The Musician’s Way in Two Verses

“Ultimately, your musical progress will depend more on your skillfulness with the creative process than on any talent.”
–The Musician’s Way, p. 313

When I teach introductory workshops on The Musician’s Way, I organize concepts using frameworks that musicians can flexibly apply.

Recently, I coined a two-verse poem that captures the essence of The Musician’s Way. In workshops, I use each line as a topic heading.

Here’s the poem followed by key concepts and links to related articles on this blog:

The Musician’s Way in Two Verses

Practice smart
Perform a lot
Gather ideas
Build a career

Declutter your mind
Be strong yet kind
Stoke your health
Share the wealth

 

Key Concepts

1. Practice Smart

Manage your time, materials, methods and attention to maximize efficiency and artistry.

• The 5 Practice Zones
• Optimizing Practice Time
• Varied, Distributed, and Interleaved Practice

2. Perform A Lot

Reinforce specific performance skills to build confidence and refine your style.

• Becoming a Confident Performer
• The Importance of Core Repertoire
• Practicing Performance

3. Gather Ideas

Collect ideas to advance your artistry and career – ideas for growing audiences, programming concerts, and more.

• 3 Traits of Successful Concert Programs
• Let’s Get Relevant
• Orchestras Contract, Opportunities Expand

4. Build a Career

Explore career possibilities, and then pursue multiple channels to expand your professional know-how and options.

• 7 Career-Building Strategies for Musicians
• Becoming a ‘Go-To’ Musician
• The Secret to Sustainable Music Careers

5. Declutter Your Mind

Cultivate habits of mind that allow you to focus readily, work joyfully, and create abundantly.

• Awareness, Focus, Concentration
• Mental Space
• Positivity

6. Be Strong yet Kind

Grow your resiliency and toughness while being easy to work with, supportive of others, and a sought-after collaborator.

• The 4 Pillars of Professionalism
• 10 Tips for Ongoing Creativity
• Collaborative Criticism

7. Stoke Your Health

Attend to your physical and mental health, learn about injury prevention, and seek expert help when needed.

• 5 Causes of Musicians’ Injuries
• 12 Habits of Healthy Musicians
• Heeding the Signs of Injury

8. Share the Wealth

Perform widely, teach generously, inspire others, and bring music to people who don’t have easy access.

• Artistic Vision
• Design Thinking for Audience Development
• Healing with Music

*  *  *

The Musician’s Way is the most complete guide ever created for aspiring musicians. Read reviews.

Related posts
10 Affirmations that Energize Music Practice
Better than Patience
Better Practice on Difficult Days
The Growth Mindset

© 2022 Gerald Klickstein
Photo via Pixabay