cello conversation go?

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