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Overwhelmingly often, students will rise to the bar you set for them. They will not always clear the bar, but they will rise to meet it. Musical students have infinite potential for growth, and too many students turn away from music-making, or never reach their potential, because their leaders do not set […]

There is a balancing act in handling personal failures – particularly when it comes to mindset. Performing arts students should be reminded regularly of these two opposing forces. Take your mistakes seriously. Work hard to recognize mistakes, work hard to prevent mistakes, and work hard to correct mistakes once made. Don’t take your […]

Views, likes, shares. They’re what we count, because they’re easy to count. But views are a terrible metric for quality. As my 11-year-old pointed out today, Gangnam Style holds the record for most YouTube views, at over 3 BILLION. It doesn’t make it the best song, the best video, even the best Psy song. But it’s easy […]

Ask as often as possible to the people you work with: How can I make your life better? Ask as often as possible to yourself: How can I show my love?  

There are lots of ways a piano can help increase your practice efficacy. Here are ten: Use the piano to play your part in time with your singing. Use the piano to play first and last pitches in each phrase. Use the piano to play the full accompaniment as you sing. Use the piano […]

We go through many stages in our development of skills. Here’s a rough outline of the progression. I can’t do this at all. I can’t do this well. I can do this well as long as I’m not doing anything else. I can do this well with slight distractions. I […]

“I work from a hypothesis of generosity with you. If things are not going well, I assume the best I can about your intention and behavior, and I ask you about it.” – Brené Brown, in conversation with Krista Tippett (unedited interview) I find that approaching work, love, and life with this generous mindset […]

Do it now. You are overestimating the stress you will feel when you dig into the work you need to do. You are underestimating the stress of having it hang over you until you start. Do it now. You are overestimating the difficulty of the work. You are are underestimating the great […]

What is your favorite pizza place in the world? Chances are, your favorite pizza is excellent, but also tied to fond memories. For example, at dinner tonight, as we discussed this question, I admitted that I have never had a better pizza than the one I had sitting outdoors on the streets […]

If you don’t plan for a Snow Day, it will come on your final rehearsal before a performance. (This could be any school-canceling calamity, of course.) This is particularly challenging if, like me, you only rehearse once per week. A well-placed Snow Day can wreak havoc on the arc of your preparation. […]