“Three qualities are essential in a professional musician… the first is good health and the other two are the same.” Mark Hambourg, pianist -The Musician’s Way, p. 241 Whether we make music as professionals, students or amateurs, we strive to create transcendent...
“Ten dubious repetitions plus a single accurate one don’t equal security.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 52 Naïve practicers might repeat a passage profusely and make error after error. Then, on the eleventh try, when it finally comes out right, they say, “There, I’ve got...
“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...
“Only after I have become familiar with the style and character of the work can I start shaping an interpretation.” Yo-Yo Ma The Musician’s Way, p. 24 On a primary level, musical interpretation conveys fluctuations in emotional intensity. And one of the best ways to...
“Whatever music you play or sing, your aim is to express musical ideas, not spew out notes.” The Musician’s Way, p. 24 Many years ago I had lunch with two veteran music teachers who advocated what I call the “notes first” practice method. In their estimation, students...
“Collaborative music making is one of life’s true joys.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 114 It’s difficult to describe the magical feeling of synchronized music making. Suffice it to say that when we make music together, we ascend to loftier planes. But to reach...
“There can be so much to cover in a practice session that it can seem overwhelming.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 6 Even for professional musicians, it isn’t easy to manage large numbers of practice tasks. But whatever our level of musical development, all of our...
“To get to authenticity, you really keep going down to the bone, to the honesty and the inevitability of something.” –Meredith Monk, singer & composer The Musician’s Way, p. 19 Although we musicians practice in personalized ways, there are three fundamental...
“The Musician’s Way is fantastic, and is a must-read for every student and professional.” -International Trumpet Guild Journal, Oct. 2011 The Fall 2017 issue of The Musician’s Way Newsletter features music news, practice tips, career pointers and much more....
