Archives for July 2015

MuseTV Episode – Does This Student Fit? How We Select Our Students in the Music Studio.

July 29, 2015 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Hey guys!

So, I know it’s still July but September is coming up fast and, for those of use who teach music, that’s the start of lesson season. Now is the time when we start to prepare our studios for the coming year, and part of that preparation often involves taking on new students.

In this episode of Muse TV – I know it’s been a while! – I wanted to look at how we choose our students and how perhaps being a little selective is good for everyone. There are so many factors to consider and, really, it benefits student and teacher alike when you have a studio of students you really gel with, when you as the teacher are able and prepared to offer your gifts and talents to your students in the most enjoyable and productive way possible and they are, in return, in the best possible position to receive your gifts.

Enjoy! And don’t forget to comment below if you have anything you’d like to add to the conversation – a funny story, any other items for consideration you’d like to share. I’d love to hear from you!

Busting Out Of The Box – Trying On New Creative Roles

July 20, 2015 by tprochera 3 Comments

Hey guys!

So, I just finished working on a theatrical production currently running at our local Fringe Festival. Yay! This show has been such a journey and such a learning experience for me as it was the first time I have taken on the role of stage director.

And that’s what I want to talk about today.

Sometimes we can have the tendency to put ourselves in a box. When people ask us what we do we say, “I’m a writer” or “I’m an actor” or “I’m a country singer”. There may be a few items on that list if you consider yourself a multi-disciplinary person but many of us are very quick to declare what we do and what we don’t do and where our skills actually lie. And it certainly simplifies things to define ourselves for others in that way.

But a part of being creative, what can fuel us, is trying on new roles, expanding our horizons, flexing muscles we’ve never used before.

Here’s the thing. You don’t have to be great at it. It doesn’t have to signal a career change. In reading Creativity, Inc. – a book about the rise of Pixar Animation, which I have raved about in a previous post – we learn that Pixar encourages every employee, no matter what their role, to take a class in using their proprietary animation software. They don’t do this because they want everyone to become great animators. The rationale is that, by being exposed to animation and drawing, employees will be encouraged to use their brains in ways they may not have been used to, helping them to approach their jobs and the world around them differently.

Whether it’s exploring a new area of your field or trying something completely different, you will undoubtedly be inspired and hopefully carry that knowledge into your area of expertise.

When I went to study music at university, the focus was on contemporary classical music, a genre I was somewhat unfamiliar with. As a composer, the idea of writing a piece that was not in any key or that used symbols and pictures instead of musical notes was a completely foreign concept to me. But what my education taught me more than anything was to conceive of sound in a different way, that it was not only the familiar structures and formations that could be considered beautiful. It was truly eye-opening for me and I had a blast in the process!

Yes, I have somewhat gone back to writing in more popular styles but the works are so much more dynamic because of my studies and what I’ve been exposed to. I have used my education to add some unexpected twists to what I already do.

So, even if you are a painter who has professed to have two left feet, why not try a dance class on for size? You’ll have fun, get some exercise, and connect more with your body and see what it’s capable of. If you are a dancer who swears they can’t draw stick figures, take an art class. You might find you can relate the stroke of a brush across the canvas to your feet gliding across the stage. If you are a die hard country singer, why not experiment with some classical or jazz or hip hop, even if it’s just on your own at home? You might even come up with an entirely new genre of music. You never know!

Who’s to say if I will ever get the opportunity to direct again or if I will ever chose to take on that role again? But I know that I have grown and learned so much from the experience – about leadership, about teamwork, about storytelling – and have had the opportunity to connect with some lovely, talented people whom I likely would not have met otherwise had I not taken the chance to try something new!

Speaking of new – in STM news, I have just released a new lyric video for Thanks from Ladybug Crossings. It’s a song all about showing gratitude. Enjoy!

The “What If” Game – A Fun and Effective Tool To Spark Creativity

July 8, 2015 by tprochera Leave a Comment

Hi guys!

So, when you think of “what if”, your mind might drift to thoughts of doom and gloom and the ways in which people will assess all forms of potential threat to hopefully avoid catastrophe. They figure if they can anticipate every possible danger they can counter that danger and stay safe. And this is certainly one way in which the term can be applied even if, as I have found, it can cause you so much more worry than it’s worth!

But did you know that “what if” can also be an amazing tool to spark creative ideas?

A few years ago, I was writing in my journal before bed as I do most nights – unless I’m really tired and just can’t bring myself to put pen to paper!

I was writing away – about my day, about my desires and concerns – and I felt like I was sounding like a broken record, rehashing the same old things night after night – When is x going to happen? Why do I feel y all the time? And, frankly, I was getting bored with myself.

