Dismantling “Shut Up and Play”
Public speaking is not widespread in the training models of classical musicians, and that’s a missed opportunity for the musicians and for the artform.
At a recent Design Sprint for early career classical music administrators, I asked more than 30 music graduates about their professional development needs.
Over 75% listed public speaking.
Having coached over 1,000 young musicians in recent years, public speaking would be close to the #1 skill that musicians say they need help with. Yet it’s a skill that is rarely included in the curriculum and is actively discouraged in many of their experiences. In this article, I use the term musicians to infer graduates of music degrees regardless of their career destination, so performers, educators, administrators or beyond.
What’s The Problem
The power dynamic of the instrumental music lesson, the master to the apprentice model means the student listens while the teacher speaks. Sometimes the student speaks, only the fortunate few are asked for their opinion or contribution.
The power dynamic of the ensemble rehearsal, the master to the apprentice model means the performers listen while the conductor speaks. Rarely do the performers speak, only the fortunate few are asked for their opinion or contribution.
The power dynamic anaesthetises musicians to shut up and play. Not to speak up.
Music graduates experience a decade or more of these models before they get to higher education, where this is repeated and reinforced in an echo chamber.
Add to this, students and recent graduates are digital natives. They have grown up interacting with the world through text messages, with a small adult social circle consisting of just parents and relatives. I can recount dozens of discussions with young and early career musicians who have never held a meaningful conversation with an adult beyond their parents or family members. As an aside, my efforts at engaging the two adolescent male humans in my home often look and sound like this.
The Missed Opportunity
The outcome is a battalion of musicians who cannot speak with confidence about their work and its place in the world.
Musicians who cannot advocate for the impact of their work to people to people who are not exactly like them.
What If
What if we created learning experiences and working conditions that supported musicians to find their voice.
We would need to:
Make it safe — no shaming, no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’
Model it — show examples across the organisation
Teach it — create learning experiences
Reward it — no shaming
Here are some simple, free ways this could be embedded across a range of classical music training and employment scenarios:
Youth Music and High School Rehearsals
- Ensemble participants are greeted by name and asked a friendly question as they enter the rehearsal space, and are required to respond with appropriate body language, eye contact and a verbal reply.
- Sectionals are student led, with all participants expected to contribute verbally within the sectional rehearsal.
- Examination and assessments include a spoken presentation element in the rubric.
Higher Education
- Students approach, schedule and interview an industry professional and present a 3 minute TED talk.
- Rubric for ensemble subjects include ‘spoken contribution during sectional and ensemble rehearsal’ element.
- Students performing at concert class interview each other, then prepare and deliver a spoken introduction for each other’s performances.
Sector
- Early career administrators or educators are buddied with an experienced staff member, who encourages them to contribute at staff meetings.
- Early career administrators participate at donor events, supported by development and philanthropy colleagues.
- Early career administrators participate in learning and access programming, supported by development and philanthropy colleagues.
Taking Action
One of the most powerful stories I can share is from a composer who undertook my Music Internship subject. He was a quietly spoken musician, who never voluntarily contributed in class.
Never.
Not once in 12 weeks of the first semester did he speak without being called upon by name. And then he looked and sounded like he would rather be having an intimate medical examination than speaking up.
His second semester internship was with the education team of a chamber music organisation. On his first day he was given a sheet with the contact information of 160+ high school music teachers and a telephone.
In his words “it was the best and worst experience I’ve ever had”.
Could this screen addicted, adult phobic, compliant, introverted music student have the self insight or self discipline to address this on their own?
Having coached over 1,000 young musicians in the past years, my resounding response is NO.
It takes a tribe, and it takes a culture of safety and accountability to undo the indoctrination of silence.
This student was safe and supported as they began making the calls and they were held accountable by their intern supervisor for keeping going when it was uncomfortable.
We need to make this happen for more young musicians.
As educators and employers of musicians, we need to examine and correct the traditions and expectations that keep musicians silent so that they can find their voice.
Want More?
Can I help you design processes to help your onstage and offstage talent find their voice? Let’s talk about your needs in a free call. I would love to listen, and to help you see what I see.
“Susan gave us invaluable insight and advice on how we could navigate our brand in the industry. Her ideas and perceptions are not only fresh and innovative, but relevant to people of today’s society. We had the most inspiring and motivating session with Susan and came away feeling confident in our own endeavours. ”
