The creative side of our brains allow us to discover and explore possibilities that our analytical sides may not always be able to rationalize. Through this creativity, we are unlocking paths that are not explored through traditional means, and provides us with a clarity and direction that we can replicate in ways that make us explore new paths to freedom. The owner of Blossom Piano Studio & author of two anthologies, Catherine Sipher, shares her journey from difficult pain points in her life and "rebecoming" herself through the music that she teaches with her students all across the world. Through this exploration, learn how she has been able to invest not only of students of all ages, but how this has given her the value that we all seek in life. Regardless of what you may feel about your self-worth, today's story exemplifies the pursuit of giving yourself opportunities to discover them through the creative juices that we have flowing inside of ourselves, and permission to explore them at the same time.

Guest Bio

Catherine Sipher wears two creative hats: a writer, poet, and the founder of Blossom Piano Studio, a platform for remote piano instruction. Through her poetry collection, "Barely a Whisper: Poetry from the Heart of A Woman Re-becoming," Catherine empowers women on their journeys of self-discovery and transformation. Her poems give voice to their struggles, celebrate their strength, and ignite their belief in their worth. As a piano teacher with over 20 years of experience, Catherine's mission is to help adult musicians of all ages and abilities find joy and fulfillment in their musical practice through her remote private lessons and practice journal “Notes to Self: A Guided Mindful Practice Journal.” Outside of her creative pursuits, Catherine can be found in nature, practicing yoga, and spending time with her 6 children.

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Intro/Outro By: Michael Dugan, Podcast Host: Voice4Chefs

Welcome to the podcast where relationships, confidence, and

2

determination all converge into

an amazing, heartfelt experience.

3

This is Speaking From The Heart.

4

Joshua: Welcome back to episode

number 168 of Speaking from the Heart.

5

Today we have Catherine Sipher with us,

and Catherine wears two creative hats:

6

a writer and a poet, in which she has

founded the Blossom Piano Studio, which is

7

a platform for remote piano instruction.

8

Through her poetry collection, Barely

a Whisper: Poetry from the Heart

9

of a Woman Rebecoming, Catherine

empowers women on their journeys of

10

self discovery and transformation.

11

Her poems give voice to their

struggles, celebrate their strength,

12

and ignite their belief in their worth.

13

As a piano teacher with over 20 years of

experience, Catherine's mission is to help

14

adult musicians of all ages and abilities

find joy and fulfillment in their musical

15

practice through her remote private

lessons, and practice journal, Notes To

16

Self: A Guided Mindful Practice Journal.

17

Outside of her creative pursuits,

Catherine can be found in nature,

18

practicing yoga, and spending

time with her six children.

19

This busy lady certainly had a lot to

share, not just through the power of

20

music, but how her perspective today

really gives us an enthusiasm that

21

has all kinds of different qualities.

22

I love when I see people like this on

the show because not only do they bring

23

an interpersonal connection to it, but

she shares something that, oftentimes,

24

that we forget: "Come as you are.

25

You are enough."

26

That phrase, especially when I heard

it later on in our interview, really

27

perked my curiosity not only about what

she brings to the table for so many

28

individuals both young, middle aged,

and older, especially when it comes to

29

her piano instruction, but also how she

pays attention to so many other types

30

of things that are happening around

her, creating that connection, but

31

more importantly, finding that passion

through what she loves: her music.

32

You can find your own passion in so

many different ways, and I hope that

33

Catherine's story today, especially

with the reason why she started this,

34

really helps you to understand that it

isn't just about the traditional ways

35

in which we can express ourselves,

but it's the creative ways, just like

36

music and poetry, that can help us

become the best versions of ourselves.

37

But with that, let's go to the episode.

38

All right.

39

We're here with Catherine Sipher.

40

Catherine, thanks for sharing

your heart with us today.

41

Catherine: I am so

honored to be here today.

42

Joshua: I love that you're here.

43

You have broken another record here

on Speaking From the Heart already

44

by your background, which I've

already shared with the audience.

45

I love the fact that you deal with music.

46

You deal with piano specifically, and I've

had music teachers on the show before,

47

but nothing quite like you do, so I

actually just want to jump right into it.

48

What got you interested into

the creative arts, because I

49

noticed that you like to write.

50

You have a poetry book out there.

51

You have all kinds of things that you do

on YouTube with piano lessons that I was

52

watching before we even started this.

53

I am so enthused by how much talent

you have, so I am just wondering

54

what got you started in all of that?

55

Catherine: I got started with piano

when I was about eight years old.

56

We were, as a family, hanging out

with another family, and I was eight.

57

I think I was hanging out with a little

girl who was about six years old,

58

and she was playing twinkle, twinkle,

little star on the piano, and at that

59

point, even at age eight, must had

really low self confidence, because

60

I remember thinking or even saying,

"There's no way I could ever do that.

61

That's like amazing what you're

doing.", and she's like, "Oh,

62

you could totally do that.

63

Let me teach you.", and she showed

me, and then her mom happened to be

64

a piano teacher, so her mom turned

into my first piano teacher, and

65

sadly, that family moved out of town

at the end of that year, and I moved

66

up to another piano teacher, but that

kind of was the beginning of the end.

67

I very quickly fell in love with the

piano; excelled pretty quickly at it, and

68

by the time I made it to high school, I

had added a couple of more instruments,

69

and knew that I wanted to be a piano

teacher when I grew up, and even started

70

teaching piano when I was in high school.

