Tonal Refraction Ensemble

01/13/2026

The people of Illinois are being intimidated and terrorized by the Trump administration’s “coordinated campaign of violence” in the state, Gov. JB Pritzker says. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/violence-and-intimidation-illinois-sues-trump-over-immigration-enforcement_n_69655dcce4b0365ff4dfc706?ref=bffbhuffpost&ncid_tag=fcbklnkushpmg00000063&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&utm_campaign=us_main

09/19/2025

The hardest thing in learning to swim is floating. It's the same in music:
Do NOT trust that your ear can support your weight. Only the teacher knows what to hear and how to hear it. Oh, yeah? Hear the opposite at play: www.tonalrefraction.com corroborated by two great string players: Artie Dibble and Dave Eggar.
https://open.substack.com/pub/nancygarniez/p/keep-your-feet-on-the-floor?r=2ppkf3&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Can we tolerate immersion?

09/13/2025

Two players approaching a note from different directions on different instruments will not produce exactly the same pitch, except on paper. Everything about Classical chamber music is dynamic. Accuracy is not the point. Engagement is! Hear it in action: www.tonalrefraction.com.
https://open.substack.com/pub/nancygarniez/p/agree-to-disagree?r=2ppkf3&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=tru

Two players approaching a note from different directions on different instruments will not produce exactly the same pitch except on paper.

09/12/2025

Authoritarianism permeates a culture in which right and wrong prevail.
This is a major flaw in our education system. I was Valedictorian in my high school class. Voted "Most Likely to Succeed." That success is documented on www.tonalrefraction.com
https://open.substack.com/pub/nancygarniez/p/right-vs-wrong-authoritarianism?r=2ppkf3&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Authoritarianism permeates a culture in which right and wrong prevail, especially when right equals money.

09/11/2025

It takes a lot of guts to expose fragility in a culture in which it is not OK. I am deeply grateful that two accomplished colleagues joined fragile forces with me to connect with Mozart. www.tonalrefraction.com Tell me what you think.
https://open.substack.com/pub/nancygarniez/p/fragility?r=2ppkf3&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

On this day human fragility is the top order of concern.

09/10/2025

The gift of the ear keeps re-giving provided the content is the ear itself, and not some pre-digested replication of identifiable, therefore repeatable, sounds. At the new www.tonalrefraction.com you get three very present, fearless ear-lives. Let me know your reaction.
https://open.substack.com/pub/nancygarniez/p/the-gift-of-the-ear?r=2ppkf3&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

The gift of the ear keeps re-giving provided the content is the ear itself, and not some pre-digested replication of identifiable, therefore repeatable, sounds.

09/09/2025

It's up and running!

This approach is the basis of Tonal Refraction, an alternative notation in which color expresses the taste factor missing from standard notation. 

01/24/2024

After several revealing years of playing at a whole new level I am open to teaching piano once again. Get in touch if you are curious.

07/03/2023

Tonal Refraction is a process that has changed the musical lives of many people by fundamentally altering the way they process music notation. I am again accepting clients Required commitment: three weekly sessions of 75 minutes each. For more information:

12/08/2022