“Skilled musicians shrewdly blend playing with rest to deflect fatigue and preserve an artistic edge.” The Musician’s Way, p. 244 We musicians need to look after our health if we’re to perform at our best. One could reasonably expect, then, that music schools...
“The earlier the symptoms are recognized and treated, the sooner and more completely recovery occurs.” -Richard Norris, M.D. The Musician’s Way, p. 246 At some point in our lives, most of us musicians incur injuries that affect our ability to play or sing....
“Three qualities are essential in a professional musician… the first is good health and the other two are the same.” Mark Hambourg, pianist -The Musician’s Way, p. 241 Whether we make music as professionals, students or amateurs, we strive to create transcendent...
“For singers, voice care is a 24/7 operation.” The Musician’s Way, p. 277 Although everyone benefits from maintaining vocal health, singers need to be extra vigilant to keep their voices in top condition. Even so, when a singer’s voice doesn’t feel right,...
“Advantageous postures have an active quality; they’re always subtly in motion.” -The Musician’s Way, p. 251 In his book, On Piano Playing, Gyorgy Sandor identifies two features of beneficial postures: stability and mobility. That is, they support the weight of...
“The vocal folds need to be lubricated with a thin layer of mucus in order to vibrate efficiently. The best lubrication can be achieved by drinking plenty of water.” -Texas Voice Center The Musician’s Way, p. 270 The human voice is perhaps the most sublime of...
“Ten dubious repetitions plus a single accurate one don’t equal security.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 52 Naïve practicers might repeat a passage profusely and make error after error. Then, on the eleventh try, when it finally comes out right, they say, “There, I’ve got...
“Like visual artists who learn to work safely with toxic paints and chemicals, musicians need the expertise to handle high-intensity sounds.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 283 We musicians fundamentally rely on our hearing, yet music school curricula have scarcely addressed...
“By safeguarding your hearing, you don’t just look after your music career; you preserve your quality of life.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 278 If you’re fortunate enough to have healthy hearing, it’s likely that you take your ability for granted. Yet...
