Toward the beginning of 2022, I was driving on I-64 listening to an interview with French musician Chassol. At the time I was unfamiliar with his work and thought I'd just get some practice listening in French.
In the interview, Chassol described "ultrascore" - his method of "harmonizing reality," as he frequently explains. This classically-trained artist with perfect pitch seemed to have the ability to hear music in everything- from birds to presidential speeches- and build songs around these already existing sounds.
After getting off the road and doing more research, I learned there was a video component to his work, as well. I was particularly struck by the piece "Savana, Céline, Aya Pt.I & II," which captures hand games at a playground in Paris. It brought back a memory of walking by a school field trip at Père Lachaise several months prior. More importantly, it made me realize I had passed through a living piece of art.
There was no doubt that Chassol was technically gifted. In fact, I later learned he started his musical education in pre-school. To me, though, the genius of Chassol was the combination of his high-level skill and extremely disciplined listening. Both components seemed necessary for generating proof that music is always around us.
Given the start of my company, I've spent a lot of time this year reflecting on my philosophy around corporate training. At many points, I've found myself returning to Chassol. After all, one of the most value-added skills within adult education is a facilitator's ability to "harmonize" around the ideas of others. That means there's an important lesson in Chassol's ultrascore technique.
While I can't speak on Chassol's behalf, I can tell you the tangible ways that ultrascore has inspired and clarified my own practice as a corporate trainer:
I've become legitimately passionate about listening. The more I play Chassol, the more I catch myself listening to birds and wondering what they're saying. I also hone in on the rhythm and pitch of the people around me. While these may seem unrelated to corporate training, hear me out: the more interested I've become in listening, the easier it has been to detect patterns and meaning as a facilitator. After all, my ears are primed and ready to be fully present.
I've come to appreciate that there is music all around us. In corporate training, every person brings a unique perspective, shaped by their identity and life experience. To me, this is what makes live, group-based training such a unique experience. So, I've found that when I enter a training space with the understanding that the music is already there, it's much easier as a facilitator to remain open to new ways of thinking and tap into the existing strengths in the room. And on that note...
I've begun shifting away from being the dominant sound to being the harmonizer. Earlier in my career, I had a much stronger desire to prove that I "knew my stuff." Symptomatically, that often presented as me being the primary voice in a training setting. However, what I've learned- especially working with adults- is that this approach not only damages participant engagement but also cuts short the collective wisdom of the group. While I value being well-researched as a trainer, there's a type of skillful restraint in stepping back and letting participants occupy more of the space. To then "harmonize" as a facilitator, I listen for and highlight things such, as:
The connection between various participants' comments
The connection between participants' comments and the lesson's through-line
Discordance between participants' comments and the lesson's through-line (Note- this isn't inherently a bad thing! It could perhaps add more color and complexity to an issue or provide a teaching opportunity.)
The deeper meaning behind questions and comments (via reflective listening)
The relationship between participants' comments and supporting research, theories, frameworks, etc.
To me, "harmonizing" doesn't mean that you find perfect harmony in what's around you. Rather, you strive to accompany what's in existence to support its highest wisdom and beauty.
As both a trainer and artist, that's a mission I can get behind.
So, thank you, Chassol, for helping me see the world (and my place in it) a little more clearly!
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