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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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....
“Ohhhh Nooooo!!! he thought. Here comes that difficult passage. Daniel was in the middle of his concert. “I know I can play it at home. But it has never gone well in public. “So far so good, but I am afraid my technique will collapse with all that...
Joan Acocella has brought jaw-dropping secrets from backstage to center stage in her graphic New Yorker article regarding the scandals and unethical behaviors at the New York City Ballet (Feb. 18 and 25th edition). I am left thinking about what can be done to change...
The above program was offered on February 3, 2007 at The University of Michigan School of Music. At that time, Louis Nagel was Director of Outreach and I was Chair of the Ann Arbor Committee of the Michigan Psychoanalytic Institute. The contents of the program, which...
“You have reached — — —-. I am unable to come to the phone right now. Please leave your name, number, and a message, and I will return your call as soon as possible. Thank you for calling.” If you phoned me at my office and I could not answer, you...
