For the past year, I've been spending a lot of time in contemplation. I've also been writing my first book, In Duet with God - The Story of a Lifelong Friendship. It's inspired by a woman who came into my life when I was eight--someone who's had a transformative effect on me and on all whom she's met.
As I was writing, themes began to emerge like forgiveness, compassion, reassurance. Prior to the book's release (early 2014), I'll be posting excerpts as well as a series of free-form 'poems' like the one below. Each is inspired by the words of great teachers and texts. I'll include musical selections from my new CD, "In Duet with God." My hope
is that these poems, the music, and the upcoming book will help awaken our hearts to the precious realm of love
that’s in our midst.
Reassurance
From the beginning,
We humans have endeavored
To be near to a sense of
Something beyond ourselves,
To a numinous presence.
To God.
Our desire to be reassured by God Has taken many forms,
Such as prayer or meditation or ritual.
The truth isthat,
In God’s loving eyes, our every thought, Word, and movement is always, always beautiful.
Anything we do with love,
Will reassure him that we’re there.
Never doubt that.
The sincere intention alone ascends to heaven.
In response, God will say,
You are precious in my eyes. Fear not for I am with you. He hears our voices,
As we hear his.
And that voice is Something, which cannot be Described in words.
Slowly, we begin to realize that
We have everything we need
To be reassured ourselves And to reassure God.
Because there, inside each of us Is a temple, a shrine, a mosque A church That dissolves, That dissolves in God.
We’ll see that our
Supplication, worship, prayer… They alone are real…
So whatever gesture you make,
Or tradition you embrace,
Know that as you pray,
Or contemplate, or reflect,
Or meditate, or chant
Or dream, or paint or dance,
Your arms and God’s Are intertwined.
Sources: Isaiah 43; St. Teresa of Avila; Mahatma Gandhi
Rabia; Baal Shem Tov; Mahatma Gandhi; St. Teresa
(Quotes are in italics)
Visit www.pianobeautiful.com for music and more... (c)2014 Jessica Roemischer All Rights Reserved - In Duet with God(R)
I recorded this today as I begin to recover from illness. When I play I feel the energy of music buoy me. I offer this to you as healing for whatever in your own life you hope to mend.
Today, I had a wonderful lesson (if you can call it that!) with a student who studied piano for many years prior to working with me. Our duets are incredible - free, virtuosic, inventive, HAPPY! We spoke about "moments of delight," our mutual experience of inspiration as we improvise together.
Become aware of the moments of delight that arise in YOUR day-to-day life. These moments will often occur unbidden, but they are significant. The experience of awe you feel will allow you to encounter/enter a different realm, an ineffable dimension of beauty and lightness that is otherwise invisible, and yet always there.
In prayer this morning, it suddenly occurred to me: I am in a duet with God, the Creator, or Spirit--that which is all-pervasive and ever-unfolding. And even more, the Creator is in duet with me!
In prayerful silence, I reflected on my inner "posture" and recalled what happens in piano duet--receptivity, listening, attentiveness. I open to another person and who he or she TRULY IS, making room for the possibility of an extraordinary outcome. The same was happening in prayer.
Indeed, the ULTIMATE DUET is with the Creative Force of the Universe. When we come into life, our birth is a beautiful expression of duet--God or Spirit in duet with matter, giving form to Itself as us. And when we leave, we are often reminded once again of its Absolute presence, its inherent and infinite nature, its purity and goodness.
At any and every moment along the way, we can rekindle our connection to this Divine Force. Simply choose to LISTEN FULLY and UNCONDITIONALLY for that "still small voice." In so doing, we realize that it's ALWAYS been there. We enter into the ULTIMATE DUET.
Here are several principles of The Piano Duet Paradigm. As I'm realizing, when used as prayer or meditation, they can awaken our relationship to God.
LIBERATE one's senses to listen wholly and fully to ANOTHER human being (or God, the Absolute, Spirit). In so doing, we begin to hear the natural, true "voice" of the other (of the Creator) at the same time that we begin to experience OUR OWN.
New and even MIRACULOUS POSSIBILITIES are REVEALED.
Harmony recognizes harmony. (Pythagoras)
These MIRACULOUS, NEW results are the manifestation of GRACE.
As we experience GRACE, we gain SELF-KNOWLEDGE, awakened to the CREATIVE FORCE that works through EACH OF US.
