Transcending Borders

Our concert was last Sunday, and the experience left quite an impression on me. I was transfixed by how many moving parts occurred in multiple places, simultaneously coordinating bells and whistles in tandem around the globe. And yet, isn't that the core of what a musical performance entails?  The seamless execution of advance preparation, synchronicity, and expression so that heartfelt, spontaneous moments of significance, shared among people, can unfurl in real time? Why should I be amazed by this? This happens all the time. The only difference is the distance and the medium: the result of the process, however, remains the same.  

I have never performed a concert that was approximately 95% improvisation, both in planning and execution. Nevertheless, it happened, in a very different way than my typical paradigm, and it meant something.

I have played live with electronic and improvised tracks before, but it was an altogether different experience to play a line in NYC and hear a trumpet player in Norway spin it right back at me with a twist. What a hoot!  

I am reminded of music's powerful and instant capacity to transcend borders, time zones, cultures, and...connect.

I wonder if I will someday see ensembles comprised of holographic musicians, "rehearsing" together?  The advancement of technology, along with a curious, open stance of learning about the world through sincere, authentic interactions with others, makes me incredibly hopeful for all of the possibilities that the future may bring.