I'm very excited to be playing at my old stomping grounds, Teaneck Public Library, on June 4, 2023 at 2 PM.
I'll take the audience on a musical journey with songs from Vietnam from my upcoming album, original compositions for solo cello, soulful improvisations, and western classical music.
It'll be a fun time and you can come hear music from my new album which I'm hard at work on.
What is music really all about to you?
For me, music has always been a way for me to connect with my emotions.
I have never liked talking about my feelings and the reason I gravitate towards the cello is because I can express how I am feeling without having to talk.
Good music is good because it makes you feel something.
I think this is a perfect avenue for accessing improvisation on your instrument beyond just breaking it down theoretically.
I do think it's important to know some music theory to improvise, but sometimes that can be limiting. Often you need to free yourself from these boxes and see where it takes you.
So let's try this:
Think of an emotion. Here are some to choose from: Anger, Sadness, Joy, Surprise, Fear, Anxiety
Come up with a specific event or idea that relates that that emotion. This could be something that really happened to you or imaginary. For example, if my emotion is anxiety, I would think about how nervous I felt at sleep away camp when I was 10 years old. (Trust me, the anxiety didn't stop there, haha, I wish!)
Record yourself. It could be audio and video, or just audio if that makes you more comfortable.
Start playing your instrument while thinking about this. DO NOT think about music theory, trying to sound good, or analyzing what you think you sound like in the moment, just play!
Come to a conclusion, stop playing, and take a breather.
Listen/watch the recording and without judging yourself in a mean way, analyze what elements you thought were effective in conveying your emotion and what elements were ineffective. For example, if you chose anger and did something really loud, staccato, and aggressive, and thought it conveyed your emotion, take note of that. If you played something too legato and thought, hmm, this doesn't quite capture what I was feeling, take note of that too.
I know this sounds a bit 'new agey' and I'm a cynical Jew from New Jersey, so trust me I'm wary of that. However, you'd be surprised how useful this type of exercise is even for the most accomplished musicians in the business.
This type of thinking frees you from the restraints that you are used to. Sometimes we get boxed in by thinking about technique, theory, self judgement, etc, and we need a way out of that.
So, give it a shot and connect with improvisation in a new way.
As always, feel free to write to me and let me know what you discover!
Last June, at a music residency in Hoi An, Vietnam, I had the great pleasure of meeting and making music with Esther Swift, one of Scotland's premiere musicians. Esther is an immensely talented composer, harpist, and singer who brings a really personal and deep connection to her music.
We collaborated on a song which she wrote for a friend, Helen Mcleod, who unfortunately passed away. This song is dedicated to Helen and we hope that it brings a sense of peace and calm reflection to those who listen.
After an unbelievable year of performing, composing, and collaborating in Vietnam, I have finally returned to my hometown of Teaneck, NJ. It’s bittersweet because I really did have an amazing experience abroad, but I’m also excited to be back and teaching my students, playing gigs, and composing more music.
I had so many performances in Vietnam that I’ll never forget. I played cello in a running stream of water while people danced and frolicked around me as my wife led a Dance/Movement Therapy workshop. Was I the only one wearing rain boots instead of being barefoot because I’m a curmudgeon? Of course I was. I had to take the cello on a rickety canoe across a river and then walk through the jungle to get there, too.
I collaborated numerous times with the superbly talented, Duyệt Thị Trang. Our cello and đàn tranh improvisational duo took us everywhere: the U.S. Embassy, a packed to the gills show at Heritage Space, and even the jungles of Vietnam.
I had the real pleasure and fortune to collaborate with Phan Y Ly and Eliott Malderez as well. We created the group, Mandala, which combined cello with đàn tranh, sào meo, and percussion. They became my really good friends and we’d often hang out and just improvise for hours. There were so many improvisations that I am super proud of. They came over on my birthday and surprised me (I was taking a nap and wasn’t exactly Mr. Friendly when I opened the door). I remember we improvised one song that really brought me to that next level, following which they made me eat a Vietnamese specialty called, Chân Gà Đông Tảo, which is a chicken foot that looks like it came from a chicken that was a professional bodybuilder.
