Resonate is a pioneering force in the realm of music education, dedicated to revolutionizing the way we approach musical expression. Our mission is to nurture individual creativity and challenge conventional methodologies, igniting a new era of musical learning. We prioritize mindfulness and community, valuing profound connections forged through music-making over the pursuit of perfection and competition. At Resonate, we believe in returning to the very essence of musical expression, emphasizing the intricate relationships between individuals, instruments, sounds, and bodies, creating a truly innovative and refreshing perspective on music education.
Origin Story of Resonate:
I had just graduated with two masters degrees in three years. I was burnt out and feeling lost. I still loved classical piano music, and I still remembered the enjoyment I used to get from the process of practicing and fitting the puzzle pieces together, and working to be the best pianist I could be. However, throughout my time in academia, I became frustrated and burdened with classical music’s obsession with hierarchy, perfection, and the myth of genius. As a beginning piano teacher, I knew that creativity is not innate, but it is born through experimentation, mistakes, and nonjudgmental play. Because these are often de-emphasized in traditional classical music education, so many pianists like me lose confidence in their own creativity.
Even though I had no experience with improvisation, I wanted to teach my students how to improvise. I valued that as a skill and I wished it had been emphasized more throughout my education. As I experimented with learning and teaching improvisation, I realized how much it requires vulnerability, awareness in the moment, and a self-forgiving attitude: things I recognized from my meditation practice.
Through trial and error, I blended my meditation practice with my new foray into improvisation. Thus, Resonate was born. Resonate does not take the place of traditional piano training, but it seeks to transform it. Using personal creativity, and honoring our own sense of creation and artistry, we can better empathize with our fellow pianists. Ludwig van Beethoven, Thelonious Monk, Yuja Wang, me, YOU— we’re all just people playing around with this instrument, discovering its endless fascinations.
- Grace Odell
Even though I had no experience with improvisation, I wanted to teach my students how to improvise. I valued that as a skill and I wished it had been emphasized more throughout my education. As I experimented with learning and teaching improvisation, I realized how much it requires vulnerability, awareness in the moment, and a self-forgiving attitude: things I recognized from my meditation practice.
Through trial and error, I blended my meditation practice with my new foray into improvisation. Thus, Resonate was born. Resonate does not take the place of traditional piano training, but it seeks to transform it. Using personal creativity, and honoring our own sense of creation and artistry, we can better empathize with our fellow pianists. Ludwig van Beethoven, Thelonious Monk, Yuja Wang, me, YOU— we’re all just people playing around with this instrument, discovering its endless fascinations.
- Grace Odell
Grace OdellFounder of ResonateA pianist, educator, musicologist, and writer from South Carolina, Grace Odell has masters degrees from the University of Missouri Kansas City in both piano performance and musicology. Prior to moving to Kansas City, Grace received a bachelor's degree in piano performance from Furman University. She is currently the program director at Base Academy of Music, a nonprofit music school in KC.
Grace’s love-hate relationship with academia and her struggles with perfectionism led her to create Resonate, a tool for re-accessing the child-like wonder and joy that initially led her to the piano. When she’s not playing piano or teaching piano, she’s cuddling with her two cats, reading, or visiting the art museum with her husband. |