We have to get real about these seven, even if they are not, or only barely, touched upon in the higher ed music curriculum. #musicschool #musicstudent #musicteacher #100daysofpractice #musiced
Message me "5DAY" to download my new 5-Day Feel Good Practice Challenge! It's a five day sequence to feel the love for playing and create some positive vibes. It’s NOT a challenge for olympic-level technical regimen - It’s a challenge to feel good. How about that.
I designed this challenge to help you:
➖ Make your practice more empowered and joyful. (and spoiler alert, more efficient, too.)
➖ Explore different ways of connecting the concept of "feel good" in practice.
➖ Cultivate long-term strategies for keeping practice in the empowered and out of the shi&*y zone.
DM me the word "5DAY" and I'll send the link. 😘
Can't wait to hear how this goes.
ps: Are you a teacher? Download it for some new, positive ideas for not only you, but your students this year! I'm happy to be the one to blame for trying to make practice feel better. ;)
#Practice #MusicianPractice #MusicianChallenge #MusicStudent #MusicSchool #MusicTeacher
If you can catch yourself when you’re making this mistake, and then begin to reframe these distortions, you will be happier and better for it. ❤️
This is part of the work of practice - not just supporting our body but also supporting our mind. 🧠
#practice #musician #musicteacher #musicstudent #cognitivedistortions
I use my minimum goal anytime I’d rather crawl into bed than do anything at all. Let me explain why a minimum goal can save you:
It wards off the what the hell effect, the emotionally-driven conclusion that there’s no point in practicing, because “what the hell, it won’t make a difference.”
Any practice at all tends to kickstart dopamine, which creates the very motivation you were lacking before you started.
It provides a bite-sized, actionable, 100% achievable goal—just what you need to create a no-excuse habit.
Doing creates energy in the body. It makes you feel better, if only for 15 minutes.
It keeps you physically in shape, ready for “real” action the next day.
A minimum goal sends the message to people in your life that practice is a priority, not something you do occasionally.
Try it.
Your electronics can’t bewitch you if they’re nowhere near. Every time the phone’s gravitational power pulls us in, it creates an ‘ouch point’in practice, reminding us there are a hundred other things we could be doing, many more appealing than practice. You have to level the playing field by carefully designing your environment.
#musiciansofinstagram #violinista
Carve out time now, not later. Here's why:
* Practicing arpeggios is painful, but a lack of technical control on stage will be even more painful.
*Cracking a new piece open for the first time is daunting, but cramming it later will feel even worse.
*Ugh, scales. But practicing scales will make learning repertoire so much easier.
*Take that third day off from practice, and you REALLY won’t be in the mood tomorrow. It’s going to become increasingly more painful. Get going.
Draft complete! Now in editing mode. Table of contents:
Prologue: March Madness
Part 0: Psychology Matters
1: The Problem of Practice
2: Activating Your Inner Coach
Part 1: Do It
3: Igniting Practice Desire
4: Overcoming Obstacles to Practice
5: Making Time for Practice
Part 2: Do It Well
6: The Deliberate Practice Process
7: The Nitty-Gritty: Breaking Down Repertoire
8: The Neuroscience of Repetition & Building Automaticity
9: The Power of Technique Practice
10: Tackling Tension
11. Practicing for Speed and Virtuosity
Part 3: Do It Better Still
12: How Your Inner Chatter Can Help (or Hurt) You
13: The Power of Mental Practice
14: Defeating Distractions & Focusing on What Matters
15: When Technique Change Becomes Necessary
16: The Surprising Effects of Exercise and Sleep
17. 100 Prompts for 100 Days of Practice
Part 4: Do It—Even When You’re Scared
18: Fear of Failure and How to Build Courage
19: Soliciting Feedback & Self-Recording
20: Stage Fright I: Intervention Strategies
21: Stage Fright II: Performance Practice & Preparing for Auditions
Coda: Taming Your Inner Perfectionist
Appendix 1: Glossary of the Musician’s Inner Cosmos
Appendix 2: Injury Prevention Tips
Appendix 3: Medical Stage Fright Treatments
Appendix 4: My Teachers
Perhaps I’m stating the obvious, but deliberate practice involves, temporarily at least, “failing.” We inch our way towards success. As much as I advocate making practice interesting and joyful, it's also hard work. But it's worth it.
Writing is like that, too. If you're seeing this, I'm happy to say I've officially emerged from the writing bunker! Getting closer, inching my way towards success. #100daysofpractice #musiciansofinstagram
Join us for a day of violin and viola workshops and playing!! Faculty for this awesome event:
@callumsmartviolin@practizma@danielle.w.burke and @neavetrio ‚s Anna Williams. Early bird price of $50 is still in place! For all information and a registration link, head to the VCU Music Workshop page, and look for strings: go.vcu.edu/precollege
With @vcuartsmusic and @vcusymphony
Share ❤️❤️❤️Harpists and all bowed strings who are preparing for the All-Virginia auditions—We’ll help you get into tip-top shape. A very special Valentine’s Day workshop with our string faculty: @practizma@danielle.w.burke@aycakartari Dana McComb and Anastasia Jellison @vcusymphony@vcuartsmusic Register at bit.ly/VCUworkshops (make sure VCU is capitalized).
Our expectations are sometimes the touchy sore spot. Occasionally, we even have to get worse before we get better. We may have to tackle a technique change, challenge our beliefs, or back up to easier repertoire. All part of the process. Keep going. #100daysofpracticechallenge #musician
Confidence is this squishy concept. We all know we need it, but can't figure out how to get there. I always thought confidence would, at some point, magically appear. It doesn't, partly because we are continually moving up and swimming in bigger ponds. This book provides logical, step-by-step strategies for this important mental work. Written by a sports psychologist, this book is excellent for musicians. Bravo and thank you, Nate Zinsser!
