The Musician's Way Blog

“One should hunger after the whole concept, the whole mood,
what the music stands for.”
–William Pleeth, cellist (The Musician’s Way, p. 71)

When we approach an unfamiliar composition, I recommend that we map out a preliminary interpretation before we deal with technical issues.

But once we have basic musical and technical issues in hand, how do we elevate our interpretation to concert level? Here are 6 ways.

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The June/July edition of The Musician’s Way Newsletter brings together 18 articles and online resources of value to musicians and all creative people.

For instance, resilience is essential to creative work because it enables us to learn from setbacks and keep progressing. An article by Daniel Coyle, author of The Talent Code, outlines ways to build resilience.

Another piece by musician and psychologist Robert Woody shows why having a warrior-like attitude toward practice ignites our motivation. Continue Reading

Pablo Casals

“Don’t give notes. Give the meaning of the notes.”
–Pablo Casals, cellist (The Musician’s Way, p. 34)

What does it take to give meaningful performances?

To begin with, we have to awaken our imaginations so that every pitch we play or sing vibrates with life.

Then, we have to respond deeply to the emotional fabric of a composition, which is the subject of this post. Continue Reading

“At each concert, music is created anew,
according to a performer’s imagination.”
–The Musician’s Way, p. 112

Whenever we perform, we aim for that “in-the-moment” feeling. We strive to immerse ourselves and our listeners in the emotion of the music.

Yet although we aspire to be freely creative on stage, we also need to be consistently accurate.

How can we unite spontaneous creativity with technical security? Here are four ways. Continue Reading

“I get an audience involved because I’m involved myself. If the song is a lament at the loss of love, I get an ache in my gut. . . . I cry out the loneliness.”
–Frank Sinatra, singer (The Musician’s Way, p. 188)

Some concerts provoke such deep feelings that audiences remember them for years.

How can we musicians put on unforgettable shows night after night? Continue Reading

“In music, one must think with the heart and feel with the brain”
–George Szell, conductor

Have you ever heard a note-perfect performance that was emotionally sterile or, on the flipside, a passionate one that was unbearably sloppy?

I’ve found that such performances occur often among music students.

And I think I know why as well as what to do about it. Continue Reading

“The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.”
–Francis Bacon, painter

We musicians have much to master along the road to acquiring expertise. And the demands of practice can sometimes be daunting.

But as we build up our skills, we need to remember that, in the process of assembling technical know-how, we also must grow our powers as creative artists.

How do we do that? How do we ‘deepen the mystery’ when practicing the likes of scales, etudes, ensemble parts, and orchestral excerpts? Continue Reading

“For you to perform with native inflection, you have to listen and listen
until you break through to the soul of a style.”
–The Musician’s Way, p. 98

We all enjoy listening to music. But there’s a level of musical perception that transcends ordinary hearing.

Deep listening, as I call it, pierces the essence of a composition and the way in which it’s performed. Continue Reading