“My biggest kick in music – playing or writing – is when I have a problem. Without a problem to solve, how much interest do you take in anything?” –Duke Ellington The Musician’s Way, p. 54 No matter how musically advanced we become, we encounter passages...
“Artistic growth can continue throughout a musician’s life.” -The Musician’s Way, p. 296 Unity of body, mind and spirit lies at the center of artistic music making. We don’t sing only with our voices, nor do we play instruments merely with our head...
“The outset of learning is when you instill enduring habits because the brain and body tend to imprint.” -The Musician’s Way, p. 42 Many music students begin working on new pieces by doing heaps of sketchy run-throughs and sloppy repetitions. Then, after...
“To perform at a high level, you have to attain a kind of unity with your instrument.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 257 Masterful performers exhibit ease in all that they do on stage. Their performances appear easy because they are easy for them, thanks to the...
“Your habits in the practice room make you the musician that you are.” -The Musician’s Way, p. 20 Imagine being on stage, about to begin a performance: Are your thoughts typically focused, or does your mind race? If you feel jittery, do you know how to attain a...
“There must always be a sense of progression or movement towards definite landmarks.” –Tobias Matthay, pianist The Musician’s Way, p. 23 Rhythm comes alive when it propels listeners through a phrase via what we musicians term “forward motion.” Aside from...