So, I decided to shake things up and play a game. I thought it would be fun to pick something, anything, in the world and make it different from how it currently was and look at the implications of that change. For example, what if the sky was yellow instead of blue? What would that mean? What else would be altered because of it?

I had no idea what was going to come up but, for some reason, the first idea that popped into my head was, what if cows really could jump over the moon? I’m not sure where the thought came from – it was likely a reference to the popular children’s poem, “Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle, the cow jumped over the moon” – you know the one – but the poem hadn’t presented itself to me in recent memory.

Anyway, I went with it. When the question arose I immediately countered it with another question – Would they even know to try? Would a cow be aware enough to make the attempt to jump over the moon even if they were physically capable of doing it?

I immediately started writing a story about a young cow named Mocha who wondered about everything and lived her life full of grand ideas and possibilities. One day, the farm where she lives is visited by a fiddle-playing cat named Jeb heading to a nearby town. Mocha, never having left the farm, starts to ask herself where she might like to go if she could go anywhere and discovers her mission to travel to the moon – for reasons I won’t disclose because they are pretty funny so you should probably read the story!

I found this story so engaging and endearing that it eventually became my first musical for young audiences, Mocha And The Moon, which, incidentally, you can read more about on the website if you would like your theatre company to perform it. Wink wink!

The point is, I made a conscious effort to get my head out of its hamster wheel and something wonderful and inspiring happened!

When you think outside the box, you never know what is going to arise. I just did the exercise this morning and found an entirely new world to explore – a little darker than my usual style but fascinating none the less!

So, I encourage you, when you are feeling like you are in a mental rut, to shake things up a little and see what comes pouring out. There are things you can do too – like walking in an area of town you’ve never explored before, trying a new activity. Anything that puts you in unfamiliar territory can get those creative juices flowing. You never know when inspiration is going to strike so why not give it a little room to play?

In Swimming Tigress news, I’ve just put up a lyric vid for the latest song from Ladybug Crossings, Bug On My Bubble! It has been a favorite in my family for years so I’m so excited to finally be sharing it with you all. And don’t forget to subscribe to the Swimming Tigress Music YouTube channel to see the ones I’ve already posted. Enjoy!

The True North Strong and Freakishly Creative!

July 1, 2015 by tprochera Leave a Comment

So, today is July 1st, Canada Day, a day to enjoy time with family and friends and celebrate the great nation into which I was born.

There are many things I love about Canada – the warm, friendly people, the variety of landscapes – no matter what natural experience you want to have, you are sure to find it here – and the cultural diversity. Every August, my city of Winnipeg hosts Folklorama, the largest and longest-running multicultural festival in the world. Always so much fun!

But one thing Canada is known for, even if the rest of the world doesn’t actually know it, is its creative people. I was thinking about this recently while watching the adorable romantic comedy, My Best Friend’s Wedding with Julia Roberts, which featured songs by not only one but two Canadian songstresses, Jann Arden and Amanda Marshall.

Now, many of us claim that it’s because we need something to do during the cold winters but there is such an abundance of artists here that have taken the world by storm over the years, from musicians to actors to authors to filmmakers to comedians.

And here are just a few.

Where would we be without the brilliant Jim Carrey and Martin Short making the whole world laugh hysterically?

Remember the trinity that was Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and Victoria, BC’s Nelly Furtado?

The voice of a generation, Joni Mitchell – wishing you lots of love and healing in your recovery!

The stunning Shania Twain – who remains the best-selling female country artist of all time

The Group of Seven

The authors Margaret Atwood and Lucy Maude Montgomery. Seriously, who doesn’t know and love Anne of Green Gables?

Winnipeg’s own The Guess Who

James Cameron – the film director who dreams big and does what others think is impossible

And, of course, there’s the gossip darling, Justin Bieber and his protégé, Carly Rae Jepsen? I mean, if you can get Tom Hanks to feature in your music video, you’re doing all right!

And I could go on and on.

What I’m saying is that a lot of amazing talent has come from this country and we need to celebrate it. We have made a global impact in every art form and that’s nothing to sneeze at. Sure, there may be something to be said for humility but it behooves us to be reminded that we have the ability to inspire and entertain people the world over and we owe it to them to do just that.

Because we rock!

Sorry…. but we do!

In some Swimming Tigress news, I’m excited to announce that we are finally on Pinterest! So, head on over to check out all sorts of inspirational quotes, videos, music and more! And more great stuff is being added all the time so keep coming back. So get your pinning finger ready!

Have a fabulous day!

Archives for July 2015

MuseTV Episode – Does This Student Fit? How We Select Our Students in the Music Studio.

Busting Out Of The Box – Trying On New Creative Roles

The “What If” Game – A Fun and Effective Tool To Spark Creativity

The True North Strong and Freakishly Creative!

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