arrange • compose • conduct
Do you know that you’re telling a joke? There is some funny music where “you” know you’re telling a joke. That is, the character you portray during the song is consciously being funny. Think Tom Lehrer. Other funny music gets funnier the more your character doesn’t show that they get […]
I often like to take a hard break at the end of the year. Turn off my work brain entirely, even if it’s only for a week or two, before I start prepping in earnest for next year. The problem is, I’ve got several big projects I want to get […]
Whenever you always approach a type of problem with a certain strategy, it might be useful to ask: “What other approaches might work?” As a general principle, I often take a few months after a recording session with my ensembles before I sit down to mix it. The distance from […]
These are three keys to success over adversity. Have a Plan B. Or, if not a plan, then the skills to pivot without preparation. (When my studio engineer student got sick, I was ready to jump in, knew who to ask for help, and got the job done.) Work with […]
It’s impossible to be prepared for every eventuality. But… The first time you do something – perform a recital, say, or do a recording session – you can’t know what to expect, or what common pitfalls are to be avoided. You’re going to have to learn, through a combination of […]
“You’re so smart, you should be a doctor!” (lawyer, rocket scientist, engineer) Yes, you could be those things. But how should you use your intellect? Use your intellect to bring more love into the world. However that works for you. Be a teacher. Be an author. Yes, be a musician. […]
“For those who have been trained by it, no discipline seems pleasant at the time but painful.” These words, this tune, sing in my ears whenever I’m struggling to find the discipline to do the work I intend to do. “I’m tired.” “I don’t feel like it.” “I can do […]
How should musicians emulate physicians? First, do no harm. Those are the words attributed to Hippocrates, though they don’t appear in the Hippocratic Oath. And they’re a great takeaway for musicians. Do no harm – don’t alienate your music students or inhibit their love of music. Do no harm – […]
A big part of success is knowing when you won’t have time later. Self-honesty in planning ahead is essential to success. There were so many times as I was honing my craft when I thought I could fit more into a busy day than I could. Like, by a lot. […]
Choose remarkable, not predictable. Every bowl of Cheerios I’ve ever eaten has tasted exactly the same. That’s a feature of grocery store food – predictable is better than remarkable. And we’ve come to expect that predictability in a larger and larger part of our lives. Actually, though, in other human […]