The Traveling Violinist - Eaux Claires

Eaux Claires, WI + Justin Vernon + Aaron Dessner = The newest, coolest music festival in the land.                    

This is the second year of this festival. We went last year, and then when we saw the line up for this year we hopped to and bought tickets again. I would never consider myself an avid festival attendee. I'm more of a 'here I am playing, and look at these cool other musicians I accidentally got to see because I'm already here'. This is the only festival I have ever wanted to go to as an audience member. I morph back into a version of myself that is geeky and excited about music in all shapes and sizes and wants nothing more than to hang out, listen, and watch.The variety of music, the diversity of performers, the collaborations that are encouraged are just so cool. This year they were even bigger and better than last year, which was a feat in and of itself because last year was AWESOME! 

Here is my festival story. I didn't get to see everyone or everything but there were so many great performances, art, performers, food, refreshments, you name it.

FRIDAY

We arrived promptly at noon. I really wanted to see So Percussion but I was pleasantly surprised to see and hear an organist sitting on the main festival grounds and played regularly throughout each day. Hark! Is that Bach I hear blaring between rock ‘n’ roll sets?

So Percussion 12pm (with Buke and Gase)

I was so excited to see these guys! They were in NYC when I visited a few weeks ago but I opted out of seeing them because I knew I would be able to soak them in NOW. And what a great surprise to see Buke and Gase with them! I can’t think of a better way to start a music festival!

Here is a quick excerpt from their bio -

With its innovative multi-genre original productions, sensational interpretations of modern classics, and “exhilarating blend of precision and anarchy, rigor and bedlam,” (The New Yorker), Sō Percussion has redefined the scope of the modern percussion ensemble.

Their repertoire ranges from “classics” of the 20th century, by John Cage, Steve Reich, and Iannis Xenakis, et al, to commissioning and advocating works by contemporary composers, to distinctively modern collaborations with artists who work outside the classical concert hall. 

So Percussion with Buke and Gase recording preview

So Percussion, Buke and Gase

My Brightest Diamond

I have loved this band for years. Shara Nova (new name) is a true talent. The My Brightest Diamond cover of “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES EVER

In fact, here it is…

And from their website...

Not many people can front a rock band, sing Górecki’s Third Symphony, lead a marching band processional down the streets of the Sundance film festival and perform in a baroque opera of their own composing all in a month’s time. But Shara Nova can.

Her multi faceted career as My Brightest Diamond, which began with an acclaimed independent rock record, has reflected her journey into the world of performing arts. Born in diamond rich Arkansas and then raised all around the country, Nova came from a musical family of traveling evangelists. She went on to study operatic voice and then classical composition after a move to New York City.

Shara began issuing recordings as My Brightest Diamond in 2006.

Be Brave

My Brightest Diamond

S. Carey on a tiny stage in the woods

-He is not my type. I want to like him so badly! I don’t know what it is that just makes me think ‘meh…’ but the setting was perfect for his sincere and soft musical stylings.

Senyawa

By far one of the weirest most unexpected performances I saw. Very very cool! Glad I stopped at the Foxy Falafel and was accidentally enthralled with their exotic and totally captivating sounds

Here's a little bit about them...

Jogjakarta’s Senyawa embodies the aural elements of Javanese music whilst exploring the framework of experimental music practice, pushing the boundaries of both traditions. Their music strikes a perfect balance between their avant-garde influences and cultural heritage to create truly contemporary Indonesian new music.

Their sound is comprised of Rully Shabara’s deft extended vocal techniques punctuating the frenetic sounds of instrument builder, Wukir Suryadi’s modern-primitive instrumentation. Inventions like his handcrafted ‘Bamboo Spear’; a thick stem of bamboo strung up with percussive strips of the animal skin along side steel strings. Amplified it fuses elements of traditional Indonesian instrumentation with garage guitar distortion. Sonically dynamic, the instrument can be rhythmically percussive on one side whilst being melodically bowed and plucked on the other.

Since then they have gone on to perform at MONA FOMA Festival in Tasmania, the Adelaide Festival with Korean singer Bae Il Dong, toured as special guests of Australian supergroup Regurgitator, performed at the Glatt und Verkert Festival in Austria along side Japanese guitar master Kazuhisa Uchihashi, as well as the Malmo Sommarscen Festival in Sweden, Salihara Literature Festival in Jakarta, CTM Festival in Berlin, Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Clandestino Festival in Norway and Oct Loft Jazz Festival in China. Senyawa was awarded a one month residency at AIR Krems as part of the Krems city wide festival in Austria where they were the star guests.

yMusic and The Staves

This was my absolute favorite performance from last year’s festival. The eerily haunting vocals of the staves blend perfectly with yMusic’s sound. They said they reworked some of their music and also reworked traditional English folk tunes for this performance. I cannot gush about this collaboration enough!

