If you’re a rising musician, you’ll probably have opportunities to perform in competitions. This post will help you decide whether a particular contest is right for you. First, by “competitions,” I’m referring to events organized for students, amateurs and...
“If excellence is a habit (which it is), then students must consistently play in ways that are fundamentally excellent nearly all the time.” -Robert A. Duke Whether we’re practicing or performing, all of us musicians are striving for excellence. But do students really...
“Only accessible material enables students to acquire the habits of mastery that beget secure, artistic performances.” Time and again, when I hear students audition, some will attempt to perform music that’s beyond their capacities. “This’ll be...
“When we practice deeply, we can trust ourselves and execute without forcing.” When you confront a technical challenge in your music making, does a voice within you ever say, “Try harder”? I get the impression that many rising musicians believe that trying...
Have you ever experienced pain or discomfort as a result of your music making? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. Musicians and Injuries As I describe in The Musician’s Way, musicians frequently incur injuries, particularly to hands, limbs, backs, necks, vocal...
