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The Fuel to Success
Establishing yourself as a professional musician takes effort. It’s naïve to believe that your love for the instrument is an everlasting affair. In real life, relationships of all kinds (including...
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The Talent Code
Every movement you make is registered in your brain. Do the same movement twice and the same neuron is activated twice. The more you repeat the movement, the deeper you carve a tunnel for that specific...
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Who Are They to Judge You ?
Belonging is an essential part to happiness. It’s why we belong to societies and clubs. And the reason you get upset if they don’t invite you to the party. Belonging comes with opinions from both ends....
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Controlling Chaos
We were all upset. It took a few people to start yelling for everybody to do the same. One complains out loud and you get the monkey see monkey do effect. I was nervous and didn’t know where I was...
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Thoughts on Music
A Guest Post by Belen Hernandez What is art? Do we ever ask ourselves that question? What is being an artist? Are classical musicians artists? We all know that in a broad sense, any person that...
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On Being Savvy
You don’t need a doctorate to be smart or make smart decisions. If you want to live a premium life, you can, it’s a choice. A premium life comes with a price. Nothing worthwhile is free. You see it in...
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The Ignorant Musician (ME)
I was confused. Musicians were using the word “technique” in seminars and master classes and I felt they were speaking Mongunese. To me, it sounded like I needed tools from the Home Depot and work on...
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The Big Day
I woke up and there was not a note on my desk, a text on my phone, an email, a leprechaun or a fairy to warn me. I had no clue what was going to happen. If I had, I’m sure I would have stayed home and...
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If they knew how hard it is…
…they wouldn’t want to be in my shoes. Once I leave my apartment behind I am in survival mode. Here everything is different. It’s not like I know it. My language and culture are hundreds of miles away....
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Stories
They keep me on the edge of my seat, wanting more. The longer the storyline the more engaged I am—more addicted actually. I get to know the characters and laugh when an inside joke comes up. I get to...
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16 Things I learned from Touring with Orchestra
I am back from my fifth season with the Orchestra of the Americas and couldn’t be more excited to share my stories and unique experiences. But before I get ahead of myself, I want to share with you 16...
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The Meaning of a Good Life
A good life is not when you are lying on a hang mat for 30 minutes, you need a whole hour to call it “a good life” [joke]. No but really, a good life is born when you carefully craft your present...
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How to be Uncomfortable
What do a first violinist, second violinist, violist and a cellist need in order to play completely together? (it’s not a light-bulb joke ) The Answer: Get Uncomfortable Counting calories is...
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The Ultimate Guide to Classical Music
This guide is dedicated to my non-musician friends and the friends of my musician friends who would like to understand what we do. (Click here for a nice PDF) Getting Started (Click on the...
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Staying Focused in the Practice Room
The Focus-House Classical musicians need one common denominator to learn their parts: focus. But the problem is that staying focused is super hard. As soon as you wonder if you are focused or not, you...
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I am an Artist
(CLICK HERE for a nice PDF) I am an artist. It’s the reason I wake up every morning—to do art. I am here to make a unique contribution. To leave a legacy. Over the years, art defined my existence. It...
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How to Stay Hooked
One Subject The team captain is good at sports, the science buff is good at opening frogs and the art nerds are good at painting. Me, I’m good at music. That’s a nerdy subject right there, but since...
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The Performer’s Guide to CHANGES
Evolution Remember your first note? It sounded like crap. But 1 year later you sounded way better, you had experience. Then, 3-5 years later your sound was really good. Finally, the notes you play...
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Why Musicians Should Read Blogs
A Blog is not a Facebook Page I once sent an email to a violin maker asking if he was interested to have a blog on his website. I explained what a blog is and how he could benefit from it. He sent me...
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A Pocket Guide to Turn Pro
15 Differences Between an Amateur and a Pro 1. A pro does the work even when it’s painful, amateurs do it while it’s fun. 2. An amateur leaves when she gets tired, the pro sticks to it until she’s...
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