by Gerald Klickstein | Oct 22, 2012 | music education, Music Higher Education, The Musician's Way
“Your habits in the practice room make you the musician that you are.” -The Musician’s Way, p. 20 I’m pleased to present this guest post by Dr. Lisa Dawson of Indiana Weslyan University. -GK The Musician’s Way by Gerald Klickstein is being used by the Voice...
by Gerald Klickstein | Feb 19, 2012 | creative process, music practice
“Whenever you practice or perform a composition, celebrate its unique message. Feel the excitement of listening to the music for the first time.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 74 All of us musicians learn and then set aside countless pieces. Sometimes, we...
by Gerald Klickstein | Feb 5, 2012 | creative process, music performance, music practice
“Don’t give notes. Give the meaning of the notes.” –Pablo Casals, cellist The Musician’s Way, p. 34 What does it take to give meaningful performances? To begin with, we have to awaken our imaginations so that every pitch we play or sing vibrates with life. Then,...
by Gerald Klickstein | Jan 23, 2012 | music performance, performance anxiety, wellness
“Your central tasks are finding inner peace and strength, on the one hand, and being very well-prepared for your performances, on the other.” -Eric Maisel, author & psychologist The Musician’s Way, p. 146 In my previous post, “The 3 Roots of Performance...
by Gerald Klickstein | Sep 18, 2011 | music performance, music practice, Self-recording
“Many musicians perform freely in front of people but become self-conscious when recording.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 222 For countless aspiring musicians, recording sessions are trying affairs. All too often, when the recording gear switches on, artistic and technical...
by Gerald Klickstein | Mar 20, 2011 | creative process, music practice, performance anxiety
“Creative activity could be described as a type of learning process where the teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.” –Arthur Koestler, author (Drinkers of Infinity, p. 235) The tricky passage that finally rings true, the ‘aha’ moment, the transcendent...
by Gerald Klickstein | Mar 13, 2011 | music performance, performance anxiety, stage presence
“The key to harnessing on-stage energy is to use it for music-making purposes” –The Musician’s Way, p. 186 Let’s say that you’re walking on stage to begin a performance. Your heart’s beating somewhat fast and your hands feel cool; maybe your mouth turns dry. Are you...
by Gerald Klickstein | Jan 2, 2011 | music performance, music practice, performance anxiety
“Research has shown that people who adopt mastery goals experience the lowest levels of performance anxiety.” –Music Educators Journal, Dec. 2010.* When we step on stage, nothing affects our state of mind more than our goals. Mastery goals inspire us to be artistic...
by Gerald Klickstein | Dec 25, 2010 | creative process, music practice, The Musician's Way
“How can we have a goal in practice, feel inspired by a sense of purpose and direction, and yet avoid becoming caught in a tangle of straining and striving?” –Joseph Goldstein, author Insight Meditation, p. 29 Have you ever felt entangled by your musical aspirations,...
