Keep Composing!

Today I watched a beautiful documentary called "Seymour: an introduction" - a documentary created by Ethan Hawke about a NYC master piano teacher. It is a simple and gorgeous film on many levels - most of which come from the depth of man which is its subject. 

One aspect I took away from the movie that redeemed a lost aspect of myself - was his admonition to 'keep composing'.  

Let me explain.

As a pianist, be was constantly working to play the compositions of others - musical greats though they were - they were also 'others'.  

He felt that all musicians must continue to compose their own work throughout their life because it helped them to have a deeper understanding and appreciation for the work of the master composers they were hoping to serve. 

This brings us to the questions of acting or music as a creative vs interpretive art form.  There have been centuries if no millennium of debate over these issues - so I'm unlikely to breach upon an undiscovered territory here - but let me say a few words of my own related to what I've learned from spiritual practice, drama therapy, a wide variety of acting pedagogues and transformational practices. 

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