71

Went to college for music, and that's

kind of the end; went on to teach

72

piano, and that's how I got into it.

73

Joshua: Why specifically the piano?

74

I mean, there's so many different musical

instruments to choose from, so I'm just

75

curious, even outside of what you have

shared that it was an influence from a

76

friend that's mom really created that.

77

What drew you into the piano?

78

Catherine: I'm not really sure.

79

That's a great question.

80

I've never been asked

that question before.

81

We had a piano at home, and I think

my mom knew how to play a little bit.

82

There has definitely been some

history of music and my family.

83

My mom played clarinet, and I

guess a little bit of piano.

84

My grandmother played clarinet, and piano,

apparently pretty good based on some

85

of her old sheet music, so I think that

music is just kind of always been there.

86

My parents always played a lot of

classical music in the home when I was

87

growing up as well, so that's definitely

my genre is more of the classical music

88

set, but I think it was accessibility.

89

It was there, because then when I went

on to add a band instrument, of course,

90

I added the clarinet, because that was

kind of the family lineage; also added

91

sousaphone in there for marching band

for good measure to get a little brass in

92

there, and I went to school for both piano

and clarinet and studied both of them in

93

college, and now I only play piano, and

there was a time in there where I kind

94

of dropped the piano for a little bit,

thinking that I needed to focus more on

95

the clarinet, and then the tides reversed,

and I came back to my first love, and

96

what I love about the piano, specifically,

is that it can be such a solo endeavor.

97

You can really do it for a lifetime.

98

You don't need an ensemble to feel like

you're getting a full musical experience.

99

It can be you with your instrument,

which means I've got a long time.

100

I can still enjoy my instrument.

101

Joshua: I love that, because

that gives you a lot of variety.

102

It gives you a lot of diversity when

it comes to the different rhythms and

103

sounds, and it's interesting, because as

I hear this, I almost hear myself when

104

I coach my public speaking clients about

using your vocal variety, using your

105

range, so I never thought in a million

years that I'd be talking to someone

106

that kind of ties all that together too.

107

I have to ask, and I'm sure

you get asked this a lot.

108

Who's your favorite composer, or musician,

that you usually play music from?

109

Do you have an artist that

you usually lean towards?

110

You said that you do a lot of classical.

111

Is there some type of old genre,

or somebody that you really admire

112

playing, and if so, who is that and why?

113

Catherine: I would say my

favorite is probably Debussy.

114

He's from the oppressionist time period.

115

I just feel like the soundscapes that

he makes; he paints these beautiful

116

pictures with sounds, and I just really

get into the slight dissonance, and

117

the tonal qualities of Debussy's music.

118

Chopin's music I think is amazing,

and I'm really drawn to a lot of his

119

really somber, sad pieces of music,

which is actually a big part of my

120

story is returning to consistent

playing at the piano through Chopin

121

because it was balm to my soul,

and a really hard time in my life.

122

Joshua: I find it interesting, especially

with the music genre, and the music

123

industry as a whole, either you see it

where people really want to break into it.

124

I know I have musician friends that

have been playing for a number of years.

125

They have a band and they trying to get

into it, but the other dynamic that I keep

126

seeing that I really get worried about

is kids having an opportunity to learn

127

music, and I know growing up myself, which

I'm not all that old, and my listeners

128

know that I'm only in my later thirties,

Catherine, so it isn't like I'm looking

129

at 60, 70 years old, like a long time ago.

130

No, it's not like that, but I

often see the struggles with school

131

districts, and even other people

trying to fund music programs and such.

132

How do you feel that you fit into that

broader landscape, because I feel like

133

you provide an important service to

people that do want to learn how to

134

play a music instrument, or the piano

specifically, so I'm wondering how

135

you kind of help bridging some of that

gap, if you don't mind explaining.

136

Catherine: Yeah.

137

I definitely think there's a bit of

a cultural arts crisis in the world.

138

I think kids, and my own kids, are

on screens too much, and they're not

139

as active in the creative pursuits.

140

In general, of course, there's plenty

of exceptions to that rule, and there

141

is lower funding in the schools, or

you've got music teachers that are

142

doing the very best that they can, and

they're fantastic people and teachers,

143

but they're stretched, because they're

being asked to do so many things.

144

I'm really thankful that I was able to

grow up in some stellar, I think, music

145

programs, with consistent teachers and

directors, but my piano teacher was the

146

biggest role model for me in my musical

career, because I studied with her from

147

fourth grade up through a senior in

high school, and then I had my college

148

professors, but when you think about

the length of time, my formative years

149

were spent with this one teacher all

those years, and that makes a really big

150

impact, and these are people that you

get to know on a personal level, and I

151

mean, she knew me when I was nine, and

then when I was a senior, like, that's

152

a big difference, and so as a teacher, I

love getting to watch my students grow as

153

people and expand, and blossom, the name

of my piano studio is Blossom Piano Studio

154

for that reason, because there's so much

interpersonal growth that happens for

155

music students, both of youth and adults.

156

I teach adults too, and you really see

that the art of music, the study of music,

157

the obstacles we have to overcome while

we're studying it, there's so much inner

158

work that is happening in the process

of learning how to play an instrument,

159

or play in ensembles when you have those

ensemble opportunities too, but as a

160

private piano teacher, and I teach all

remote lessons too, which is really great.

161

I can reach students from wherever.

162

They don't have to be local.

