“Without inclusive preparation, musicians can’t be cool in high-stakes situations” –The Musician’s Way, p. 148 Performance anxiety stifles the ambitions of countless musicians. Yet the path to becoming a fearless performer is open to any musician who chooses to...
“Deep practice entails achieving mastery, integration, and transcendence with everything that you play or sing.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 20 For budding and veteran performers alike, the fundamental source of confidence on stage is thorough preparation. And although...
“The habits that enable you to perform expressively in public can only be instilled through practice.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 149 When you’re onstage, do you feel secure and creative? If not, the reasons probably stem from the habits you reinforce in practice....
“You can control your performance but not the result of an audition or a competition.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 221 Whenever you audition or compete, you offer yourself up for criticism. That criticism may be overt, as when judges provide comments, or it may be...
“Music is a performing art. . . . It isn’t there in the score.” -Michael Tippett, composer The Musician’s Way, p. 152 When you think about all that goes into preparing for a concert, music performance can seem like a delicate skill, something akin to tightrope...
“The fight-or-flight response works wonders when you’re standing on a sidewalk and a piano is falling from a building above.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 135 Shaky hands, racing heartbeat, queasy stomach – all manifestations of a nervousness that...