I had some really beautiful solo performances in Vietnam as well. I played to packed houses at Vincom Center for Contemporary Arts and The Hanoi Social Club, where I got to debut some new compositions that I had written since being in Vietnam. After going to Trang An and taking a canoe around the staggeringly beautiful rock formations in the water, I was inspired to write a piece about it. There was something really mysterious about these geological structures that resonated with me.
I had the great fortune to be selected for two music residencies in collaboration with Lune Production and Phu Sa Lab. I met musicians from across Vietnam and got to make music with instruments I had never even seen or heard of before. A lot of them were custom made, one-of-a-kind instruments. These residences were really intensive, no days off, but the opportunity to create, explore, and make connections with these superb players was invaluable. I certainly will collaborate in the future with a lot of these musicians in some capacity.
I collaborated with my wife a bunch for her Dance/Movement Therapy workshops. I played for her workshops across the country, but the most powerful one for me was working with the Vietnamese soldiers from the American War. It was a small group, but the connection that we had was extremely powerful and made me quite thankful for the opportunity. I hope that my wife and I can expand upon this premise of working with soldiers (hopefully from both Vietnam and the USA) in order to help them heal from the war.
What I’m most excited about taking back the USA and expanding upon is my studies and compositions with the đàn bầu. I still have a lot to learn, but I feel like it’s going to become an integral part of my writing and hopefully performing as well. I busted out a small đàn bầu solo for the first time at a gig that my fellow residents and I played at this beachside restaurant in An Bang. As I grow more confident on the đàn bầu, I’ll definitely be working it into my live performances more. There’s a world of possibility with this instrument, especially the combination with cello.
Well it was truly an eye opening year in Vietnam and I’m very grateful for the opportunity. I’m back now at the Bryan Wilson Cello Studio in Teaneck, NJ and I’m getting ready to teach a bunch of new students, to record cello for artists across the globe, and to write some new pieces for cello and đàn bầu.
On January 26, 2018 we at Bryan Wilson Cello Studio welcomed Bryan Wilson and Bui Tuyet Minh's beautiful daughter, Kaia Minh Wilson, into the world!
Kaia means Ocean, Earth, and Nothing is impossible. Minh means Light in Vietnamese. Kaia Minh means Ocean of Light.
She is the first child of cellist/composer, Bryan Charles Wilson. He began crafting songs for his daughter to listen to as soon as he knew his wife, Minh, was pregnant. It was a spiritual journey for Bryan as a composer, cellist, and father-to-be as he supported Minh through her pregnancy.
The album combines cello, vocals, and atmospheric synthesizers that help put his daughter in a state of sonic bliss. The musical textures are soft and lush, bathing listeners in a cocoon of warm harmonies and joyous melodies. The music is perfect for relaxation as well as matching the many different moods of a child.
We are very excited to share these songs with you and hope you and your children are transported to a state of enlightened tranquility when listening to this music.
Much love to you all and here's to hoping that Kaia likes the cello!
If you're interested in cello lessons via Skype or in Northern New Jersey contact bryanwilsoncello@gmail.com
If you are looking for a cello teacher, look no further! I offer cello lessons across the world via Skype and in person lessons in Northern New Jersey. I have students all over the USA and would love to teach you!
I teach all skill levels and ages and I like to give students a strong foundation in classical technique and repertoire, while simultaneously introducing them to improvisation and alternative styles of cello playing. I have students who have never touched a musical instrument to those who are professional composers. I make sure I tailor each student's curriculum to what he/she wants to learn, whether it's improvisation, refining technique, building musical confidence, or just playing cello for fun!
Music is about expression and creativity and I help to foster these wonderful skills in every student I teach. So if you are interested in cello lessons via Skype or in person in Northern New Jersey, don't hesitate to contact me at bryanwilsoncello@gmail.com. I’d love to teach you!
I just wanted to let all of you know that I offer cello lessons in Bergen County, New Jersey. I teach all skill levels and ages and can travel to you for in-home lessons! I give students a strong foundation in classical technique and repertoire, while simultaneously introducing them to improvisation and alternative styles of cello playing. Music is about expression and creativity and I help to foster these wonderful skills in every student I teach. So if you are in North Jersey and are interested in cello lessons, feel free to contact me at bryanwilsoncello@gmail.com. I’d love to teach you!