Art in the woods and rain

It started to rain, thank goodness we brought ponchos! We headed into the woods to see some of the installations, hide under the tree canopy and tromp around in the mud a little bit. We made some fellow festival friends but did not manage to stay super dry. My pink TOMS turned brown. Lovely

Sarah Neufeld

Sarah Neufeld is a violinist and composer based in Montréal, Canada. Best known as a member of Arcade Fire, she is also a founding member of the acclaimed contemporary instrumental ensemble Bell Orchestre, and most recently as half of an exciting new duo with renowned saxophonist Colin Stetson.

Neufeld began developing pieces for solo violin in a formal sense in 2011, though she has made improvisation and solo composition part of her process and practice since first picking up the instrument at a young age. Neufeld counts Bela Bartok, Steve Reich, Iva Bittova and Arthur Russell among the formative influences for her solo work, in tandem with an ear for the textures and sensibilities of contemporary electro-acoustic, avant-folk and indie rock music.

Vince Staples

A rapper in the middle of the WI woods? What? I'm not too savvy in this genre but he certainly put on a great show and used really provocative video footage and installations in his performance.

James Blake in the Rain

I have never seen so many people want to dance while the performer sits behind a keyboard. He didn’t stand up once and yet people were dancing and jamming out in the rain. Also, he composes and records everything electronically but performs everything live with a band. All of those beats are recreated in real time with an actual drummer. It is incredible

Also, I ate the most amazing cheese curds in the rain and have been craving them ever since. The Curd Girl A true love of my life…..I will never forget those curds (swoon).

Bon Iver

The Debut of new music. WOW. Just wow.

I love that every time I hear Bon Iver perform his songs have been reworked and reorchestrated, incorporating new instruments and arrangements every time. That is so special! I cannot gush enough about how awesome that is. Do you know how hard it is to continually breathe new life into ‘old’ works? Not everyone can do it and certainly not everyone wants to.

You know what else I love? That this is a great show to watch because of the music. No dancers, no (super) crazy light show, no videos just a dude from Eaux Claires and his band rocking out to some soulful, heartfelt, from the heart rock (if you can call it that) music.

I got back to the hotel, looked in the mirror and realized I resembled a drowned rat and I didn’t even care. Guys I’m telling you – music! Whoa!

Saturday

We had breakfast with friends AWAY from the festival before heading back for round 2. Our feet were sore and needed a break....and some coffee. 

Then off we went!

Coffee, Sunshine, and Eighth Blackbird playing Bryce Dessner’s Murder Ballads

Here is a little bit about them....

Eighth Blackbird’s “super-musicians” (Los Angeles Times) combine the finesse of a string quartet, the energy of a rock band, and the audacity of a storefront theater company. The Chicago-based, four-time GRAMMY Award-winning sextet celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2016: two decades of performing for audiences across the country and around the world with impeccable precision and a signature style.

A winner of the 2016 MacArthur Award for Effective and Creative Institutions, Eighth Blackbird has been described as “one of the smartest, most dynamic contemporary classical ensembles on the planet” (Chicago Tribune). The group began in 1996 as a six entrepreneurial Oberlin Conservatory students and quickly became “a brand-name…defined by adventure, vibrancy and quality….known for performing from memory, employing choreography and collaborations with theater artists, lighting designers and even puppetry artists” (Detroit Free Press).

Filament centers around a live recording of Philip Glass’s early masterpiece, Two Pages, and includes world premiere recordings of works by Bryce Dessner (Murder Ballades), Nico Muhly (Doublespeak), and two remixes by Son Lux, whose tracks gather sounds from the other compositions on the album, stringing together the album’s musical ‘filament’ and adding the voice of Shara Worden (of My Brightest Diamond). Filament was selected as Album of the Week by WQXR/Q2 Music, Seattle’s Second Inversion, and the Chicago Tribune. The San Francisco Chronicle called it “wonderful…a fine release…comprising both restless energy and reverence.”

