“We have something that is unique. We have our craft. We have our art. We have our desire.”* –Branford Marsalis, saxophonist Craft, art, desire. Add persistent hard work, and what do you get? Artistic and professional success. Why is it, then, that some students who...
“Masterful performers exhibit ease in all that they do on stage.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 21 There’s no better way for us musicians to make our audiences receptive than to project ease and enjoyment from the stage. What’s more, by embodying ease, we facilitate...
“Confident performance isn’t an elusive feat but involves knowledge and skills that any musician can learn.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 133 When I talk to musicians who wrestle with stage nerves, I find that many hold a common belief. They think that they lack a trait...
“You must play for the love of music. Perfect technique is not as important as making music from the heart.” –Mstislav Rostropovich, cellist/conductor The Musician’s Way, p. 133 To practice music is to pursue perfection – or so we often hear. What nonsense. Rather, we...
“2-to-1 breathing helps reduce, coordinate, and stabilize the activity of the brain and the nervous system.” –John Clarke, M.D., former Chairman of the Himalayan Institute If we feel unsettled prior to playing or singing, 2-to-1 breathing is a powerful technique that...
“Performance anxiety is the kind of problem that rears its ugly head in both straightforward and subtle ways.” –Eric Maisel, author and psychologist If you’re an active performer, then I expect that you or a musician you know has taken a beta-blocker to alleviate...
We professional musicians love to share music with others. Whether we perform in concert halls, nightclubs, informal gatherings, or recording studios, our hard work is most rewarded when we connect with listeners. The majority of students, though, spend little time in...
Suppose that you’re preparing to play or sing in public. How do you bridge the gulf between personal practice and public performance? I’ve observed that many rising musicians underperform because they omit a crucial element from their preparatory routines: practice...
Envision standing at a stage door, seconds before your entrance at a solo or small-group concert. The hall darkens; the audience quiets. A stagehand whispers: “Ready?” Let’s stop here and give this scenario a closer look. The backstage scene probably resembles a...
