Summary: <p>Stephen Nachmanovitch is the author of both <em>Free Play</em> and more recently <em>The Art of Is. </em>Yo Yo Ma wrote that “Stephen Nachmanovitch’s<em>The Art of Is</em> is a philosophical meditation on living, living fully, living in the present. To the author, an improvisation is a co-creation that arises out of listening and mutual attentiveness, out of a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity. It is a product of the nervous system, bigger than the brain and bigger than the body; it is a once-in-a-lifetime encounter, unprecedented and unrepeatable. Drawing from the wisdom of the ages,<em>The Art of Is</em> not only gives the reader an inside view of the states of mind that give rise to improvisation, it is also a celebration of the power of the human spirit, which — when exercised with love, immense patience, and discipline — is an antidote to hate.”</p> <p>This was an amazingly inspiring conversation, extremely wide-ranging, including some musical improvisation. I’ve included timestamps to help listeners navigate the many topics we touched on including many important artists, which include: Yehudi Menuhin, John Cage, William Blake, Herbert Zipper, Keith Johnstone, Ali Akbar Khan</p> <p>The video is here, and the transcript will also soon be linked on my podcast website: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/stephen-nachmanovitch-author-of-free-play-and-the-art-of-is</p> <p>Timestamps:</p> <p>(00:00) Intro to episode with Yo-Yo Ma quote and books “The Art of Is” and “Free Play”</p> <p>(01:46) World Music Menu</p> <p>(05:03) Violectra by David Bruce Johnson</p> <p>(09:43) sarangi, viola d’amore, sympathetic strings</p> <p>(13:10) work as a software programmer, sacred desk and secular desk</p> <p>(15:58) synesthesia, Visual Music Tone Painter, William Blake</p> <p>(18:19) Keith Johnstone and the intersections of art forms in improv: theatre, dance, music,</p> <p>(22:49) cooking</p> <p>(24:07) Yehudi Menuhin</p> <p>(26:47) Stephen re-learning the violin in a different way after injury</p> <p>(28:13) Indian music studies with Shashi Nayak and Ali Akbar Khan</p> <p>(29:49) “The Art of Is” and “Free Play”</p> <p>(30:52) Buddhism, Gregory Bateson, San Franciso Zen Center, Dorland Mountain Colony</p> <p>(37:53) William Blake</p> <p>(41:19) writing “The Art of Is” with Jack Nachmanovitch as editor</p> <p>(43:09) Herbert Zipper, documentary “Never Give Up”</p> <p>(49:38) parameters in improvisation</p> <p>(55:30) improvisation Leah Roseman on acoustic violin, Stephen Nachmanovitch on Violectra, waterphone and voice</p> <p>(01:03:23) body awareness, working with dancers</p> <p>(01:10:15) The judging specter</p> <p>(01:12:17) visual cortex interaction when listening</p> <p>(01:14:41) inspiration from nature, Stephen’s health problems and isolation, album “Hermitage of Thrushes” with David Rothenberg, collaborations with Ellen Burr, Anders Hagberg</p> <p>(01:21:13) “Finger Kissing” and the judging specter</p> <p>(01:27:15) John Cage</p> <p>(01:36:47) Stephen’s wife</p> <p>(01:39:29) Stephen’s advice</p> <blockquote>photo credit: Dirk Dobíey</blockquote> --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leah-roseman/message