163

I really get to be a part of their

lives, and help shape their experiences

164

of music, so one of the things we

do beyond what they just study, but

165

for what they're playing, we learn a

different composer every month, so they

166

get to learn about the history of that

composer, and get exposed to the music

167

that they wrote, and experiment with

playing songs that that composer wrote

168

too, so, I feel like I've got a really

important role in helping expand the arts,

169

and helping students access the arts.

170

Whether they become a performer or not,

they're developing a deeper understanding

171

of music and the arts so they can

appreciate it better, so we have people

172

that still want to go to the concerts.

173

I think it's really important.

174

Joshua: I'm sure my listeners have been

wondering all along because obviously I

175

shared with them that you have six kids.

176

How do you balance six kids, and having

a full clientele with them practicing all

177

kinds of different composers every month?

178

How do you do it?

179

I'm sure that there's some

people that want to learn the

180

secrets of how you balance that.

181

Catherine: Well, I think I have been given

a very unique drive in life and energy.

182

I honestly don't sleep a lot, and

I work very hard, and some of that

183

could be a little bit of a trauma

response there, so I identify that.

184

I'm also learning how to be, and not

always do, but yeah, it's a balance.

185

I am really thankful that I do

actually teach remote lessons,

186

because I'm a single mom.

187

I got divorced about four and a half,

five years ago, and so now, I'm balancing

188

raising these six kids, and running

my business, and by teaching remotely,

189

it's actually worked really well.

190

I've trained the kids to just stay out

of my office, do what they need to do

191

during the hours, because I'm in business

for myself, and I'm in my own house.

192

I don't have people coming

in and out of my house.

193

I'm not at a studio someplace else,

hiring childcare, and I can also make

194

my own hours, so there's plenty of music

teachers that are teaching on Saturday

195

and Sunday, and well into the evenings,

and that is wonderful and fabulous, and

196

we need them to do that, because sometimes

that's when some people only have the

197

availability to go take those lessons,

but I really monitor when I am working

198

so that I can be with my children as much

as possible, so I try to teach during

199

the day when my kids are at school to

maximize my time that I have with them,

200

and then I stay up late and I work.

201

There's no mystery here.

202

Joshua: But you're doing something

that, I think for many of us, we often

203

feel like we're stuck in a nine to

five job and we have no place to go.

204

I feel that sometimes even after all

this time, even having my own business,

205

I still work a full time job and

building that consistency, building

206

that direction of where I want to go,

it does take a lot of sacrifice, but

207

I love that you've taken a passion.

208

You turn it into something that you

can teach others, while balancing the

209

demands of being what a single mom is, so

kudos to you being a successful business

210

entrepreneur and managing all of that.

211

I think that is a unique balance,

to say the least, which leads me

212

into wanting to talk more about your

business, so you've already mentioned

213

the name of your business is Blossom

Piano Studio, and you said that you do

214

these remotely, so I'm kind of curious

with your background, you've been doing

215

this for over two decades from what

it says on your website, which for my

216

listeners, I'll put in the episode notes.

217

Can you tell us what could we

experience being a client that we

218

could get over Zoom, or over any sort

of platform that might be different

219

than, say, going to meet somebody in

person and have those piano lessons?

220

I mean, I'm sure that some people are

skeptical when they hear that, thinking,

221

"How do I know where to put my fingers

on the keys, especially with pianos?"

222

I mean, personally, myself,

I never played the piano.

223

My grandmother had an organ when she

was in her house when I went to visit,

224

but never learned how to play it.

225

She also had a piano too, so it was

all kinds of different musical talents,

226

but I sit back and I think, "Man.

227

I wonder how you do that.", so I

wonder if you could break that down

228

for us, how that would actually work.

229

Catherine: Yeah, sure.

230

Honestly, I didn't know if it would

work either, but I was walking through

231

a divorce at the height of COVID, and

so I knew that I needed to somehow

232

support my family, so I went from

being a stay at home, homeschooling

233

mom, to being a single mom that needed

to somehow bring in an income, and

234

at the time my youngest was one, so

I was like, "What am I going to do?

235

Childcare is so expensive.

236

The whole world has shut down.", right,

so, it's been this grand experiment

237

that now has been really successful,

and is a very valid way to teach

238

for the past four and a half years.

239

The way that I do it, we use Zoom as

the platform, but my students and I

240

both put two videos on our screen, so

we have that face to face connection

241

with a video on our faces, and then

we both have a video screen pointed

242

at our instruments, our piano, so that

way, I can see what they're doing.

243

I can demonstrate things for them as well.

244

I can move camera angles to

different places, but I think,

245

again, that I don't want to teach

just the bellies and to hands.

246

I think facial expression is so

important, and be able to read my

247

student's body language to see how

they're feeling, how they're doing.

248

Are they holding tension in their hands?

249

Are they using their wrists right?

250

Are they sitting too close, too

far away, all those kinds of

251

things so I can see all of that.

252

I've been in this world for long enough

to be able to access that, even through

253

Zoom, and then I've got a couple other

great tools and resources, like an app

254

that I use, to pass lesson notes back to

the students, and the parents can access

255

them too, and I can also upload videos

and other things so if it turns out that

256

I can tell that my student needs an extra

video training or tutorial, I can create

257

a quick little video for them, pop it

into that app, and they've got access to

258

it 24/7, instead of just when they come

to their next lesson, which I don't know

259

that I ever would have moved to that kind

of technology for note taking if I hadn't

260

been forced onto the online platforms.

