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I once heard from a producer that every singer worth his salt has had a Russian ballet teacher in her/his life. No, he did not think singers had first to wear a tutu and get to know the world of pliés and staccatos. What he meant is that great singers always have a story to tell about some strict teacher who turned their life into a real hell, but who was somehow also responsable for their blossom.

The definition of tough love (“promotion of a person’s welfare, especially that of an addict, child, or criminal, by enforcing certain constraints on them, or requiring them to take responsibility for their actions”) explains it very well. Sounds familiar? That means you also had a Rusian ballet teacher in your life (you know: a small lady, exemplary erect and keeping her feet slightly apart, while holding a staff that energetically timed each movement).

One of my favorite representations of the master-apprentice relationship is the movie Whiplash (2014, dir. Damien Chazelle). The soundtrack is superb and the story takes a very interesting approach to the master-apprentice relationship.

The plot revolves around the relationship between a young jazz drummer and his abusive instructor at a prestigious music academy. As the young drummer strives for excellence and perfection, the instructor employs extreme teaching methods, testing the limits of both student and teacher. Tensions rise as their complex and often toxic relationship unfolds, ultimately leading to a climactic showdown.

Abusive relationships can often be glamorized when observed through the rearview mirror of memory. I had my share of “Russian ballet teachers” and I can tell you clear and loud: I do not miss those days, not even a tiny bit. To be very honest with you: I am aware of the skills developed through tough love, but its side effects can be devastating and the risk is simply too high to be taken.

Discipline and determination can also be exercised in an environment where it is possible to make mistakes without fear. Encouraging, listening and, most importantly, empathizing are also key elements. In short: before blossowing comes nurturing.

Yellow September, a month dedicated to talking about mental disorders, is coming to an end, but it is always time to remember that our mental health should be a priority in any relationship.

Be seeing you!

G.F.

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Everybody’s got a thing
But some don’t know how to handle it.

– Stevie Wonder

Last week I have mentioned a new podcast project I was work on, and today I would like to talk a bit about it, but be prepared, because you mught be surprised with my bombastic revelation! Drum roll, please: it is not about music, but about comics. Research on comic art, as a matter of fact.

How come? Although I have always been involved with music, my academic background is not in the field of music. I have a degree in History, a Masters in Communication and Culture and a PhD in Communication Sciences. The reason why I changed areas was precisely my object of research: comic books. Now you are probably thinking about superheroes or graphic novels. Of course these are also on my radar, but my area of expertise is caricatures and cartoons, especially those with political and satirical content.


Among the many comic-related activities that I have already carried out, perhaps the one that most impacted my life was my term as chair of a research group on the Ninth Art called Comic Art Working Group, created by Prof. John A. Lent, who is also responsible for the International Journal of Comic Art an essential publication for any researcher in the field. The Comic Art Working Group is part of the IAMCR International Association for media and Communication Research.

I shalll say no more for my story in the group is precisely the subject of the second episode of the podcast Comments on the Top, created to celebrate the 35 years of the group celebrated in 2019. You can listen to all ten episodes on your preferred streaming platform or just click here.

For a long time I insisted on keeping music activities completely separate from research activities, and I came to think that they would never meet, but my friend S. was right when he said that, with time (and a lot of commitment, too) the loose ends in our lives end up coming together.

And now that you know all about the other me, how about you telling me about the other you?

Be seeing you!

G. F.

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Do you have the feeling that much of your time is being used to return to old projects, review pending issues and, on the other hand, some people you thought you had left completely behind in your life decide to make contact? If your answer is yes, I have two pieces of information for you:

  1. you are not alone and
  2. it is not your fault

In fact, it is nobody’s fault, just a planetary, astrological condition: Mercury is in full retrogradation movement. In other words, looking from our (that is, from Earth´s) point of view, Mercury seems to be moving backwards on its trajectory. Do not be alarmed: everything will return to normal by mid-October, ok?

Until then, my special recipe for those periods that come repeatedly three or four times a year is to simply go with the flow, which in this case means it is time to review, redo, reschedule, repeat, rethink. re… you got the idea. You will be amazed at how productive this cosmic break can be, if you allow yourself to take two steps back and say to your past self: “Honey, we were wrong.” (always be kind to your yourself, remember?)

Recently checking out a project for a podcast, I have found that all the audios needed some sort of review. Details such as the pronunciation of the name of the guest or the fade out effect of the vignette, which had gone completely unnoticed by me, immediately jumped to my eye (or better saying, ears), when I allowed myself to review them with a frrank attitude.

I know that in a world obsessed with the quantity and speed of content production and very little concerned about the quality of that production, proposing a joyful stroll through the land of review can seem strange, to say the least. But how about being different from the crowd just by being careful with what you do? Does it sound too revolutionary to you?

Well, you know, it is like Lou Reed says: sometimes you need to take a walk on the wild side.

Be seeing you!

G.F.

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Superwoman (Where were you, when I needed you) is a 1972 song by Stevie Wonder and one of my favourites from his vast repertoire. Musically complex and refined, the long history of loss and resentment speaks straight to the heart, as is often the case in the work of this genius musician.

The love story cut short because “Mary wants to be a Superwoman” and the pain-filled, resentful acceptance that follows also seemed like an interesting parallel to the plot twist of last week.

After weeks of hard work, everything seemed to go as planned: I had drawn up a long, detailed work plan for the month and stuck to it, much to my delight. Such a success had not been achieved without effort. I had not slept properly for days, my meal breaks were no real breaks and in the last 48 hours I had not even had time to comb my hair, which gave me the looks of an abominable tropical woman, but did I manage to follow my plan!

I was really feeling like a super woman (resting is for the weak!), when the harsh reality reminded me that even super women need to take care of themselves. I caught a cold, which while far from being a tragedy, can change your productive capacity overnight, not to mention the immediate effect on the voice and singing capacity (after all, singing is air, remember?).

In other words: to fulfill a previously established work plan, I put the final activity (singing) at risk. Seeing it that way, my over busy routine did not make much sense.

Regardless of your area of expertise, I am sure that you, like me, often feel in the middle of a race. Well, we are not. Do not know which practical use these words will have in your life. Probably none, but if you can make room in your heart for things that have no practical use, then maybe someday this statement will be of great value.

Being always busy, running from task to task will not make you live longer, or better. Maybe we should try to weigh more often whether the ends really justify the means. Sometimes the answer is yes, so go for it, and other times it is just not worth it.

Take my superwoman word on that.

Be seeing you!

G. F.