“Music is indivisible. The dualism of feeling and thinking must be resolved to a state of unity in which one thinks with the heart and feels with the brain” –George Szell, conductor (George Szell: A Life in Music, p. 212) Have you ever heard a note-perfect performance...
“The mind always has to anticipate the physical action that is to be taken and then to send the command for its execution.” –Ivan Galamian, violin teacher The Musician’s Way, p. 48 Of all the skills required to perform music, one of the most vital ones is also the...
“Our object is to minimize the contrast between studio practice and public performance.” –Philip Farkas, hornist The Art of Musicianship, p. 48 When you start practicing an unfamiliar piece, does your learning process go smoothly and then culminate in secure,...
“Your most fertile source of creative energy is a compelling artistic vision.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 310 Among the many factors that lead to artistic achievement, the most decisive one may be the least visible. Yet it’s the reason we veteran musicians practice,...
“The details are not the details. They make the design.” –Charles Eames, designer For musicians and designers alike, our approach to detail largely determines whether our work soars or flops. Compare, for instance, these two performers: Musician 1 performs with...