261

Joshua: It sounds like to me you meet the

student with where they're at, whether

262

that is using an app, using different

camera angles, you're really trying to

263

create this immersive experience, if

I'm understanding what you're saying.

264

Catherine: Absolutely.

265

I believe that every person is unique

and different, and so their learning

266

style is slightly different, and

I adjust and adapt based on what

267

student I am working with at the time,

so some kids need that big hurrah.

268

"You're doing awesome!

269

I'm so proud of you!", and I've got

like the jazz hands up, and I'm like

270

doing a little dance, and some of

them are more reserved, so like we

271

don't go quite that far, and every

student is working on different things.

272

They have different pieces of

music that they want to learn.

273

Of course, I'm still teaching from a

very classical perspective in general,

274

but we're still also learning how to

play chord charts, and especially with

275

my adults, it's a wide variety of what

we're learning there, because the adults,

276

they kind of leave a little bit more

that way, and I'm more of a coach to my

277

adult clients, but yeah, I really pride

myself on being their cheerleader, and

278

their guide, and their encourager, and

building that relationship, you know, so

279

I know, I've brought to tears many times

in lessons when I'm like, "Oh my goodness!

280

What you just did was huge for you, and

I am celebrating that, because I know

281

what it took for you to do that.", and

I think that's really important, that

282

personal connection is so important.

283

Joshua: You touched on it with

that answer and I have to ask.

284

I love that you teach from

a variety of different ages.

285

I noticed on your website, you mentioned

that you've taught someone that's 76

286

years of age with the piano, and I'm

wondering, if you don't mind sharing a

287

little bit about that experience with

this person, how that helps them to gain

288

some confidence in learning the piano.

289

I wonder if you could talk about that.

290

Catherine: Yeah, this was a really

special gentleman, and I actually broke my

291

virtual rule and I taught him in person.

292

Joshua: So there is hope ladies and

gentlemen, that maybe if you're close to

293

Catherine, that she will break the rule.

294

Catherine: There is hope.

295

He was this sweet man that had just

moved to the town, and yeah, he was

296

76 years old, and I love his story.

297

He started piano at age

65, and I just love that.

298

He was not like, "I've been

playing this all my life."

299

He started at age 65, had taken lessons

from several professors that, you

300

know, pretty well known universities

and found me when he moved into town,

301

and he's like, "Oh, well, I really

want to learn this Brahms intermezzo.

302

that's what I want to learn."

303

I was like, "Oh.

304

Yes.

305

Let's do that.", I made an exception,

and he did take lessons in my

306

home while my kids were in school,

and he was absolutely delightful.

307

Sadly, he's battling brain cancer,

and so the medicine that he's on has

308

impacted his ability to concentrate as

much as he would like to be able to sit

309

at the piano as long as he wants to,

but I really treasured this gentleman.

310

I really loved my time with him,

because he would sit there and just

311

really diligently work his way through

this piece of music that was really

312

challenging, and maybe a little bit

out of his reach, but you know, I'm

313

going to sit there and encourage you.

314

We're going to get this.

315

We're going to figure this out, but he

would play a chord and then just stop

316

and listen to it and say, "Now wasn't

that beautiful?", and I would say, "Yes.

317

It was.", so we would just delight in

the beauty of these chords, and the

318

chord progressions, that Brahms had

put together, and I was introduced

319

to an absolutely beautiful piece of

music I hadn't necessarily worked

320

on before and just had a beautiful

experience with this gentleman.

321

Joshua: I love to hear stories of that

nature because we all bring different

322

types of perspectives to the table,

regardless of how old we are, and

323

I've been blessed enough, even with my

business, to see a variety of different

324

people, not quite as old as that, but

even then, I always feel like we're

325

part of the success story for them

when they see that "aha" moment; that

326

light bulb that turns on for somebody,

so I love hearing that, and I love

327

that you're celebrating that as well.

328

I want to pivot just a little bit,

because you do a lot of the piano, and

329

obviously that's a big part of your

business, but there's a different side

330

of you, which is the writing aspect,

so I want to talk a little bit about

331

that, and one of the things that I

shared, which you also shared with me,

332

is that you have a poetry collection.

333

It's called Barely A Whisper: Poetry

From The Heart of A Woman Rebecoming.

334

I never heard of the phrase "rebecoming"

until I read that, and I was like,

335

"Is that grammatically correct?"

336

was my first initiation, because being

a public speaker, I've got to make

337

sure that I say things correctly,

which sometimes I don't, even on this

338

show, but, even with that said, I

found that you wrote this for a reason.

339

I'm wondering if you could share a

little bit of why you express yourself

340

in writing, and why particularly

this set of poetry that you've done.

341

Catherine: Absolutely.

342

Yeah, and I don't know.

343

I don't know that rebecoming is

a word either, but I'm using it.

344

Joshua: Hey.

345

Hey.

346

If you're using it, then that means

I have credence to use it too,

347

so thank you for that permission.

348

Catherine: Exactly.

349

I've got a couple in there

that are maybe real words, but

350

we're going to go with them.

351

Yeah, so it's taken me a while even

just to accept that I'm a writer and

352

a poet, but I was walking through

a divorce, and also deconstructing

353

from my faith, all at once, at the

same time that the whole world shut

354

down, and we had a global pandemic.

355

The world went really, really quiet,

really fast for me and really, really

356

dark, and trying to make sense of

it all I started, I think it's Julia

357

Cameron's suggestion from the book

Of The Artist Way, and one of the

358

things that she suggests in there

is to have a ritual of morning pages

359

where you just sit down, stream of

consciousness, write three pages.

