“Music making is a never-ceasing process of change and progress.” –Jacqueline du Pré, cellist The Musician’s Way, p. 205 If you aspire to perform as an independent musician, whether solo or in small groups, this article will help you stay ahead of change and be...
“Wherever you hope to travel on your musical journey, practice is the only route to getting there.” The Musician’s Way – p. 3 People often refer to accomplished musicians as “talented,” but research shows that artistic and technical abilities...
“Beyond personal fulfillment, the decisive aim of practice is to prepare performances because, as an art form, music centers on the interaction between performer and listener.” -The Musician’s Way, p. 4 For vocalists and instrumentalists alike, music making cycles...
“For musicians and arts organizations to achieve financial sustainability, it’s vital that they develop new audiences and build communities of supporters.” -Gerald Klickstein* If we aim to increase attendance at our concerts and, in the process, attract loyal...
“Performance anxiety doesn’t yield to band-aid solutions, nor does it abate on its own.” -The Musician’s Way, p. 146 Camille was a 19-year-old amateur pianist who excelled in school but was petrified to play in public.* Her anxiety had surfaced in...
“Programs are a bit like prix-fixe menus in a restaurant: We can’t serve music à la carte . . . so our menu has to be quite diverse and – tasty.” -Eckart Preu, conductor The Musician’s Way, p. 212 Data from the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts show that two of the...
“ Confident performance is not a fluke, but the product of imaginative and consistent synthesis of technical and emotional work. ” -Frank R. Wilson The Musician’s Way, p. 146 In a highlight of the 2024 Grammy Awards ceremony, singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman sang her...
Audience development should be a top priority of every musician and arts organization. For musicians and arts organizations to achieve financial sustainability, it’s vital that they develop new audiences and build communities of supporters. Attracting and...
“Deep practice integrates all that you are – your body, mind, and spirit.” The Musician’s Way, p. 20 Expert musicians possess numerous abilities that are apparent on stage – rich tone, fluent execution, dramatic interpretation, secure memory, and so forth....