It was an extraordinary day playing the piano at both the Worthington and Chesterfield, MA Congregational Churches, and then for a friend's 70th birthday party. There were many moments of joy and inspiration. I'll share the highlight: Rev. Doug Small gave an especially compelling sermon for the first Sunday of Advent. Following his sermon, I played an improvised anthem medley, blending Minstrel Boy, America the Beautiful, Amazing Grace and finally, Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus. The church itself was built in the 18th century--simple, light-filled. At the last note of the anthem, I was overcome with the feeling that one longs for--a sense of something greater than yourself. The physical light became a metaphysical light. It was BEAUTIFUL. I played to THAT. Truly a blessing.
Over the course of thirty years, I've improvised at the piano with hundreds of individuals on four continents—people ranging in age from 4 to 84, as well as those with developmental disabilities such as Down syndrome and autism.
Without fail, everyone who has ever played in duet with me has come forth with music of disarming originality. Time and again, I see people emerge simply and fully as themselves--free, authentic, creative, alive. The music they express reveals the essence of who they are. It is always beautiful and it is always unique.
Thus, in early December, when I discovered an upcoming conference called, "Integral Spiritual Experience: Your Unique Self," I sensed that the event would relate to what I was observing through music. I wrote to conference organizer Nicole Fegley to explain how my teaching and performing would be an apt addition. Although it was just three weeks prior to the event, she created a way for me to be involved. Her receptive and generous response made it possible for me to offer five days of dynamic exploration into the power of music to awaken our deeper humanness.
The Integral Spiritual Experience conference took place at Asilomar Conference Center--a beautiful coastal preserve near Monterey, CA. I braved the -20F below wind chill at Albany, NY airport, gladly boarded the plane and landed (after a couple of stops) in balmy sunshine. The hospitable warmth created a conducive environment for self-actualization and joy.
I learned that the conference was the result of ongoing dialogue between Diane Musho Hamilton, Marc Gafni, Robb Smith, Ken Wilber, and other pioneering Integral thinkers and teachers. It was formulated as a framework for spiritual practice and personal growth in our time of heightened individualism. ("Individualism" refers to the self-aware, self-determining, globally-informed, media-saturated, post-modern consciousness of many of us, as compared with, for example, the tightly circumscribed, clannish, cycle/season-oriented, subsistence lives of serfs in 12th century medieval villages.)
In fact, the whole issue of individualism has been on my mind. Having written a major article about the evolutionary theory of Spiral Dynamics, I recognize what it's taken to get us to this point--the millennia of cultural/consciousness development that's produced our unprecedented psychological and existential freedom. And now, as I improvise with my students at the piano here in the 21st century, it's clear to me that their sense of individuality is a springboard for growth and awakening, rather than an impediment. The capacity to express ourselves freely and openly--and to value our expressivity as significant--makes possible my transformative work in music.
Years ago, even before I was consciously aware of it, I set out on a path to bring forth through music sublime beauty in myself and others. I was trained in the finest European tradition, in a lineage that links directly to the great masters of the Western world--Chopin, Liszt and Beethoven. During the pre-conference teachers' meeting Marc and Diane described the characteristics of the "Unique Self." It was a "dharma" or spiritual teaching that mirrored the insights I've gained from decades of music study, performance and teaching.
"It's like you're a snake-charmer, calling out the inner dimensions of anyone who sits with you at the piano," Andre Schugt, one of the participants, said to me. It's true! Using an innovative approach to duet improvisation, I create a dynamic field of trust and doubtlessness. As each person places his or her hands on the keys, any pretense or self-consciousness falls away as unique combinations of notes, gestures, and rhythms arise.
The music takes wing through never-before-heard melodies that inspire all who are present. Without exception, what emerges is of real beauty. The universal and the personal become One. People describe their experience of improvising as one of "loving remembrance," "of immense joy that washes away residues of pain," "of doubtlessness," of "childlike vulnerability," "where no fear can have sway."
At the Integral Spiritual Experience conference, I had the opportunity to conduct a children's class, as well as two improvisation sessions for adults. The many responses confirmed music's transformative power. Katherine Konner, whose video is below, later reflected: "While I was improvising, my left hand literally froze like a claw. This reminds me of contractions that occur in my life. Sometimes I just find myself stuck... so in a way, improvising with you was like finding grace. It was a way of getting myself unstuck. You helped me reconnect myself to my own beat."