360

It doesn't matter what you're writing.

361

Just write.

362

Like, I don't even know what I'm writing.

363

Why am I writing?

364

What's going on, and you just write

and you get it out, and I vomited on

365

that page like my life depended on it.

366

Any moment that I put more than three

pages in when I first started this

367

habit, I was doing it while kids were

taking baths, while I was cooking,

368

like wherever I was writing, and it

was the first time in my life, or at

369

least 20 plus years, that I had really

even begun to hear my own voice, and I

370

couldn't even hear my thoughts unless

I wrote them down on a journal at that

371

point and so it was while I was writing

in that journal that every now and

372

then just a couple of lines of poetry

would pop out, or I'd write something.

373

I think, "Oh my goodness!

374

I think that's poetry.", so I kind of

like stuck that in the back of my mind,

375

and kept writing, and kept writing,

and kept writing, and as I was on my

376

healing process and journey through

all of that, I started looking for

377

various writing prompts, you know,

just to kind of like help me get out

378

of the despair of what I was writing.

379

Let's see if we can like turn the tide

a little bit; find something else,

380

and then it seems like everything

that was coming out was coming

381

out in poetry, instead of prose.

382

I've been told before that my writing

is powerful and good, but it had only

383

ever really been written when I was

giving medical updates on some of my kids

384

have been through some medical crisis,

so I used to write updates and emails

385

to people, and people would say, "Oh!

386

Your writing so beautiful.", and

I'm like, I didn't do so good with

387

writing in English back in high

school, so I don't know what you're

388

talking about.", but I just kept

writing, and then as I was again,

389

re-envisioning my life, and deciding,

"What do I want to do with my life?

390

I'm at this crossroads what I want to

do.", and one of the things that I wanted

391

to do was start using my writing for good,

to empower other women, to help women

392

tell their stories to help people access

that vulnerable, authentic self part of

393

themselves so they could find their own

voice so they could take agency over their

394

lives, and one of the things I thought I

needed to do was write my own memoir and

395

at least start attempting to, so I hired

a writing coach, and started writing a

396

bit of my memoir, and again, with all

those writing prompts, poetry kept coming

397

out, so I told my writing coach, "Okay!

398

I think I've got like, I don't

know, 40, 50, 60, of these

399

poems.", and she's like, "Well.

400

Throw them in a document.

401

Let's see what you got.", so

I gathered them all together.

402

I threw them in a document, and then

organized them based on, chronologically,

403

as to how I wrote them, but just how

much strength I could see in myself at

404

that state in that poem, so they were

very, like very, not the poems aren't

405

weak, but like my voice was very quiet.

406

It was barely a whisper, and then

learning how to find that strength,

407

and to believe in myself, and to

come be the hero of my own story and

408

rescue myself, and so there's a line

in there that talks about, "Well.

409

What if now she's a roar?", you know,

the voice is really loud now, so that's

410

the story, and that might've been a long

winded way of saying that, but it was

411

part of my own journey, and it kind of

accidentally happened, and it's taken

412

a while for me to then say, "Oh wait.

413

Yeah.

414

This is poetry, and this is worthy

to be shared.", and hopefully, people

415

that read it will resonate with, it and

identify with it, as they are in various

416

stages of their own healing process.

417

Joshua: The way you described that just

now made me think about what you said

418

earlier about why you do music, and I

find the parallels to be fascinating,

419

so I really want to ask you this.

420

Hearing what you said about writing,

hearing what you do with music, do you

421

find it that those are your creative

outlets of expression to be able to

422

share what you've been through in this

world, and if so, if you believe that's

423

true, what do you think the message is

that you're trying to share to, say,

424

women, since a lot of what you've been

through, I would say is directed to that,

425

and even you say in the title of your

poetry, it is directed towards women.

426

What do you think you're trying

to help accomplish or bring

427

awareness to as a result of that?

428

Catherine: I think right now

my message is come as you are.

429

You're enough.

430

There were many years I didn't think

that I was enough in the musical space,

431

and I even called myself a former

musician for over a decade, because

432

I didn't get my master's, because I

didn't win the orchestra job, because

433

for a while I wasn't teaching, because-

whatever, fill in the blank, like I

434

wasn't doing things, and so I thought

that that meant that I wasn't a musician.

435

I couldn't claim that title

for myself, because I wasn't

436

actively being a musician.

437

I wasn't doing those things, and one of

the things that has been a part of my

438

journey has been coming back to piano.

439

It was when I was at my rock bottom.

440

Why did I find myself at the piano playing

the saddest song I could possibly find?

441

Well, because I'm a musician.

442

That's part of the word

they're rebecoming, you know.

443

I was coming back to who I was,

but in a different version.

444

I'm playing, not that I should be

in Carnegie Hall performing, but

445

I am playing better than I have

ever played before, because there's

446

something more settled about me now.

447

There's something more confident about

me now that knows that I get to do this

448

for joy, not because I have to do it a

certain way to make it wrong or right,

449

and I think that ties with writing too.

450

I mean, who am I to

publish a book of poetry?

451

Well, why can't I, like, who am I not?

452

I think we all have something valid to

say, and as a teacher, why can't they

453

study, like, they need to study every form

of musical expression is valid and worthy

454

of being celebrated and seen and shared.

