“We’re smart enough and clever enough to give each other room to live in, to have respect for each other’s personalities.” -John Lewis, pianist, Modern Jazz Quartet The Musician’s Way, p.120 Unlike when we play or sing in conductor-led ensembles,...
“Concerts need contrast – and lots of it.” -The Musician’s Way, p. 210 In previous articles, I’ve explored avenues to design concert programs that can attract diverse audiences. In this post, I offer tips to construct attractive programs primarily using...
“Memorable concerts don’t merely deliver what’s expected; they also take audiences beyond what they can envision.” -The Musician’s Way, p. 211 We musicians have it in our power to attract hordes of enthusiastic fans. And one of the most effective ways we can do so is...
“Probe every aspect of what ‘being a successful musician’ means to you.” -The Musician’s Way, p. 302 If you aspire to a career as an independent musician, you’ll find lots of “how to” advice online. This post takes a reverse approach: I...
“The path you take is your path and no one else’s, so welcome it.” -The Musician’s Way, p. 314 Many aspiring musicians worry about their futures, wondering whether they have enough talent to succeed as pros. Thing is, musical talent is but a facet of what enables us...
“Audiences want to hear music, not monologues.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 177 One of the most effective ways for us to connect with audiences is to speak engagingly yet briefly about the music we perform. Problem is, lots of musicians neglect to prepare the...
