The Musician's Way Blog

“Beware of missing chances; otherwise it may be altogether too late some day.”
–Franz Liszt

October 22, 2011 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Franz Liszt.

Although best known for his virtuosity as a pianist, beyond being a superstar soloist, Liszt was also a prolific composer, writer, and all-around music entrepreneur.

He forged his own path and musical identity, contributed broadly to the evolution of Western music, and left behind an enduring legacy.

In celebration of his bicentennial, in this post, I’ve compiled links to some of the extraordinary Liszt resources available on the Web. Continue Reading

“To make the most of a performance, the key is to be open to your experience and to discover new things in both the music and yourself.”
The Musician’s Way, p. 208

The April/May edition of The Musician’s Way Newsletter looks into career-building strategies, new products and services for performers, and remarkable sites offering free access to high-quality audio- and video-recorded performances.

Music teachers will find valuable resources, too, including a new training program for music academy owners that enables them to achieve extraordinary success. Continue Reading

“Deep practice entails achieving mastery, integration, and transcendence with everything that you play or sing.”
-The Musician’s Way, p. 20

The December-January issue of The Musician’s Way Newsletter has now arrived in subscribers’ inboxes.

With more content than ever, this issue looks at job prospects for musicians, fresh online resources, new publications, tips for writing program notes, and more.

To subscribe and view the newsletter archive, visit the sign-up page on MusiciansWay.com.

Miles Davis

“Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there.”
–Miles Davis, trumpeter and composer

Miles Davis poetically captures the essence of artistic musicianship.

That is, we don’t pursue musical excellence to retrace other performers’ steps. Rather, we strive to express our unique musical voices and create something new.

How do we attain such comprehensive fluency? Continue Reading

“Playing is never difficult; it is either easy, or it is impossible.”
-Kato Havas, violinist (The Musician’s Way, p. 21)

Thanks to the brainy primates at MailChimp.com, the October 2010 issue of The Musician’s Way Newsletter has now arrived in subscribers’ inboxes.

As usual, this issue features links to diverse resources of interest to both aspiring and veteran musicians. Included are links to notable sites offering free scores, career-building strategies, and more. Continue Reading

Robert Schumann

“It is music’s lofty mission to shed light on the depths of the heart.”
–Robert Schumann, composer and pianist

June 8, 2010 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Robert Schumann (1810-1856).

The quintessential Romantic composer, Schumann wrote more than 150 works of exceptional variety. And the radiance of his musical voice continues to enchant audiences worldwide. Continue Reading

On March 1, 2010, we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Frédéric Chopin.

In honor of this occasion, I’d like to share with you a few thoughts about Chopin’s music and bring together links to valuable sites offering scores, information, and more. Continue Reading