455

I don't think we have to reach some

certain level of some arbitrary

456

standard in order for us to be able

to share our art with others, because

457

our art is coming out of our soul, and

if it's coming out of us, and out of

458

our soul, and we are worthy beings.

459

We are worthy of just existing, and

being loved and cared for, because

460

we exist, then doesn't the art

that comes out of our soul equally

461

worthy of being seen and celebrated?

462

Joshua: I've had so many

different types of coaches.

463

I've had people that have

energy readings that they do.

464

I've had people that have been

successful business owners.

465

The way you just said that just

resonates with me, and I'm just going

466

to read back to you what I wrote

with you with what you just said.

467

There is no standard.

468

There's no high level that

we have to prove to anybody.

469

We could just exist,

and I love hearing that.

470

It's expression that we don't

have to be given a right to.

471

It's already been given to us to give, so

with that said, how do you think you bring

472

that out of people that you work with?

473

Do you do that, and if

so, how do you do that?

474

Catherine: Yeah.

475

I think it's in the little ways, you

know, when my students playing for me,

476

and their hands are visibly shaking.

477

Hey, like we're on a screen, you know.

478

I can't like jump through the screen

and swat your hand with a ruler

479

maybe like the nuns used to do.

480

You're safe, like you're so safe, right,

but there's this thing that we get inside

481

of ourselves that we feel like we have to

do it right because somebody's going to

482

tell us we're wrong, and yes, as a music

teacher, I'm there to tell you, "You did

483

it wrong.", but like, I'm also there to

tell you, "We're going to do it right.

484

We're going to figure this

out, and you did awesome.

485

You tried it.

486

Yeah.

487

You missed that rest, but we're going to

get it this next time.", I can't tell you

488

how many times students apologize to me.

489

"Oh, I'm sorry.

490

I'm sorry.

491

I'm sorry."

492

or, "I did this better

before you were here."

493

" No!

494

You deserve to exist in this space

however you happen to show up right now,

495

and you don't need to be scared, and

you don't need to be nervous, because

496

whoever you are and however you're

playing right now is enough, and yes.

497

We're going to talk about it.

498

We're going to correct your mistakes.

499

We're going to continue to

learn and make progress."

500

but it's not about I don't know, this

ideal of like, it has to be perfect, and

501

yes, in classical world, we're trying

to make it perfect, but do we really?

502

We're here for joy.

503

We're here for self care.

504

We're here to enjoy the arts, and yes,

we can enjoy the arts while pursuing

505

perfection in that, and excellence

in that, but nothing's ever perfect,

506

so why are we pursuing perfection?

507

Let's pursue excellence, and excellence

can be wherever we are now, not some

508

standard that's maybe five years from

now from what we'll be able to reach.

509

Joshua: I love everything

that you said with that.

510

I'm struggling to even ask a question

from that, because I just align with that

511

even myself, and mainly, the purpose of

even having this discussion is to share

512

those perspectives to know that there

is hope in even the things that we do.

513

I guess my final question before I give

you an opportunity to pitch yourself,

514

Catherine, is you shared so much about

your experiences, what you've been

515

through, what you've created, what you've

endured to get to this point, which,

516

needless to say, even six kids would

make me feel exhausted, and I have zero

517

kids, by the way, for the record, but

you said something that you even say

518

on your website that touches upon this.

519

You've had to rethink, reimagine, and

bring creativity to what was, even four

520

years ago, a very challenging time,

so for my listeners, what's one piece

521

of advice that they could do today to

help rethink, reimagine, and bring that

522

creativity, whether that's through music

or through writing, or maybe something

523

else that's moving you today that maybe

you want to share with our listeners?

524

Catherine: For me, and not everybody

is one of these people, but for

525

me, journaling has been key.

526

It's been learning to tap into my inner

voice, because for so many years, my inner

527

voice was told to me that it was wrong,

that it could not be listened to, that it

528

could not be trusted, and that anything

of me was really not good, and then I

529

needed to fill myself with everything

else other than me, which meant that

530

I lost who I was along the way, and so

for me, this whole journey, this whole

531

rebecoming journey, building a business in

a global pandemic with six small children,

532

learning to write, and be a writer, and

publish, and create this life that now,

533

yes, days are still hard, but there have

been moments where I'm like, "Oh my gosh!

534

What's that in my chest?

535

Oh, I think that's joy."

536

I haven't felt that in I don't

know how many years, right?

537

"Oh, that's what it feels like."

538

I wouldn't be where I am today if it

wasn't because I had figured out how to

539

tap into my intuition, and trust that

she knows what is best for me, and so I

540

can't trust her if I can't even hear her

voice, and for me, learning to hear my

541

voice started with journaling, and that

has really led me every step of the way.

542

It informs my business.

543

It informs my writing.

544

It forms my poetry.

545

It informs the way that I parent.

546

It informs everything about me.

547

Joshua: Trusting the process.

548

Hmm.

549

I love that.

550

I think that it's just so simple enough,

but it has many layers to it, of course,

551

also, but I think that, for all of

us, we have to figure out how to write

552

that out, or even express ourselves,

in whatever way we feel comfortable,

553

so I love that journaling is important.

554

It's something that I continuously

am working on myself to be able to

555

better express too, and I know that

it just takes discipline, which

556

obviously, you have perfected.

557

You're doing that with your

music, and with that, I'm going

558

to ask you, Catherine, since

we're at the end of our time.

559

Give us a few minutes here of how

we can get in contact with you, how

560

we can find out a little bit about

maybe taking virtual piano lessons.

