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Being a Prolific Musician

Once again, Leo over at ZenHabits has posted an article that’s got me thinking. Written by Clay Collins of The Growing Life, it highlights some of the common characteristics of prolific people, and what you might choose to do if you want to become prolific. Keep Reading »

How Learning Technique can Help

Chris Foley from the Collaborative Piano Blog has posted 15 Reasons why Practicing Technique can improve your time at the piano. While obviously his post is focussed towards the piano, you will find that many of them will cross over easily to your intrument. Take a read.

Goal Journals

In keeping up with finding what other people are doing, I noticed in Brandon’s blog that he’s keeping track of the amount of time practiced. He calculates each day, noting the longest and shortest session of the week, the average amount practiced and other such things. While keeping a journal is a great idea, there’s plenty of ways that we can do it. Keep Reading »

Practicing away from Home

During the week, I received an e-mail from Brandon. We had a bit of a chat about practicing and the practicalities of it away from home. Like myself, Brandon is studying at a Music Conservatory and does most of his practice on campus. I have also gotten into this habit of practicing at uni because it removes my main distraction - the computer. Here’s Brandon’s question:

Keep Reading »

10 tips for When you Don’t Want to Practice

Don’t feel like practicing, but know you should eh? It can be tough sometimes, and we need to be aware of some things that we can do. Here’s 10 things that I do when I don’t feel like practicing.

  1. Take a break. No really… just go away and not do anything for a while. You’ll soon feel that you want to practice, especially if you just sit there doing nothing. “OH well, there’s nothing else to do, let’s do some practice.”
  2. Listen to your favourite artist/piece. For me, I listen to the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. It’s a piece that really gets me wanting to play again.
  3. Read. Read a book about music, or read the score of the piece that you’re learning. These things can have dramatic effects on your musical understanding.
  4. Play. I don’t mean pick up and start practicing, I mean “PLAY” - have fun. Pick up a book of Irish Jigs and have a go at some of them, or put on your favourite pop CD and play along - see if you can improvise a better solo than what is in the song.
  5. 5 Minutes. Tell yourself that you’re going to do 5 minutes. After you’ve done 5 minutes, you can ask yourself “Well, do I want to continue, or do I still not want to practice.” If you still don’t want to practice, do 5 minutes more, and if it’s still a no, then take a break and do something else.
  6. Reward yourself. Tell yourself that if you do an hour of practice, then you’ll get a treat - some time on the computer, or a piece of chocolate or something.
  7. Set a deadline. By setting yourself a deadline, You’ll have something to aim for. You’ll need to practice in order to achieve the goal - whether that’s a public performance, or getting something right for your teacher.
  8. Find a practice buddy. Someone who’ll challenge you to practice, send you daily messages “Just finished my hour’s practice. Feeling GREAT! How about you?” If you’re anything like me, having that partner there to spur you on will help a lot.
  9. Nike. Nike? What’s this sports company got to do with it? Remember their logo? Just Do It. I used this a while ago, put a great big piece of paper over my computer monitor that I would use to cover the monitor each night, so when I woke up, it would say “Have you done your practice yet? Just ****** Do It” (Yes, I used an expletive, it challenged me more). Just do your practice. It’s not going to kill you.
  10. Read this website. Ok, so I’m kinda cheating here. But there are lots of good practice tips on here already, so there’s plenty of ideas to keep you going.

Thursday Links - 07/02/2008

Second edition of my Thursday Links. Got some good links I think - most of which popped up today.

Buri (Stephen Britavi) has some practice ideas.

Chris Foley from The Collaborative Piano Blog compares Traditional Media with Classical Music blogs.

Inside the Classics - a blog from the Minnesota Orchestra - has Music to Vote to.

From Beyond the Stave highlights a website that’s all about medieval performance practice.

Soho the Dog is talking about arts funding.

Musical Assumptions has a quote by John Rutter about inspiration.

Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society has a post about Andrew D’Angelo, who is currently in hospital with a brain tumor. Kinda makes me glad I’m in Australia, where we’ve all got a form of health insurance called Medicare - paid for by the government.

Cellomania talks about the frustrations we all share - having not enough time to do the practice we want to do.

Suzanne Smith on CelloChanChat talks about Music, Mind and Body.

