Wellness profile with Erika Boysen!
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Q. How would you describe your lifestyle (student/traveling performer/9-5 job/etc.)?
A. Formally, I am Dr. Erika Boysen, Flute Professor at UNCG. Informally, I am an artist who enjoys collaboration and cultivating human connection. Originally from the Midwest, I grew up enjoying performance in all of its creative capacities; acting, singing, dancing and playing an instrument. This background manifested in a vocation that involves performing in solo, chamber and orchestral capacities, teaching and pursuing creative projects and conducting research related to the aforementioned.
Q. What keeps you motivated?
A. I am most invigorated in the pursuit of challenging the “norms” of classical music and the classical musician’s training. My love for the classical music artform and the merit of such an education is undeniable but I am frustrated by the institution’s resistance to evolution and change. I love working with composers; commissioning new works that reflect the times in which we live. I find great meaning in working with artists and non-artists from other disciplines. The “meeting in the middle” that occurs when individuals from differing backgrounds abandon their discipline-specific jargon is a practice that benefits all. I value engaging my students in conversations regarding new and creative projects that effectively equip them for the professional and cultural demands of our century.
Q. What gets you out of bed in the morning?
A. The promise of coffee paired with a smoothie. (My perfected recipe: frozen bananas, spinach, grapefruit, frozen cherries, coconut water and my home brew kombucha!)
Q. What inspires you to do what you do?
A. My students are a primary inspiration in my life. Their growth, hard work, commitment and pursuit of lofty goals inspire me. I am amazed by their resilience when faced with personal or professional challenges and their curiosity and insatiable desire to learn. My students, past and present, have collectively brightened my life.
Q. Describe a daily routine that makes you feel great.
A. Not so long ago, the first and last task of my day was consuming newsfeeds on facebook and instagram. I was very aware that this was unhealthy and negatively affected my sleep and approach to each day. I finally decided to remove all screens at least 45 minutes prior to bed and at least 45 minutes after waking. I realized what was encouraging the habitual desire to check social media upon waking was my use of a phone as a timepiece. I bought a clock that uses light to simulate the sun setting at night and rising in the morning. This way, when I go to bed, I set a light timer for 45 minutes allowing my body to naturally sense the time pass. In the morning, the clock gradually wakes me up with varying levels of intensity of light. I feel refreshed and ready for the day.
Q. What is your practicing routine?
A. There is no substitute for time in the practice room however, what is equally important to my practicing routine are the mental and physical aspects of preparation for my time with the flute. Meditation, physical activity, journaling, setting goals and objectives- these are the aspects of my practice routine that ensure productivity.
Q. Describe a habit or a ritual you do every day and you "swear by".
A. I start my day reading something that isn’t associated with email, facebook or instagram while enjoying my coffee and smoothie. I love a good memoir. By starting my day reading about another’s life story, my perspective is broadened and I am reminded of my privilege and good fortune.
Q. How do you "get back on the horse" if you get out of your routine?
A. I am a morning person. The 6:30-7:30 AM hour holds so much promise for me. If I have migrated from healthy habits (which happens at least once a month!), I use this “promise” hour to begin again. Each day presents a fresh start again and again… and again.
Q. Do you exercise regularly? If yes, what do you do and how often?
A. Yes. This is a non-negotiable daily routine for me. Exercise isn’t about burning calories. It is a practice of mindfulness and cultivating the connection between my brain and body. If I miss a day of moving my body, I am lethargic. What I realized about daily exercise is that it is about frequency, not duration. I hear responses to encouraged daily exercise that go somewhat like, “I don’t have time to exercise.” Wake up 15 minutes earlier than you intended or cut out 15 minutes of social media and take a walk, pull out your yoga mat, put your helmet on and take a bike ride. Those 15 minutes will make your practicing more efficient, stave off practicing related injuries and relieve day-to-day stressors.
Q. What do you eat before concerts/performances?
A. I try not to eat a big meal prior to performing. Since I play a wind instrument, the food and drink that I consume prior to a performance can negatively or positively affect my saliva and phlegm production, contributing to factors in tone and articulation. Protein bars and bananas are a good standard for me with the addition of lots of water.
Q. Do you have a routine before a recital?
A. In my ideal performance day (because let’s be real, not every performance day allows for such activities) I invest in my warm-up time and mental practice. With the flute still in the case, I will “play” through the entire recital. After my mental practice, I take a long walk or run, nothing too exhausting. I eat a protein-packed late lunch and then take a 60 minute nap in the afternoon. Prior to the concert, I’ll do another mini warm-up and sit in meditation for at least 20 minutes.
Q. What was the most important mantra/lesson/idea you learned in the last couple of years?
A. I recently happened upon this terrific sentiment regarding "important principles of music study" from the inimitable , Claire Chase:
a. To perform is to teach, to teach is to perform;
b. To learn is to be creatively engaged;
c. Nurturing new audiences is a shared responsibility of all those claiming the profession of music;
d. Artistry, engagement, and entrepreneurship are inseparable;
e. The Twentieth Century was the century of specialization; the Twenty-First Century is the century of integration and collaboration
Q. How do you find a balance between your music life and career and your personal life? (How do you keep and maintain balanced life?)
A. I have come to the conclusion that striking a balance between professional and personal life is a goal that isn’t always attainable. This is evident in the natural flow of life. It ebbs and it flows. The tide rolls in and it rolls out. There is no controlling these universal truths. The goal is to find perspective in the droughts as well as in the floods; to enjoy what the season presents.
Q. What helps you focus?
A. Daily meditation practice.
Q. How do your splurge yourself?
A. A massage! Manicure/Pedicure! Movie! Pizza and