Music is a magic that can change the world
Raise of hands, how many of you feel like you're faking your way through life? Like you don't actually know how to do your job, or people think you're a lot smarter than you actually are? Impostor syndrome (also "imposter"), impostor phenomenon, impostor experience, impostorism, and fraud syndrome are all terms that encompass the idea …
Continue reading "Waging War: 5 Battle Strategies to Defeat Impostor Syndrome"
"O beautiful for spacious skies..." begins a tune that America has beat its drum to for many years. The song, a poem by Katharine Lee Bates set to music by Samuel A. Ward, speaks of the beauty of this land. Purple mountains in their majesty, amber grain waving in the breeze, seas shining in the …
Constant self criticism, practicing perfectionism, locking yourself away for hours. Such is the life of a musician. Half of it, anyway. The other half of being a musician can be so rewarding, but when you're stuck in the first half, it can feel like there's no point in trying. There's so many more people that …
Continue reading "3 Questions to Ask When You Feel Pointless as a Musician"
Music might be this magical language of the soul, but it can still be infuriating to practice, especially if you're fairly new to the craft. Many teachers will tell you they don't teach students how to play; they teach students how to practice. Jeremy Denk writes that his teacher, "Sebők said many times that you …
Continue reading "7 Ways to Avoid Frustration While Practicing an Instrument"
Meet Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. Known as the "Prince of Music" he is responsible for hundreds of works that are known as "absolute perfection." I love his music so much that he is a supporting character in a novel I wrote (not yet published; I'll let you all know when it is). Perhaps this is …
Classical musicians are cover artists. We play the scores of composers from long ago, and we get to put our own spin on the music. But what about creating our own from scratch? It's not always easy to start off. Compare it to writing in your own native language (English for the sake of the …
Were you a child prodigy? Did you have to suffer through the same courses of practice and lessons as people obviously not as gifted as you? Then this post is for you! Presenting How to Practice Like a Prodigy: A guide for those incredible geniuses who only ever excelled at their craft. Play through your …