Eighth Blackbird’s mission—to move music forward through innovative performance, advocacy for new music by living composers, and a legacy of guiding an emerging generation of musicians —extends beyond recording and touring to curation and education.

I love their most recent album Filament! Seeing this ensemble on the festival lineup was definitely an incentive to buy tickets. They performed several times each day. I am so happy we caught ‘Murder Ballades’ – an historical musical trend that I can get behind (traditionally songs written about famous murders and murderers but with a catchy upbeat vibe….dark, dark, dark, right?)

Anyone who thinks classical music is dead/dying/no longer relevant clearly needs to spend a weekend in the woods of WI! 

Mavis Staples

Mavis Staples will doubtlessly go down in history as one of the greatest gospel singers of all time, the breathtaking voice powering one of America's great family bands, The Staple Singers. From the traditional gospel music of the 1950s to the 1960s protest songs that underscored some of the decade's most dramatic social changes, from the self-empowerment anthems of the 1970s to the soulful love tunes and mature Americana of more recent years, Staples and her family have consistently created some of the best and most inspirational music of the past half-century.

And although Staples is now more than 70 years old, she has no intention of giving up the calling that has consumed her since she was a child. "Ain't no stopping me, I will sing," Staples declared in a recent interview. "You know, you'd have to come and scoop me off the stage. I'm gonna sing till I die."

What a great show! She has so much energy! She also brought Lucius on stage to sing some back up vocals and made it known that if Justin Vernon asked her out ‘She’s available!’

It was great fun!

Next up was Shabazz Palace.

Filling time before the yMusic performance (one of my ‘Can’t miss this!’ performance of the weekend)  Somebody recommended we check this one out. I had never heard of them but hot diggity they sound good with a meal of Cauliflower Steak with Saffron Aioli (Foxy Falafel needs to open a branch in Tulsa!)

That cauliflower.....perfect!

yMUSIC

Fan girl moment! I love this group! I love the music written for them, the collaborations they choose to take part in (pretty much everybody). Nadia Sirota hosts one of my all time podcasts “Meet the Composer”

Hailed by NPR’s Fred Child as “one of the groups that has really helped to shape the future of classical music,” yMusic is a group of six New York City instrumentalists flourishing in the overlap between the pop and classical worlds. Their virtuosic execution and unique configuration (string trio, flute, clarinet, and trumpet) has attracted the attention of high profile collaborators—from Ben Folds to Dirty Projectors to Jose Gonzalez—and inspired an expanding repertoire of original works by some of today’s foremost composers, including Nico Muhly and Andrew Norman.

In addition to performing their own repertoire, yMusic serves as a ready-made collaborative unit for bands and songwriters, and have lent their distinctive sound to dozens of albums, most recently, Ben Folds’ 2015 release “So there.”  Other recent collaborations include recording and tours with José González, The Tallest Man on Earth, Dirty Projectors, The Staves, Bon Iver, and Blake Mills.

Buke and Gase

I have friends who know these people. I have friends who have admired their music for years. Although not the most captivating live performers (I think what they have to do a whole bunch of very complicated things that I totally don’t understand but sound really cool) there music is really awesome! I walked away from their performance excited to listen to more (so did Jeff). I also really liked that the singer’s mom came to the show and her daughter enthusiastically greeted her from the stage. How cute is that? Who cares about being a ‘cool’ rocker? What’s cooler than having your mom in the audience for your show.

We tried to get into the Grateful Dead cover performance that featured pretty much every famous person they could get their hands on but none of us are really ‘Dead Heads’. I didn’t grow up listening to it, I’m not a super fan of tie-dye and I’m pretty sure I’ve never done the amount of drugs needed to get on ‘that level’ so we headed up the hill to catch a little bit of the Har Mar Superstar set

Here we are briefly ignoring the Grateful Dead cover.

Har Mar Superstar

Sounds like Justin Timberlake, moves like Jagger, looks like……ratatouille. Just kidding (kind of)

A crooner who likes to get naked and has not one bit of body shame. Always a good time. I’ve seen him live several times and seem to keep going back for more.

Erykah Badu

She may have been 30mins late to her own set.

But when she showed up she slayed.

She is an artist through and through. She clearly has a vision for herself, her music, and her performance.

Even though it was almost half as long as it was supposed to be, her performance knocked everyone’s socks off. No offense to Beach House but it would be hard for anyone to follow this act. I could seriously gush about how awesome she was, her band was, the performance, the vibe. I'd go again in heart beat!