Alban Gerhardt talks about Opus 118 - a “non-profit organization supporting this Music School in East Harlem”

Seattle PI has a story about a National Conversation on the Future of Classical Music.

Leo over at ZenHabits has a simple guide on how to be present for the Overworked and Overwhelmed.

Wednesday Inspiration - Holliger plays Mozart

This week’s inspiration comes from oboist Heinz Holliger playing Mozart’s Oboe Concerto

This is one of my favourite works for the oboe, and Holliger plays it exceptionaly well - one of the true masters of the instrument.

Guest Blog Tuesday

Well, no-one’s approached me yet, so I’ve had to improvise.

Teaching and playing professionally since the age of 19, DREW LECHER was appointed––at age 24––Professor of Violin, and later Viola, at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London. He further honed his teaching skills working with gifted children as Specialist Instructor of Violin, Viola & Chamber Music at the Wells Cathedral School in Somerset, England, and on the faculty of the City of London’s Pimlico School.

Philosophy––The most important individual in the studio is the student––what is best for them personally, academically and musically (both technically and artistically).

Teaching over 36 years, DREW LECHER has just published two books––Violin Technique, the Manual and Viola Technique, the Manual. Technique is the tool by which we accomplish the artistic and these books are a concise, easy to grasp collection of ‘kernels’––concepts and actions––that, as applied and elaborated upon provide both efficiency and accessibility for all levels––beginner to professional. Included is Terms & Tips, which deals with both the technical aspects of playing and explanations of frequently used musical terminology.

With either of these books you will develop a higher degree of understanding and mastery of the instrument, whatever your level of accomplishment.

A new area of concentration has recently developed––that of composition. “Prayer” is the first such completed and arranged work.
Source: The Drew Lecher Studio http://www.drewlecher.com

Drew Lecher has been posting a series of helpful tips on violinist.com with the theme “GPS” - and they’re such a useful series that I thought I’d post links to them here, at least, all the ones that have been posted so far.

“GPS” –– 1. Left Hand
“GPS” — 1.2 Left Hand RH
“GPS” — 1.3 Open & Closed
“GPS” –– 2.1 Shifting
“GPS” –– 2.2 Shifting
“GPS” –– 2.2b Shifting
“GPS” –– 2.2c Shifting
“GPS” –– 2.2c Shifting plus Vib tip
‘GPS’ –– 2.3 Shifting from an Open String
“GPS” –– 3.1 Upper Right Arm

Discipline

I recently read “The Mastery of Music” by Barry Green. While the whole book was a fantastic read, there was one chapter that struck a chord with me in particular, and that was the chapter on Discipline. I love music, and it’s obvious to others who later comment that they can see the love that I have for it. Yet my technical ability is often lacking. I know that I need to practice, but often days, or weeks go by with very little practice. I have felt that I needed to be inspired to practice, and so often I haven’t found that inspiration. Keep Reading »

Thursday Links - 31/01/2008

First collection of weekly links, from a number of blogs that I found interesting over the week.

From the Podium speaks about his life as a freelance musician

Stephen Britavi (Buri) talks about the road to speed - and issues to watch out for

Anna Hill talks about the life of a Travelling Musician and how it’s not the glam life it’s often made out to be

Arm Exercises from Jason Heath’s blog - One from Phillip Serna and another from Rob Oxoby

solitude in music has a wonderful day listening to music just recently. I especially like how he’s listening to a piece he’s going to go and see - a technique we should all use!

Although geared towards rock/contemporary musicians, KnowTheMusicBiz.com has posted a $52.45 music marketing plan. Some of the techniques on here should follow through to the classical music world.

Sequenza21 has posted an interesting post looking at the recently leaked Scientology video featuring Tom Cruise. It’s a great look at how the music can influence a video.

Tasmin Little has released her latest album on her website, available for Free download. Go! Grab it now!

Hucbald from A Monk’s Musical Musings posted a great practice technique - combining slow practice with forte practice. Go, Read, Use.

And finally, the San Francisco Chronicle posted a really interesting article looking at the “Freelance Freeway” - an area of San Francisco where there are many orchestras, and more freelance players than you can poke a baton at. An interesting insight to the life of a Freelancer.