LooseLeaf NoteBook with Julia Adolphe

I reflect on why art is always imperfect and unpack a wave of anxiety that emerged for me while finishing a large-scale work for the LA Philharmonic. With some advice from my creative coach, Cherry Jeffs, I was able to move past emotional blocks and tackle the work's conclusion.

 

If you're curious about creative coaching, you can visit Cherry's website and read her book on finishing projects here

 

Questions or comments may be shared on Julia's YouTube Channel

Co-hosts of the Trilloquy podcast Garrett McQueen and Scott Blankenship share their experiences with depression, therapy, medication, cannabis, creativity, and addiction. They discuss how they continue to navigate their professional and personal relationship following Garrett's controversial termination from American Public Media, the original owner of Trilloquy and parent company to Minnesota Public Radio, where the two worked together as broadcasters and Garrett served as the only Black classical music host. Scott and Garrett share how they put their relationship first, how they stay motivated in their work to decolonize classical music, and the importance of being vulnerable and honest in conversations surrounding mental health.

www.trilloquy.org

For years in therapy, I focused on recognizing and then extracting my anxious impulses from my creative process to allow greater room for freedom and play. Now, I am examining how my lingering anxiety that appears while I write can actually serve as a tool in the editing process, provided it remains in check and in direct dialogue with my work. 

Composer Christopher Trapani shares his experience with clinical depression and how it impacts the nature of his creative process, memory, and communication. Chris discusses how he both evades and encodes the filter of depression into his music, myths about the tortured artist, medication, and therapy, and how mental health challenges can be better addressed in the workplace and in schools.

www.christophertrapani.com

Questions or comments can be shared on Julia Adolphe's YouTube Channel

The idea that art stems from deep suffering is ingrained in Western European classical tradition. I share my thoughts on why this myth is attractive to society and to myself personally, as I was struggling to come to terms with my Anxiety Disorder. Belief in this myth ultimately did me more harm than good, and I discuss why I've let go of this romanticized, if not dangerous notion of the creative process.

 

For questions or comments, please visit Julia Adolphe's YouTube Channel

Violinists & yoga instructors Melissa White & Elena Urioste share why they founded Intermission Sessions, a program uniting musicianship, movement & mindfulness that emphasizes individual focus on one's own physical & emotional needs. We discuss the impact of abusive or unsupportive teachers & methodologies in conservatory life that strip power from students instead of inspiring self-care and compassion. Elena & Melissa share their experiences of performance anxiety, how that has shifted in the pandemic, and the stigma surrounding injury in classical music. Lastly, they offer insight into what yoga and meditation has taught them about their own musical voices and mental health.

www.intermissionsessions.com

Questions or comments may be shared on Julia Adolphe's YouTube Channel

States of high anxiety can produce thought patterns similar to those experienced during the creative process - seemingly disparate thoughts connect to create new meanings and stories - but there are also stark differences between imaginative impulses and anxious physiological signals. I unpack the positive and negative impacts of anxiety on creative work, and why the two are easily confused.

 

Questions or comments may be shared on Julia Adolphe's YouTube Channel 

Conductor & composer Daniela Candillari shares how she discovered surprising musical and personal truths about herself through new and pleasurable activities, such as pottery and gardening, while she strove to cope with her forced hiatus from conducting caused by the pandemic. We discuss how play, meditation, letting go of control, and deep listening impact creativity and mental health. Daniela reflects on her personal experience with performance anxiety, how emotion shapes our perception of time, and why her memories of living through the wars in the former Yugoslavia return to her during this period.

www.DanielaCandillari.com

Questions and comments can be shared on Julia Adolphe's YouTube Channel

Pianist and Music Educator Cindy Lam shares her experience of PTSD, initially triggered by surviving a car accident at 18, which temporarily threatened her musical capabilities, and heightened in 2020 by the loss of her father to a rare genetic Prion disease. Cindy discusses her ongoing healing process, the importance of sharing one's story, finding joy through teaching and musical expression, and feeling strong enough to momentarily step away from music to focus on her health. She emphasizes the need to connect with our inner child, both to inspire creativity and to ultimately heal trauma. Lastly, Cindy shares her view on the stigma surrounding mental health challenges within Asian and Asian-American circles, and reflects on the escalating hate crimes against the AAPI communities and their possible impact on mental health.

 

www.CindyLam.com 

 

Questions and comments may be shared on Julia Adolphe's YouTube Channel

Composer Sarah Kirkland Snider shares her experience with Generalized Anxiety Disorder & Major Depressive Disorder and how they impact her creative process. She unpacks the shame and stigma surrounding mental health challenges, the toxic myth of the tortured artist, strategies for coping and silver linings of hypersensitivity, and the importance of nurturing support systems within our families, universities, and professional communities.

www.SarahKirklandSnider.com

Questions or comments may be shared on Julia Adolphe's YouTube Channel