561

I never thought I would be saying this

on this show that, "Hey everybody!

562

You want to listen, and maybe,

perhaps, learn some piano?

563

This is the time to do it."

564

I've been always amazed by how

these things come together, but

565

anyway, how people can reach

out to you in that regard.

566

Maybe they want to contact you in general.

567

I'm going to give you the last few

minutes, Catherine, to pitch yourself.

568

Go ahead.

569

Catherine: Awesome.

570

Thank you.

571

Yeah, so if you're interested in

anything, piano music related, you

572

can find me at blossompianostudio.com.

573

I've actually just recently published

a journal that is called Notes To Self:

574

A Guided Mindful Practice Journal,

that's designed specifically for adults

575

to find mindful, intentional practice

sessions that are full of celebration

576

to help you kind of get over that hurdle

of feeling frustrated or discouraged

577

that you might feel while you're in

a practice session, so I've put a lot

578

of intentional thought and effort into

creating a very positive practice journal

579

for adults, so you can find all that,

and virtual lessons, and all my other

580

offerings there, and then if you're

looking for my poetry, you can find all

581

that information at catherinesipher.com.

582

Joshua: I will put all that in the episode

notes, but to wrap up, Catherine, I have

583

to say everything that you shared with me.

584

Wow.

585

You have a ton of energy, and

I don't know how you do it.

586

Maybe it's coffee.

587

Maybe it's good genes.

588

I don't know, but here's the secret

that I think you have is that you're so

589

passionate about what you're doing to

help create that atmosphere, not just

590

for yourself, but the people that you're

working with, regardless of how old

591

there are, and I love the fact that you

balance all of that, despite everything

592

that you shared that you've been through,

and you still have that giving heart

593

and you're willing to compose that in

a variety of ways, and deliver that,

594

because watching your YouTube videos,

which I watched some of your shorts and

595

all that you have amazing talent, and I

encourage my listeners to go check out

596

your YouTube, which I'll also have, that

has so many different things to offer

597

for not only those that are beginning,

but also inspiring, so for inspiring

598

others and to become their authentic

selves, Catherine, thank you so much for

599

being on Speaking From The Heart today.

600

I really enjoyed our conversation,

and I definitely encourage you to

601

continue practicing your talent.

602

It is amazing to hear your music.

603

Catherine: Thank you so much.

604

It's been such a joy to be with you today.

605

Joshua: I want to thank Catherine again

so much for being part of the show,

606

sharing her creativity, the opportunity

in which she has developed herself

607

into this overall powerhouse for women,

giving examples of ways of which she

608

has been able to be so creative, not

just through her music, but through

609

the many talents that she shares to

others, not only on her journey, but

610

also growing as an individual, being

able to help others see their own

611

light, whether that is through piano

playing or the poetry that she writes.

612

I think that this is an important

lesson for us that anything is

613

possible, especially when we look

at the creativity side of our brain.

614

The influences of different types of tonal

qualities, the music that we play, really

615

instills a different euphoric action that

we are aroused to do, especially when It

616

comes to the different types of things

that we listen to, that we enjoy doing,

617

the enthusiasm of the highs that we reach

when we play a guitar, or even having that

618

instrument of our choice to even the lows.

619

I think these are the things that

are oftentimes looked beyond, not

620

even considered, when we look at all

the different various opportunities

621

that we have to express ourselves.

622

I think seeing this music, and having

it being played, is why we see so many

623

different people of all ages resonate with

concerts, having that bond and connection

624

over a variety of different types of

music, whether that is alternative,

625

whether that is screaming bands, which

I know a few artists doing as of late,

626

and even playing across the world.

627

Looking at the success of even artists

like Taylor Swift makes me understand

628

a lot more as to why these types of

influencers, these people that like to

629

play music, really are able to express

themselves, but aren't we all musical

630

players, if you really think about it?

631

The instruments that we play might

not be of the traditional sense when

632

you think of music, but seeing all

these different composers, having all

633

these different types of tools at our

disposal, really gives us a light into

634

the darkness that sometimes people go

through, especially when we see that

635

they are playing at a different venue,

a different genre of music, or even

636

just saying some things that might

be helpful from a vocal capacity that

637

allows us to see inside their soul.

638

Now, if you really want to talk about

how remote instruction might not work,

639

this might not be the episode to do that,

because Catherine is doing really well.

640

You can see that from all the different

experiences that she's been able to gauge,

641

not only from the people that she has

had as clients, but the indirect impacts,

642

which, if you always think about what

we've talked about in this show, it's

643

always been about the individuals that are

able to make that impact that goes beyond

644

their own comfort zone, which means if you

build that consistency, if you build that

645

direction within your own life, imagine

what the consistency and direction it will

646

be as it resonates across the world, just

like music does for many different people.

647

Never say never then to all these

abilities that we can have by teaching.

648

Teaching, at its fundamental core, is

something that will allow us to keep on

649

celebrating our skills, passing it on

from one generation to the next, and being

650

able to connect with others, celebrate

their successes, no matter how old you

651

are, or how young you can be, in order

to start picking up your own instrument

652

and start playing along the way.

653

I think that when we deconstruct music,

and we look at the ways in which they

654

have different frequencies, tones, and

abilities, when you look at music and

655

even public speaking, you can see the

interconnectivity and how much they're

656

not as different as you might think.

657

When we look at all the areas in our

lives that we have to speak up for

658

ourselves, the energy in which we even

communicate on has a frequency that

659

dictates how it will resonate with others.

