“Advantageous postures have an active quality; they’re always subtly in motion.” -The Musician’s Way, p. 251 In his book, On Piano Playing, Gyorgy Sandor identifies two features of beneficial postures: stability and mobility. That is, they support the weight of...
“When I finally saw how I looked, I realized that I was distracting the audience from the music.” -Alfred Brendel, pianist The Musician’s Way, p. 171 Imagine standing backstage prior to your entrance at the start of a concert: as the house lights dim, the...
“Well-crafted program notes help captivate audiences.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 209 As soon as listeners enter performance spaces, we musicians have opportunities to enhance their concert experience. All too often, though, audiences are greeted by printed programs that...
“When you step on stage, your awareness of your material will anchor your control and set your creativity free.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 37 Having coached countless aspiring musicians, I’ve found that many commit an avoidable misstep that profoundly limits their...
“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....
“Playing is never difficult; it is either easy, or it is impossible.” -Kato Havas, violinist The Musician’s Way, p. 21 We all love how it feels to play or sing with ease. That sense of freedom we enjoy when physical tension melts away and mental...
“The performers who connect from the stage establish emotional relationships with their audiences.” -The Musician’s Way, p. 188 What endows a performance with the power to stir listeners’ hearts? At a minimum, a spellbinding concert melds first-rate...
“Audiences want to hear music, not monologues.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 177 One of the most effective ways for us to connect with audiences is to speak engagingly yet briefly about the music we perform. Problem is, lots of musicians neglect to prepare the...
“If there’s a central tenet of showmanship, it’s this: Project; don’t reflect.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 179 Showmanship – or show-womanship – doesn’t equate with flamboyance; it comes from being who you are, but more so....