The Integral Spiritual Conference proved to be a potent context for my work. Improvising with so many thoughtful, committed individuals in an atmosphere of self-discovery demonstrated music's power to release the inmost self, allowing us to see that in essence we are creative and free. Indeed, this is the catalytic recognition I'm endeavoring to bring to the world!
These videos of piano duet improvisations from the ISE conference reveal the inherently unique and beautifully creative self that resides in each of us, no matter our age! Improvisation with Katherine Konner
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Improvisation with Akiva Davis,the 18 month-old son of Rabbi Avram and Laura Davis. Akiva is the youngest child with whom I've improvised. I let the duet unfold spontaneously, taking my cues from him. In mirroring his musical gestures, I support him. This approach, in general, is vital for child development and growth. And as you'll see, the result is delightful and surprising!
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Improvisation with Sevyn Smith,the 2 ½ year old son of Robb and Tiffany Smith. I created music that expressed Sevyn's energy and I kept going with it regardless of what was happening. Suddenly he joins me and begins playing with striking maturity. His energy channels itself into wonderful music!
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Improvisation with Parker Tucker, a 9 year-old girl. Parker always wanted to improvise at the piano and felt thwarted by conventional piano lessons. The minute I met her, I knew her creative spirit was there waiting, ready to be released. I was right! Her improvisations were beautiful and more: she helped by improvising with me in trios with Akiva and Sevyn, encouraging them, placing their fingers on the keys. At the final event of the conference, she and I performed for the 500+ participants. Thanks to Parker, I brought Akiva and Sevyn on stage to join us for what would be a memorable performance.
**************** Improvisation with Pam Parsons Dupuy In this video you'll hear my instructions to Pam - these are the guidelines I often give to people when they first sit with me at the piano. The result is stunning. You'll hear Pam's beautiful tone and feel her absorption. I then speak about how we can produce resonant tone at the piano, which is the essence of transcendent music. Pam certainly illustrates it!
For more information or to schedule a performance or workshop,
Please visit: www.pianobeautiful.com
or email: jessica@pianobeautiful.com
I am a pianist, music teacher, photographer, and writer. But of all the mediums of communication, music for me is the most authentic and natural. Music at its best is arguably humankind’s most potent conveyor of transcendent beauty. When you hear truly beautiful music, it dissolves all boundaries between self and other, self and world It is ephemeral and yet utterly real. I recently found a quote from the great Russian writer, Feodor Dostoevsky. He said, “Beauty will save the world.” I humbly submit that as the context for this blog post and others to come.
I was born into a musical family and grew up in Westchester County, New York during the 1960’s and '70’s. For as long as I can remember music was a source of joy and inspiration. I studied piano from the time I was 7 and continued playing off and on for the better part of the next two decades. I am now playing and teaching music full-time in the Berkshire region of Western Massachusetts. (watch YouTube video )
My mother had a profound and enduring musical influence on me—she forged my relationship to music by helping me understand what makes music “sing.” During the 1940’s and ‘50’s, she studied with the Polish pianist, Leopold Mittman, who was accompanist to violinists Isaac Stern and Mischa Ellman. My mother remained an “amateur” pianist – she never had a concert career. Regardless, she succeeded in transmitting to me a discerning ear for truly beautiful music, and what is required of a musician to bring that beauty forth. When my mother recounted her lessons with Mr. Mittman, she communicated the awe he evoked as he played the great repertoire of the Western world—Chopin, Brahms, Beethoven. Music came to life for her in his Upper West-side Manhattan apartment.
Now in her late 70’s my mother continues to play piano and has even returned to piano teaching —something she gave up for many years. She continues to share with me recordings by some of her favorite pianists (like Vladimir Horowitz—watch video). My mother has also become a tag-sale enthusiast. One day last fall, she found an old book on piano pedagogy at a local garage sale. It traced the lineage of the great piano teaching traditions through the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The one fact she knew about her teacher’s background was that he studied with the Scottish-born composer and pianist, Eugen D’Albert. What she discovered last fall in the yellowed pages of that book, was that D’Albert studied with Franz Liszt, and Liszt studied with Beethoven. I was astounded. We both were.
I will continue to post my thoughts and reflections on music and more, illustrated with audios, videos and an assortment of other links. I look forward to sharing these with you and hearing your responses.
