“Forward-thinking students uncover multiple career avenues that they would enjoy.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 301 Peter Spellman’s article, 5 Essentials of Music Career Success, gives the following sage advice: “Your goal, to use marketing lingo, is to ‘position’...
“It was when I found out I could make mistakes that I knew I was on to something.” -Ornette Coleman, saxophonist & composer The Musician’s Way, p. 190 In the discovery phase of practice, all of us make errors as we try out interpretive and technical...
“Elevate both your music making and your confidence to the highest possible levels.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 201 Rising performers who put on their own public concerts reap numerous benefits. They advance their careers, polish their artistic identities, refine their...
“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...
“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...
“An outstanding accomplishment . . . The Musician’s Way should be on the shelf of every aspiring professional musician and every serious music educator.” —Clavier Companion, May/June 2010 In the Summer 2015 issue of The Musician’s Way Newsletter,...
“Nothing motivates better than success.” The Musician’s Way, p. 107 Do you typically finish practice sessions feeling that you’ve achieved meaningful goals? If not, these tips can help you invigorate your practice with clarity and accomplishment. See...
“Music making is a never-ceasing process of change and progress.” –Jacqueline du Pré, cellist The Musician’s Way, p. 205 We musicians seldom achieve expertise on our own but seek out teachers to inform our growth. Although teachers can influence us in countless...
“If you’re dedicated to becoming a professional, you have to prepare to compete in the marketplace.” The Musician’s Way, p. 300 If you aim for a career in music, your educational choices will profoundly affect your future. Here are 10 guidelines to help...