It Feels Right!

It Feels Right!

I vividly remember when my daughter, around her 10th birthday, choose her full size violin. She had gravitated to a small violin around 7 years old when a friend, a violin teacher, asked if she would like to try playing it. It was absolutely astounding to hear her...
“We Regret To Inform You….”

“We Regret To Inform You….”

You get a letter that begins “we are pleased to inform you…..” Doesn’t it feel wonderful when you have a proposal accepted, or you are invited to give a presentation, or you receive an award, or you see your work published, or you get enthusiastic feedback for...
#MeToo and Music Students

#MeToo and Music Students

Edited excerpts are shared here from my longer interview on the Alfred Music Blog following my presentation on #Me Too and Music Teaching at the Music Teachers National Conference in March 2019. Other topics covered in this interview will be added to the blog at a...
Thinking About Thinking

Thinking About Thinking

What do you think about when you think about performing? Take a few minutes before reading further and write down your thoughts. I am listing below some frequent responses about performance that I have heard from teachers, students, and non musicians as well...
An Apple a Day

An Apple a Day

Dear Apple, You’ve been a part of my adult life for as long as I can remember.  I love that melodic F Major chord you sing when I turn you on. We have come of age together although I am older than you are.  I still remember the pencil and paper and ballpoint pen.  I...
Spring Cleaning Your Musical Mental Closet

Spring Cleaning Your Musical Mental Closet

I have been intending to do my spring cleaning – for many years! I have stashed possessions in boxes and bags and put them in closets out of sight. It is so much easier to talk about cleaning out closets and getting rid of clutter than actually doing it....