Think about the traditional methodologies through which we are taught to view and examine music. I encourage you to now begin considering alternative perspectives to experiencing sound.

For example, in the above article, Gabriella Lena Frank discusses the concept of sound density—thick versus thin—in relation to her experience as a hearing-impaired individual.

“My therapist had me close my eyes and indicate from which direction a rumbly drum was coming, as opposed to a high-pitched whistle. I couldn’t really hear them, but I could certainly feel them and their contrasting energies…[Beethoven] asked for physically heavier instruments that resonated with more vibration. More pitch distance and difference, and more vibration and resonance, create a recipe for happiness for a hearing-impaired person, trust me. A more dissonant and thick language, with clashing frequencies, also causes more vibration, so the language does get more physically visceral that way, too.” -Gabriella Lena Frank.

Our listening habits are shaped by the music we have previously encountered. Corresponding expectations develop, informing how we perceive sound and the unfolding of a piece of music.

Imagine how a person's expectations, informed by past experiences, may act like a curtain, interfering with their ability to genuinely connect with music that employs different compositional parameters from those they are familiar with. For example, if a person is solely accustomed to observing traditional still-life paintings, encountering an abstract piece might leave them feeling disconnected and unable to anchor their perspective, as the work defies their usual ways of perceiving and understanding art.

Unlike representational art, abstract work doesn’t aim to replicate reality but rather calls for the viewer to participate in the artistic process. This interaction transcends mere observation; it becomes a work of co-creation. Each individual is invited to forge a distinctive, personal bond with the artwork, infusing it with their perspective and enriching the work's collective meaning.

Please refrain from judging one aesthetic or tradition by the parameters of another or by your current musical tastes. Stigma is evident in today's music scene. As musicians, our responsibility is to approach each piece with an open mind, recognizing that it is through this openness that we can truly understand the nature of the work and engage with it sincerely and authentically.

I encourage you to open your minds to different ways of listening and experiencing sound so that we can honestly investigate and enrich our understanding of our relationship to music, just as Gabriela Lena Frank's unique perspective led her to uncover previously unrecognized characteristics in Beethoven's writing.

Select a piece of music to approach from a new angle or perspective that you may not have previously considered.

You can select any piece of music, regardless of style, genre, whether or not it has a score, if it operates within the Western Canon or not, etc.

Write a commentary about the different perspective(s) you considered and the impact it had on you, as well as your thoughts about the Gabriella Lena Frank article. There is no length requirement, write the amount that feels right to express your thoughts.