“Don’t give notes. Give the meaning of the notes.” –Pablo Casals, cellist The Musician’s Way, p. 34 What does it take to give meaningful performances? To begin with, we have to awaken our imaginations so that every pitch we play or sing vibrates with life. Then,...
“You don’t always have to chop with the sword of truth. You can point with it too.” –Anne Lamott The Musician’s Way, p. 299 Although criticism is essential to all sorts of collaboration, poorly handled critiques can undermine our ability to work...
“Throw yourself into life as someone who makes a difference.” –Benjamin Zander, conductor The Musician’s Way, p. 305 One of the most powerful ways that we can make a difference in life is to do creative work. Still, unless we choose our aims wisely, we can...
“Combine your mistakes and your triumphs, stir them into the pot of artistic progress, and then savor what bubbles up.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 112 Let’s say that you’ve pinpointed some creative goals, equipped your workspace, and scheduled daily times to...
“A musician’s reputation is shaped as much by consistent professionalism (or the lack thereof) as it is by artistry.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 115 Although we musicians spend vast amounts of time practicing alone, professional music-making is largely a collaborative...
“Artistic performers are prepared performers.” -The Musician’s Way, p. 155 Imagine that you’re backstage, minutes before the start of a concert: Are you feeling confident, or are you worried that things could go awry? Unlike less-experienced...
“The real essence of art turned out to be not something high up and far off – it was right inside my ordinary daily self.” –Shinichi Suzuki, violinist, author & teacher The Musician’s Way, p. 109 I’m always surprised when I hear people attribute creativity to...
“To achieve your musical potential, you have to commit to the creative process, take risks, and follow your heart.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 112 To gain a deeper understanding of something, it often helps to consider its opposite. So, in the interest of helping you...
“Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.” –Erich Fromm, psychologist and author Is there a state of mind more adverse to creativity than rigid certainty? I doubt it. To create, we have to generate ideas that take us beyond the familiar confines of...
