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You'd think it comes naturally, breathing. There's barely a time you don't do it without thinking, and just a handful of occasions when you consciously avoid doing it. Oyster divers in the Philippines may avoid breathing more than most of us, but it still occupies the vast majority of their life.
So why do so many musicians 'forget' to breathe?
I'm betting many of you didn't even know it is a problem, right? It is. Please admonish any music teacher or conductor (hopefully one and the same, but often not anymore) who doesn't encourage or even mention breathing. It is essential to healthy music-making.
No laughing matter! Phrasing a musical tune or even just a bunch of notes is many times built around a single breath. Songs are often built around phrases that can be exclaimed in one breath. So when it comes to a chugging accompaniment such as Danny Elfman's intoxicating Batman movie music, one forgets to breathe.
When there is so much to focus on in a busy piece of music, or even in an intense and scary piece of music, conductors often forget to breathe. When a passage builds on several instruments playing in succession towards a big climax, again... conductors forget to breathe.
Before you know it, you're out of breath. You're turning red. You wonder why your heart is racing and your chest is about to explode. More often than not, it's not the music making you passionately emotional... you simply forgot to breathe in the right places.
Listen to this failed West End singer/ Conductor combo - the music is so slow she clearly runs out of breath before the planned phrase ends:
In music, it takes thought and consideration as to when to breathe. Similar to triple-jumping (you know, the run-up, hop/ skip/ jump into a sandpit athletics). I remember being taught to breathe slowly at first then more aggressively as I got faster. Then to to breathe in every time I leapt, and breathe out every time I landed. Worked pretty well for me - at age 13 I became the school champ at it. Of course, that was quite a long time ago and clearly techniques have improved (although I'm pretty sure breathing is still an important part of it):
My point is, when performing any physical activity - diving, triple-jumping, or playing music - breathing is a conscious activity that must be thought about in advance.
Who knew?
Gasp.
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Next week is the world premiere of my latest composition. Be sure to watch online - I'm sure to be breathing in all the right places! www.tapestrytampabay.com
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