In the field of body awareness methods there's one approach that happens to find a special appeal among certain musicians. This approach says that a musician who has tensions should just stop doing superfluous, "wrong" movements. These would then be saved and the "right" movements would appear by th...
Today I want to share with you what is, in my opinion, the Number One reason why we suffer from performance nerves.
Many musicians think, it's because they're technically not skilled enough, or not concentrated enough, or that the pressure is unbearable. But I think it's about something else.
With examples for clarinet, piano and viola
How do I practice for joy in music? How can I ensure that I can play the piece by heart? How do I manage not to tense up when I practice? What should I practice first, the notes or the sound or the music, or something else entirely?
These are some frequently asked questions in my seminars and individual sessions.
In this article I describe my approach, how I practice musical pieces that they get into my system "by themselves" and I stay relaxed and fresh. It consists of four simple steps, simple yet powerful, that can make a big difference in your practice. I apply them also with my piano students, and the best of it: they are really, really fun.
The most emotive moment in the film "Ratatouille" (Pixar, 2007) is the final scene, in which the antagonist, a restaurant critic, who on top of all things is called "Ego", visits our hero's restaurant to write a review. Of his opinion depends the future of the venue, for through his experience and r...
Only very few would say that they have a spiritual practice. And yet, anything we deepen over a certain period of time can become a spiritual path. For example, calligraphy, archery, tea ceremony... and also writing, coding, researching, running, making violins, sewing, dancing tango, playing the pi...
What happens when your performance nerves get the better of you, when you can't play how you know yourself? In a music university audition, this can decide whether you're offered a place to study, or not.
My colleague Cecilia, flute teacher, approached me to ask if I would work with her student An...
You're not really getting into a flow state when you practice? After one or two hours you're mentally and physically exhausted? It could be because you're stopping the flow in your body unknowingly: by holding your breath.
Breathing is the single most important thing to take care of when you're pr...
Why Christian Tetzlaff's statements are important and what it all has to do with resonance.
This week, an interview with Christian Tetzlaff in Strings Magazine caused a little sensation on the internet.
Concert violinist Tetzlaff answers the question, what he would tell today's young generation...
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