“To rely on muscular habit, which so many do in technique, is indeed fatal. A little nervousness, a muscle bewildered and unable to direct itself, and where are you? For technique is truly a matter of the brain.” –Fritz Kreisler, violinist (quoted in, Kato...
“If you want to be creative, get out there and do it.” –Michael Giacchino, composer (March 2010 Oscar acceptance speech) Almost all of the ambitious music students I meet share two common concerns. They wonder: 1.”Do I have what it takes?” 2.”Will I...
“Of all my skills, none is more important than the ability to organize my time.” –Twyla Tharp, choreographer The Creative Habit, p. 178 Whether you’re a mature musician or a rising one, your creative output will hinge on your knack for allocating practice time and...
“I can’t understand why people are frightened by new ideas. I’m frightened by the old ones.” –John Cage, composer When I go to classical music concerts here in the U.S., I mostly find older listeners in attendance, even when the performers are college age. But the...
“People think I am disciplined. It is not discipline, it is devotion. There is a great difference.” –Luciano Pavarotti, singer The Musician’s Way, p. 106 What empowers some musicians to keep growing while others fizzle? I’m convinced that, above all, it’s...
“The single most important goal for performing artists is to see how they are doing.” –Itzhak Perlman The Musician’s Way, p. 202 Suppose that you’re practicing a new piece. How do you know that one portion is learned securely enough for you to tackle another? Later...
