It is my great pleasure to interview Grammy-nominated musician and composer Ronn McFarlane here at Inspiration Speaks. Here he is, in his own words, giving us a glimpse into the private world of a musician whose heart pulses with the beauty and depth of centuries past without missing a beat of a new and exciting millennium.

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Mr. McFarlane’s musical roots go deep—from his beginning days as a musician in popular bands to his times well spent as a classical guitarist. He passionately dedicated his talent to the lute in 1978 and never looked back. Today, he is a world-renowned, innovative ambassador for this beautiful instrument. Be sure to check out links to peruse after reading his wonderful interview—enjoy!

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Q: What is your earliest memory of being moved by music or the arts? How old were you and what was your experience?

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A:The memory of my mother singing me to sleep at bedtime is my earliest musical memory. In fact, it may be my earliest memory of anything. My mom sang to me from my earliest babyhood, and the feeling of warmth, safety and love permeates those memories.

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Q: Describe what music is to you on the deepest level—and what the lute itself represents to you in our modern age?

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A:Music is vibration with a feeling, consciousness or intention. So are we, as humans. The lute points toward the inner quiet we can have, even in a clangorous age.

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Q: Through a musician’s lens, how do you walk through life and how does life speak to you as a musician? What sights, sounds, smells, rhythms snag your attention? What do you find abrasive?

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A: Sounds and sights of nature draw my attention and speak to me as a musician: the sounds of oceans, rivers, wind, birds, rain, and even thunder. A number of the original compositions on the Indigo Road CD are inspired by nature. The sounds of leaf blowers, heavy machinery, large trucks and aircraft may be necessary, but their sounds qualify as pollution to my ears.

 

Q: What creative souls (not in music!) have been your inspiration?

 

A: I’ve been inspired by the saints of all religions: St. Francis, Paramahansa Yogananda, St. Teresa, Ramakrishna, Jesus, Krishna. I’ve been inspired by inventors such as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Leonardo da Vinci. Diverse writers and poets such as Shakespeare, Emerson, Tolkien, Gabriel Garcia Marquez & Patti Smith.

 

Q: Looking back, what do you wish you had as a young, aspiring musician that you didn’t receive? On any level? And how does this affect the way you interact with younger, aspiring musicians today?

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A: I didn’t receive much guidance in the phrasing of music and how it parallels the phrasing of speech until I was in my mid-20’s. I really could have used that earlier, and I try to pass that along to students of all levels.

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Q: As an artist, what choices do you make so your connection to the muse remains fresh? Do you see inspiration as something you need to pursue actively, or do you invite an energy outside of yourself to come in, something on the energetic or spiritual level?

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A: I find music to be tremendously fun and challenging, and I generally feel very fresh and engaged whenever I play. Finding fresh energy has rarely been a problem for me. That being said, I find listening to other musicians, reading, meditating, walking and observing nature to be helpful in staying fresh and inspired.

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Q: As a creative being, what nourishes you most and how do you make these things a priority?

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A: The things I just mentioned in answering the last question: listening to other musicians, reading, meditating, talking with others, walking and observing nature. Bouncing on a trampoline tends to help, too.

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Q: As a composer, what is your process like? What prompts a new piece and how long do you work on something before you let others hear it?

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A: The process is different with different pieces. Sometimes I write away from my instrument, on a long plane flight for example. Other times I’ll improvise on the lute, trying out musical patterns and ideas until they begin to cohere into a composition. Many times the inspiration for the music is a view of nature or a striking photo, and I’ll try to translate the nature scene into sound such as in “Cathedral Cave”, “Denali”, “Overland” or “Blue Norther.” Usually, I’ll play a piece on my own for quite a while before I play it in public. There’s a piece called “Traveler” that I wrote more than a year ago, and I still have not played it in a concert.

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Q: How much time do you devote to practice, playing, composing? Do you have favorite rituals that feed your practice?

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A: Whenever my schedule allows, I spend most of the day practicing, playing and composing. Other than washing my hands and making sure they’re warm before practicing, I don’t have any particular rituals. Living a happy, healthy, balanced life feeds my practice best of all.

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Q: When the lute is not in your hand, who is Ronn McFarlane and what brings you bliss?

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A: I’m a soul living in a body, just like everyone else. And what brings me bliss? Meditation. Also beauty in nature, the inspired music of others (I’m especially enjoying listening to music of Chris Thile and the Punch Brothers right now), good books, visual art, vigorous hikes in the woods and loving human relationships.

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Q: Do you ever wish you could step back into time when the lute was commonplace and be a musician in those times or do you prefer this day and age?

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A: I’d love to be a Renaissance fly on the wall: to step into a time machine and see, hear and smell what life and music were like 400 years ago. But I prefer to live now. Also, it would be fascinating to see the distant future, thousands of years from now. Will the world be better and kinder? (I think it will) How will the music sound? Will they still enjoy Bach? Definitely!

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Websites:
Ronn McFarlane

Ayreheart

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YouTube performance highlights:
Indigo Road 
Cathedral Cave