Tag : motivation

The Journey: Discovery

It’s not the destination that’s important. We are travelers on a long journey of discovery. I am constantly reminded of how much I don’t know. Because music is a process

Reinvigorating Flute Practice

“Goodie Bags” for Reinvigorating Flute Practice As musicians, there are times when we know we need some help reinvigorating our flute practice.  We might feel like we’re spinning our wheels and

Grit for Musicians: Practicing and Parenting

Is Grit the Secret to Success In Music? I first heard about Angela Duckworth and her research on “grit” on a Freakonomics podcast. Duckworth talks about how persistence, not talent,

Goal Setting for the Practice Room

Goal Setting should be part of every musician’s practice session. There are many kids of goals in music. Some goals will be achieved within a single practice session, others will take longer

Temptation Bundling in the Practice Room

What is “temptation bundling” and how can we use it in the practice room? Temptation bundling is when we take something that we’re not excited about doing and pair it

Interlude (R&R in NYC)

Finding artistic renewal on spring break. It might seem odd to describe a trip to New York City as being restful and relaxing, but I love visiting big cities. The

Motivation: A Student’s Perspective

I’ve been playing music since I was 5 years old so I’ve had a lot of time logged in the practice room. Today I’ll share some personal stories about practicing

Motivation: A Teacher’s Perspective

Far more time is spent in the practice room than the performance hall. I have been teaching private music lessons since 1995. One of my primary goals as a teacher

Motivation: Parenting and Practicing

Motivation As parents, we want to support our kids. We know that playing a musical instrument is good for them, but the issue of practice can be thorny. I’ve seen this

Practice Builds Better Brains

Music instruction is better for children’s brains than “sports, theater or dance.”  Save the link to this article and read again after a big fight with your kid about practicing.