Ollie Mansfield

26/11/2022

🎄Giving

Today I got to play for the Nightingale Music Christmas event.

So many wonderful toddlers & young children!

Incredibly, hearing is one of the first senses to fully develop before birth.

Music has an important impact on children’s emotional and cognitive development.

That's why I think it's important for young children to experience music.

Listening and making.

So playing for groups like this is one way I like to support my local community.

Plus I got to hang out with Santa (it's not even December!)

21/11/2022

Is it ok for your students to make mistakes?

Do you tell them? (I forget to do this, my own mistake).

Last Saturday when I gave work back I congratulated the group for making mistakes.

I celebrated it!

“I love it!”

Why?, “it’s your chance to learn and get even better.”

I received the message below from a parent this morning.

Mistake give us all the opportunity to learn.

04/11/2022

What's happened to me!!

A year a go I would never have thought I'd be a gym person.

I finally got to the gym this week and I feel sooo much better for it 😊

A lot can happen in a year!

01/11/2022

🎻 Everyone deserves the opportunity to experience making music.

Big Noise in Scotland is providing this in various locations across Scotland for the long term.

Not for a term. Not a year. But for all primary years.

It's completely free of charge to parents.

Today I got to observe this for myself in Edinburgh.

I saw laughter, smiles and ooooodles of creative imagination.

I even got a few hugs.

It was a very humbling & inspiring experience.

14/12/2021

🟢 From Pain To Ease

How to go from painful shoulders, having to turn down work and feeling frustrated to taking on gigs and playing with ease.

An Introduction workshop for Cellists:

This is a one hour private 1-2-1 workshop. I will introduce you to a simple step by step approach that has helped many cellists get back to playing professionally.

Maybe you're like me? I used to practice through the pain ... I really wanted a life long career with this wonderful instrument.

But I ended up having to turn down work because I simply couldn't play well enough for long enough. It seemed like I was in a losing battle.

After I'd learned what was causing the pain (and how to play pain-free) I got back to having plenty of work again. I have the career I want.

The introduction workshop is £45. Why? Because the people that book will be committed to sorting this out.

Message or email me to book your place.

[email protected]

13/12/2021

5/5 🏃‍♂️ Keep moving!

I don’t know if you’re like me, but if I’m physically aching after a walk I tend to try and minimise movement. I might even try to stop moving.

This is what a cellist thought I’d tell her to do.

She was scared she might not be able to do anything for ages.

But it’s not the case.

It’s important to keep moving. You want to keep your strength and ability.

If you have stretches and exercises to do.

Keep the movement in a range of what you can do without going into pain.

Over time the range and duration can increase.

Slow and steady wins the race (it also creates space for a profound change).

The cellist in question is now playing professionally and pain-free.

11/12/2021

4/5 🧐 It was time to choose.

She was now aware of her extraneous movements.

But what to do next?

There are three possible routes:

🔹 Release the tension and learn to move efficiently.
🔹 Strengthen any weak muscles and tendons.
🔹 Change the psychological intention behind the movement.

I want to cover all three of these areas with my clients. They are interlinked with one another.

My client's intention behind her movements were:

🔸 To Work hard
🔸 Make a big sound
🔸 Put effort into her playing

No wonder her left shoulder and hand lifted and clenched with those intentions.

We played around with other possible intentions to have in mind:

🔹 Weight
🔹 Depth
🔹 Freedom
🔹 Efficiency

Her body moved differently with these intentions in mind.

Now she was aware, she was able to choose and she was able to change.

Case sorted? Nope!

Find out tomorrow.

09/12/2021

2/5 🩺 She was worried that she might have to end her career.

She felt embarrassed and frustrated for turning down gigs because of the pain in her shoulder.

She arrived in my teaching room.

Desperate for a quick fix.

She wanted a few exercises to cram in around her hours of practice. She needed to get playing asap.

I explained that to get the best result we’ll spend time assessing and diagnosing the situation.

Only with a clear view of what is happening can the client and me work to change and ultimately sort the problem.

Rushing in with quick fixes would be negligible.

Too much is at stake.

After this diagnosis, our work together can begin.

Tomorrow's post will give you the most important insight.

08/12/2021

1/5 🙁 She never knew it would get to this point…

It started as a “little ni**le” in her left shoulder.

But the pressure to practice 4-6 hours a day was massive.

To get a foot in the door for gigs, she knew she had to boost her reputation.

She had to prove to her colleagues that she was serious and committed to being a musician.

Over time that ni**le became an ache, which then became pain.

She could no longer play through a whole gig. She felt ashamed and embarrassed.

It got to the point that she started to turn down gigs.

She was losing income.
She was losing her dream.

It was time to sort it.

Find out tomorrow what helped.

02/12/2021

🎵 From Tension To Ease:

How to go from tense shoulders and aching hands after 10 minutes of cello playing, to playing comfortably and freely for over 30 minutes.

This one hour online workshop will take you through a simple step by step process that has helped many cellists improve their playing and feel more confident.

The ticket price is a steal at just £20. Why? I want you to have immediate (and a lifetime) of pain free, beautiful and FUN cello playing.

To make sure you get the best input form the workshop there is a limit of 10 places.

Book your place now https://bit.ly/TensionToEase

How to go from tense shoulders and aching hands after 10 minutes of cello playing, to playing comfortably and freely for over 30 minutes.

31/07/2021

🔍 Discover how to get your FB Page to work for you

In tomorrow's Digital Recitalist email.

Get yours by following the link https://olliemansfieldcom.wordpress.com/subscribe/

Digital Recitalist email every Sunday AM. Are you wondering how to bring digital artistry into your performing career? The Digital Recitalist is a weekly email. Helping you to build your audience b…

30/07/2021

#5/7

What would be a successful FB Pge for you as a musician?