There are two primary definitions of the verb “practice,” and the one you’re thinking of is its second definition.
The second definition is “to perform or work at repeatedly so as to become proficient.” That’s what music educators are usually talking about.
But the first definition is “to carry out, apply.” That’s how a doctor or a lawyer would use the word practice, as in “practice medicine” or “practice law.”
It seems to me that we would do well to insert a little more of the first definition into our approach to musical practice. Rather than thinking of practice as the process of doing something you are unskillful at until you become skilled, think of of practice as applying your skills to a specific circumstance which requires your attention.