Beach House

This was the last night of the festival. We were staying to the end NO MATTER WHAT!

Beach House is a band that I always enjoy and always forget to think about. Is that bad? I feel bad saying that because I would never want to be described that way.

I have to say that their website is delightfully elusive.

http://www.beachhousebaltimore.com

Francis and The Lights

The very last act of the festival. SO much pressure? I really didn’t know this guy or his music before looking into the festival line up. There isn’t a ton of current music available to listen to, some EPs that are a few years old, some collaborations etc. but he totally got a bunch of buzz due to this video:

So guess who everyone was assuming/hoping/expecting to show up? Kanye West.

This guy has the stage presence of Kramer and Edward Scissorhands rolled into one dancing, singing machine. It is amazing what one performer can do sometimes to keep a crowd’s attention.

For the very last song of the very last night of the festival he was joined onstage by Justin Vernon and……

Chance the Rapper.

Perhaps a stand in for Kanye? I know, after doing a little research, that they have worked together. They did the dance from the video (see above) and the crowd went wild. It was a great dance party to end the night and festival.

My feet were tired, my shoes were covered in mud, my legs ached from the walking and standing but it was another great festival. Music, man…..it is just the greatest.

The Traveling Violinist - NYC.

Dear New York,

I used to be so intimidated by you. I was afraid of your allure. Convinced I wasn’t ready to meet you. Certain you would eat me alive.

I’m glad I overcame my fear. I’m glad I visited.

5 days in the Big Apple. How could I be so wrong?

Active Violinist and The City

Day 1 – Wednesday

Jeff and I arrived in the afternoon and after leaving our luggage at the very hip and cool Yotel in Midtown we walked the Highline. It is pretty wonderful. There are so many gorgeous buildings, interesting architecture, great views (into peoples’ homes and of the city), interesting people watching, and wonderful nooks and resting areas. It is so serene. We walked the entire way to the new Whitney Museum. We bought coffee and Mexican food along the way and waded through some excellently placed water fixtures (hot, tired feet!).

High Line views.

Yum! Yum! Yum!

Jeff was really looking forward to 'studying this conceptual approach to public space' sadly everyone was very much the opposite of nude.

When we got to the Whitney we couldn’t NOT go in and look around. What an incredible space! What incredible art! We headed back to the hotel via the city streets.

He is literally melting. An enormous statue made of wax with a lit candle on his shoulder. A selfie in the background only for perspective.

Our hotel was very cool: A happening bar and really great food. We ended up staying in for dinner and were tucked into bed by 10:30pm. We go all out.

The view from our bathroom at the Yotel

Day 2 – Thursday

I met up with my Freshman year dorm-room neighbors for lunch. What a reunion! I hadn’t seen either one of them for at least 8 years. I can’t believe it worked out! I don't think I laughed or giggled like that in quite some time. Their lives sound way more glamorous than mine in (relatively speaking) sleepy Oklahoma. 

Afterwards I walked over to Carnegie Hall in hopes of making my debut only to discover they are closed for the summer. Rude!

Come Hear Me! (one day, one day....fingers crossed forever)

Giving up on stardom (for the moment), I meandered over to Central Park and watched some really fun street performers before dipping in to the American Museum of Natural History. I totally forgot that Night at the Museum with Ben Stiller was filmed here! I chuckled about this (to myself) while observing the exotic taxidermy. 

Heading into the Museum. The only shot I could get without 10,000 tourists included.

The dinosaurs are epic! Head into the Hayden Planetarium Space Theater to hear Liam Neeson narrate some cool facts about the solar system. The whole exhibit on Black holes and Dark Matter is amazing. I could have spent several hours here alone if it weren't bordering on dinnertime. 

Something something something......prehistoric

I was flying solo as Jeff had to work all day so I headed back to the hotel (on foot - the best way to see a city).

If you walk around NYC you will see this scene pretty much everywhere.

We went out to dinner with his boss at Esca, a Mario Battali restaurant around the corner from the hotel. Holy Moly it was good! I like to eat, and I’m not really snobby about it but oh man it was great! I also forgot what kind of wine. Oh well! I recommend it - especially if you like Seafood (and even if you don't!)

We walked over to Times Square after dinner. It is nuts! Honestly this was probably my least favorite part of the trip. Trust me, better viewed from the comfort of your own home. Chaos everywhere. Before hitting the hay we stopped in a local market and picked up some gelato to share on the balcony….in the rain. All in all it was a romantic date for 3.