660

That's why, for hundreds of years, even

thousands of years if you go back that far

661

in history, you can see that some of the

basic, most simplistic instruments have

662

been able to make a self expression in

so many different ways, just like how the

663

first written language, which was really

a bunch of pictures, has allowed us to

664

see so many different things about our own

lives as we have evolved as a human race.

665

The discovery of being able to

find that new music, being able

666

to share that with others, is

something that is really courageous.

667

We're able to share that strength, just

like Catherine has in today's story.

668

Really, it shares not just what she's

been able to accomplish, but also all

669

the things that, even as you come as

you are, you are enough, and now you see

670

why I opened the show with that phrase.

671

Catherine has really been able to come as

she had been, despite everything that she

672

has endured to get to where she is today,

especially with having six kids, I commend

673

her for being able to find flexibility,

and creativity, and helping people find

674

the joy and passion of learning to play

music and do so much more, but it is

675

about finding what you really enjoy.

676

It's the joy in itself that even if it's

right, wrong, or indifferent, we have

677

something that we should be able to say.

678

Even if there is no standard that has

been done before, we can be the pioneers

679

that create that destiny for ourselves.

680

We have a place at the table as

long as we see the value that we

681

can give to others and ourselves.

682

Even if you do it wrong, even if

you do it right, that existence

683

means that we have to figure out

what is right; what is wrong.

684

Coaches have that ability to be

able to find not only that pain

685

point that you're experiencing, but

will help you to move towards that

686

future that you're destined to have.

687

It's no secret.

688

Today's episode isn't just another

success story in which we been able to

689

share so many of those of how people

have been able to repurpose their

690

lives to become much better than they

would have ever thought possible.

691

Catherine's story is just another

example of how you can create various

692

areas of growth, challenging your own

self image that you once held, and

693

being able to journal, even find ways

in which you can express yourself

694

in music, become much better than

you ever thought you could ever be.

695

I think this is a reminder of why it's

so important for us to continuously

696

evolve, creating that cohesiveness in our

life in which we are able to share, and

697

express, and determine what influences,

what different types of tones do we

698

want to strike of others, and how that

will resonate with our relationships,

699

confidence, and determination, to

keep on creating wonderful music that

700

for many people they like hearing.

701

Now if I heard some very miserable,

non influential music, do you think

702

that I would follow with you forever?

703

Probably not.

704

That's why you have to

constantly re-evaluate.

705

See if things that

you're doing are working.

706

Figure out if the people that you're

growing with are really striking the

707

right tone for you, because even in

this world in which we really want to

708

have thriving interpersonal connection,

we have to learn that sometimes those

709

lessons that we learn, that consistency

in that direction that we try to gain,

710

means that we can never say never to

the opportunities in which we're able

711

to teach others to become much better.

712

Pay attention to these details,

especially of what Catherine has shared

713

today, because you can learn so much

about not only how you can create this

714

writing for yourself, this ability to

share your music, but you can come as

715

you are, because you are enough to be

able to learn, and grow, and evolve, if

716

you're willing to have the right mindset

and strike the right musical chord.

717

It doesn't always mean that you

have to have the right note,

718

and it's okay to make a mistake.

719

As long as you're willing to self

express and discover what opportunities

720

are out there, I think that anything

is possible, but more importantly,

721

there's something even more basic that

we have to learn from today's story.

722

It's about being able to exist

in a place in which joy erupts.

723

I would say that even for the longest

time in my life, your podcast host, really

724

struggled with this, and still, there are

days in which I struggled, thinking that

725

I would be able to hit the right note, but

even then, when we figure out what it is

726

that we have to say that so confidently

is buried inside of ourselves, there is no

727

standard in which we have to live up to.

728

The only standard that we

have to adore is ourselves.

729

We have to always give music, and love,

and appreciation, to those that really

730

need to listen to us the most, and

sometimes, that just starts with yourself.

731

You can do wrong, but you can also do

right, so there's always a choice every

732

day that you wake up, whether you want to

play the song that you always wanted to

733

play, that might never end, and yes, that

is a cue to a song that maybe you don't

734

want to have in your head right now, but

even then, even if that song does end,

735

what would you want to be remembered by?

736

Having that musical quality in which no

one likes to hear, because you're just

737

always striking that wrong tone, or are

you willing to work on yourself, giving

738

yourself that opportunity to grow, but

yet more importantly, influencing all

739

the qualities, all the frequencies,

all the tonalities, to become something

740

better than you ever thought possible?

741

The only thing that's standing in

your way Is your own enthusiasm.

742

Are you willing to be more

creative than you ever thought?

743

Are you willing to explore that with

someone that is willing to help you,

744

regardless of where it is in your life?

745

I think this is an opportunity for you

to think and reflect that sometimes,

746

finding the ways in which we can

spread joy, whether that is through our

747

writings or our music, can have so much

more impact than you might imagine.

748

For all those musicians out there, and

for all those adoring writers, which every

749

one of you are: keep on playing, keep

on communicating, and keep on writing.

750

I know that you'll make that

breakthrough, because let's face it.

751

You already are in your own little world

that will always be growing every time

752

that you learn from right, learn from

wrong, and you learn from each other.

753

Thanks for listening to episode

number 168 of Speaking From the

754

Heart, and I look forward to

hearing from your heart very soon.

755

Outro: Thanks for listening.

756

For more information about our podcast

and future shows, search for Speaking From

757

The Heart to subscribe and be notified

wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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