In life, trust is one of the most important things you can
hope to have. It is what binds two
people together. I recently watched a
TED Talk video called Trusting the Ensemble presented by Charles Hazlewood. Charles Hazlewood is the conductor and founder
of the British Paraorchestra a 17-person ensemble composed entirely of disabled musicians. Charles Hazlewood states that in the beginning of his
career he had a tuff time finding jobs.
He claims that it was because he did not understand the importance of
trusting the ensemble and more importantly trusting himself. Charles
Hazlewood states, “As a conductor there has to be, between me and the
orchestra, an unshakable bond of trust, born out of mutual respect, through
which we can spin a musical narrative that we all believe in.” He also said “Conducting is like holding a
small bird in your hand. If you hold it too tightly, you crush it. If you hold
it too loosely, it flies away.” These two statements go
hand in hand with one another. Think about it.
How can a group of individuals come to trust and respect someone if they
are going about and swinging their arms lake a mad man? Eventually everyone will think the conductor
is not taking the musicians seriously and is just joking around. In other words
holding the bird to tightly crushing it.
Now Charles Hazlewood holds a unique position in British musical
life. Studying at Christ’s Hospital and
Oxford University, Charles Hazlewood won first prize at the European Broadcasting Union Conducting Competition
in Lisbon in 1995. Through out the TED
Talk video Charles
Hazlewood makes an important point on how beautiful music can be made through
trust. He said, “South
African musicians don’t read music. They trust their ears. You can teach a
bunch of South Africans a tune in about five seconds flat. Then, as if by
magic, they will spontaneously improvise a load of harmony around that tune.” Charles Hazlewood is truly an inspiring conductor who
stays true to his beliefs.