Times Square.

Day 3 – Friday

I stumbled out into the neighborhood for breakfast and found a fantastic little bakery/coffeeshop called Amy’s Bread. I felt bad for Jeff because he was working in the hotel lobby and I could not stop raving about my pastry and cappuccino when I got back.

We had to change hotels today so I caught an Uber to the Omni Berkshire with our bags and dropped them off before exploring 5th ave for a hot minute.

I stumbled upon a gorgeous church service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

I just love this part of the exterior. Lily - so lovely. I couldn't stop admiring her.

I stopped to smell the lavender at the Rockefeller farmers market (how do you even get a vendor spot here!?), stopped in at Bauman Rare Books to admire some spines (a Brahms score on sale for $18,500!!), and did some serious window shopping pretty much every where.

Rockefeller Lavender. I'm pretty sure Tina Fey AND Alec Baldwin buy their bouquets here.

My family friend from Traverse City came downtown to meet up and we immediately got covered in gold – literally accosted by the 24 carat gold skincare ladies who, for whatever reason thought I could afford $800 face cream. There is so much insecurity imbued in the beauty industry! The more I said “No Thank You” the more of my little imperfections she pointed out…but in the sweetest way possible. Like she was my BFF genuinely concerned about my future; Warning me of my impending botox bill if I didn’t suck it up and smear gold on my face now, before it is too late.

After this semi-demoralizing experience where I was forced to come to terms with my own sagging, drooping, decaying mortality we headed to the West Village for a bite to eat (and a cocktail). Turns out family friend Maxine is kind of besties with Mario Battali so we bellied up to the bar at The Spotted Pig, the former haunt of Philip Seymour Hoffman (R.I.P.). It is cozy and unassuming but hot dang those deviled eggs are worth writing home about.

THE Spotted Pig

Jeff came and met us in the village where we strolled through the lovely streets and admired the intimate and inviting vibe of the area. I know it is silly to say because I will NEVER be able to afford it – BUT I would totally live here.

We had dinner at a really great little French place that we kind of stumbled upon. At the table to our left were 2 buds from college who were clearly now investment bankers – whining about how one’s fiancé demanded $5 million in the prenup and how he said no, took the ring back and now can't decide whether he should take her back. REALLY DUDE!? The whole conversation made me a little ill, and also sort of livid. I'm still thinking about what I should have leaned over and said, what I hoped this unknown lady did and where on his person he should probably 'stash' that ring (hint: probably not recommended by 4 out of 5 Doctors). A serious case of 1% problems.

We ended the evening strolling then headed to the Fulton Street Station (Jeff’s company had a hand in its creation) and walking through the 9/11 Memorial. Probably way more incredible in the daylight but completely impressive at night as well.

So big I couldn't fit it all in one frame!

Day 4 – Saturday

We headed uptown for breakfast, at Sarabeth’s and a little browsing at the Corner Bookstore before heading to the Guggenheim because….duh. 

This place makes me dizzy. Also - has anyone ever organized some sort of run up and down this place? That would be a hoot - and also a killer workout.

-Sidenote about the Corner Bookstore: this is my favorite kind of bookshop: Small, local and full of gems. I loved overhearing a customer ask for advice on what novel she should read next only to hear a variety of choices in so many different genres recommended by the store employees. It just makes me want to read more!

Everything at the Guggenheim is swirling and round....except the stairs.

After the Guggenheim (which was awesome) we picked up coffee from The Church of Heavenly Rest and a stroll through Central Park.

We sipped our fancy shmancy dry cappuccinos while watching a Jazz Quartet jam under a tree in the park, then headed to the Met.

The perfect stage for a drizzly jam in the park

A line out the door and around the corner awaited us. Lucky for us it was moving quickly. I could have spent days and days and days in there.

The ladies - what your outfit feels like after you've seen Manus x Machina

We ended up spending hours in just the Manus x Machina exhibit alone. The crossroads of fashion and technology has really produced some jaw dropping pieces of wearable (or almost wearable? Some designs certainly didn’t seem to keep the human form in mind) art. Blah blah blah there were several Picassos and stuff by other famous people but if you put a gown in a museum, no offense Mr. Pollock, but I’m going to swoon over it.

There's a million more where these came from. If you've ever run into me on Instagram you know I love a good gown pic any day.

