Without a doubt, the best way to ensure a great audition and application experience for graduate school is adequate preparation. As I see it, there are two big ways to do this: organizational/application prep, and audition/mental prep. One thing I was I had done a little better would be organizing my materials and pre-screening requirements longContinue reading “Preparing for Graduate School Part 2: Adequate Preparation”
Category Archives: Tips
Preparing for Graduate School Part 1: Why and Where?
Recently, I have finished auditioning for graduate schools pursuing a degree in music performance. After the exhausting process I reflected on what I did right, what I wish I knew, and how others could be more prepared and know what to expect. The process of applying and auditioning for a Master’s program can be extensive,Continue reading “Preparing for Graduate School Part 1: Why and Where?”
Performance Majors: Sound
During a recent lesson I had with one of my professors, we discussed the expectations that should be held for performance majors. One idea struck me as so simple but something I believe is often overlooked. This little nugget of wisdom was as follows: the sound out of the horn should always be recording quality.Continue reading “Performance Majors: Sound”
Virtue Series: Originality & Energy
“There is no art without intention. You have to play with intent to commit something.” – Duke Ellington Originality and passion in what you do is something I feel very strongly about. We have all been told to imitate before you create, but maintaining individuality and style is what makes music so diverse and interesting.Continue reading “Virtue Series: Originality & Energy”
Virtue Series: Teamwork/Collaboration
As the second installment in the Virtue Series, I will be focusing on the great teamwork I experienced at the Savvy Musician in Action Retreat, and how that collaboration helped me grow and lead our team to create an idea much larger than any individual ever could have developed. This virtue is one I cannotContinue reading “Virtue Series: Teamwork/Collaboration”
Virtue Series
Recently, I had the fortune to attend David Cutler’s inaugural “Savvy Musician in Action” retreat where 57 musicians, entrepreneurs, and educators gathered to collaborate and learn about arts entrepreneurship. The knowledge and experience I gained are vast and will continue to influence my career. This is the first post in a 5 part-series called VirtueContinue reading “Virtue Series”
Preparation is the Key to Satisfaction
Prepare properly in a timely fashion, and nerves, uncertainty, and frustration can be avoided. The key to confidence, is preparation. Embarking on an audition, jury, or performance can be very stressful, for the amateur and the elitist. The difference between those who progress and those who fall behind is the methodical practice done beforehand. TheContinue reading “Preparation is the Key to Satisfaction”
Taking Responsibility
“Eventually we all have to accept full and total responsibility for our actions, everything we have done, and have not done. ” ― Hubert Selby Jr., Requiem for a Dream More important than taking credit for successes, is taking responsibility for failures, and learning from them. In music, it is one’s own responsibility to take the toolsContinue reading “Taking Responsibility”
Expecting More From Yourself
Far too often, musicianship is compromised in an ensemble setting. Focus drags, motivation lacks, and our general ‘nit-picky’ attention to detail diminishes. While playing in a large ensemble like an wind symphony or orchestra may seem to mask some errors, it simply does not. Playing to the best of your abilities regardless of the levelContinue reading “Expecting More From Yourself”
Harry Potter a Musician?
I am sorry to say that magic simply does not exist… in practice! Performers and teachers can have an ora, or a magical quality about them, but the way they obtained that is not magic. Some are accustomed to thinking that the Chicago Symphony has some powerhouse brass players, but what that magical affect actuallyContinue reading “Harry Potter a Musician?”
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