“I think I was first awakened to musical exploration by Dizzy Gillespie and Bird. It was through their work that I began to learn about musical structures and the more theoretical aspects of music.” –John Coltrane The Musician’s Way, p. 98 In The Musician’s Way, I...
“Auditions may be among your most significant career-building performances. Why not enjoy them?” –The Musician’s Way, p. 222 Having heard countless auditions over the years, I’ve learned that few young musicians audition well. Time and again, gaps in their judgment...
“Expertise with sight-reading belongs at the top of your list of priorities.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 99 Musicians who sight-read fluently enjoy numerous artistic and professional advantages. Professionally, because they can perform with minimal rehearsal, they’re the...
“You’ve got to think about ‘big things’ while you’re doing small things so that all the small things go in the right direction.” –Alvin Toffler, author When we veteran performers practice, we begin with objectives and learning methods in mind. If we’re preparing a new...
“Even the greatest virtuosos practice the fundamentals, because they are the basis of all playing.” –Wynton Marsalis Marsalis on Music, p. 124 Scales, arpeggios, exercises . . . boring stuff. Right? I don’t think so. In fact, I find the practicing of such basics to be...