For our last evening in the city we headed to Williamsburg for dinner at this crazy hip Thai restaurant with a pond (it seemed like it was straight out of a movie) and a book reading/performance at National Sawdust. Helen DeWitt read from her book The Last Samurai and Timo Andres performed selected piano works mentioned in the book. It was pretty cool. I got my book signed by BOTH OF THEM.

National Sawdust. Not the performers. Obviously.

We stopped by a little Italian place for a late night snack and some wine before strolling (this seems to be our signature tourist move) through the neighborhood before eventually returning to the craziness of 5th Ave.

Day 5 – Sunday

Time to go home. Sob! I did miss Blanche but this was just (barely) the tip of the iceberg! We strolled through Rockefeller Plaza, read our books in Bryant Park and dodged the rain in Barnes and Noble before accepting our fate and heading to the Airport.

It was a great trip – I didn’t get a sunburn, we did some cool stuff, burned some calories, consumed some calories, and learned a bunch of stuff.

My previous avoidance of this city has been turned into interest and fascination. Now I really want to come back and see a performance (or 17) at Carnegie Hall, catch an Opera at the Met, a performance by ABT, hello NY Phil, Orpheus, Alice Tully Hall, Zabar’s, Poisson Rouge…..the list goes on.

In the words of a wise terminator: I’ll be Back 

Who Said That?

Almost two weeks ago (already? - wow time flies!) I packed my bags and headed to John Brown University in Siloam Springs to participate in Suzuki Teacher Training. What a week! Our class of 6 was a fun mix of personalities and experience, offering a wide range of perspectives on violin teaching, playing, practicing, school, and life.

It was an intensive week of observations, class time, recitals, presentations, and paper writing -I think I wrote more papers during this week than I did for my entire Masters degree!

We were required to read Dr. Suzuki’s book Nurtured By Love before our first day of training. Esther, our trainer recommended rereading this book periodically throughout the course of our teaching career. She also suggests that potential Suzuki parents read it before their first violin lesson. I kind of rolled my eyes about this at first but by the end of the week I totally got it. It isn’t a long read, and explains the philosophy behind the “Talent Education” method, aka the Suzuki Method.

As you might remember if you’ve read any of my other recent blog posts, I am currently knee deep in my dissertation research and writing, which takes a good hard look at Yehudi Menuhin and B.K.S. Iyengar. I was fully entrenched in the Iyengar side of research by the time I hit the rode for Suzuki training. After completing all of my Suzuki assignments for the day, and maybe practicing for a few minutes I would attempt to pursue my own research and writing so as not to fall too far behind.

Juggling materials written by Suzuki, Iyengar, and their students and followers, I started to get a little confused. Like “Did I read that in an interview with Iyengar last night? Or was that a Suzuki quote?”

So I thought it would be fun to play a little game called “Who said that?”

Below are selected quotes from Iyengar and Suzuki. Can you guess who said what? Leave your answers in the comments below. If you get them all right I might be tempted to figure out a prize for you. More like definitely tempted; thinking about prizes sounds like a really fun form of procrastination right now.

Good Luck!

1. “The Mind is the product of thoughts which are difficult to restrain for they are subtle and fickle” 

2. “What is man’s ultimate direction in life? It is to look for love, truth, virtue, and beauty” 

3. “Both acceptance and surrender are a form of meditation” 

4. “When love is deep, much can be accomplished” 

5. “Teaching is learning, and re-learning is true teaching” 

6. “Practice only on the days you eat” 

7. “As a teacher one must be a pupil within” 

8. “Your body is the child of your soul” 

9. “Everything depends on you” 

10. “Success will come to the person who practices” 

11. “Education means to teach and develop. Without develop there is nothing” 

12. “Awareness follows intelligence” 

13. “Self-evaluation is the highest sense as a human being. Children should not only advance but repeat and evaluate their progress” 

14. “Memory is necessary for the development of intelligence” 

15. "Don't hurry, don't rest. Without stopping, without haste, carefully taking one step at a time will surely get you there." 

16. “Children want to know everything. They grasp fast. They have both one-channeled and all-pointed attention, and they should be encouraged to develop this faculty” 

17. “If you have the spirit of a young child, you never age” 

18. “I respect all living things” 

19. “True concentration is an unbroken thread of awareness” 

20. “Do not hurt anybody’s heart” 

21. “The keys to unlocking our potential are the qualities of purity and sensitivity”