In Tune

March 25, 2019
Wolf (Thought and Play in Musical Rhythm), Emmy Award–winning composer and professor at the USC Thornton School of Music, finds many productive connections between his musical career and meditation in this fine guide. Though Wolf tried zen meditation for years, it only became beneficial after he began relating meditative practices to his musical training. Each of the 12 chapters opens with anecdotes from his own experience or that of famous performers, including Miles Davis, John Cage, John Coltrane, and Pablo Casals. He then presents exercises and techniques drawn from music to introduce aspects of meditation. These bridges include instructions on topics including posture and concentration, as well as arguments, such as why one should practice for the sake of practicing and the value of losing oneself in performance. Though many of the techniques—loosening the whole body, counting breaths, letting the mind drift—are standard beginning approaches, the musical associations provide fresh context. Wolf also shows how these techniques can be used beyond sitting meditation to calm the mind and aid mindfulness during other tasks. The conclusion includes specialized exercises such as tonal breathing for those with advanced musical skills. Readers with even slight musical background will enjoy Wolf’s sharp, useful suggestions to make mindfulness a more achievable goal. Agent: Stephani Evans, Pande Literary