making some changes!
Please forgive the weird appearance of the blog. I think something more cello-y will be up within a few days!
Category archive
Egg Sandwich and the case of the Jalapeno Popper
When I stayed with CelloGirl in Atlanta, I reveled the famously warm Southern hospitality: the weather was balmy, the city felt familiar and welcoming, and nearly every morning I was treated to an egg sandwich, CelloGirl style. There are an…
It lives!
Today, with trembling cursor and my trusty editor holding my hand via iChat, my first book, A Modern Cellist’s Manual was born. This book was the culmination of my experiences teaching mostly adults. Having largely rebooted my technique as a…
Back to LA, for now
Today is my last day in Atlanta. It was strange to watch the Oscars more than a few miles from the Kodak Theatre, but that’s something I’ll have to get used to if I am planning on making the move…
Off to Atlanta in the morning
Top 10 things I like about DC/Baltimore area, in no particular order: 4. (Well, I told you it was in no particular order) The Potomac River. 6. Old, old trees. They lie in thickets on the roadside, still buried in…
Postcard from Maryland
I’ve been too busy to take many pictures, but I think I will have the time to change that today. So far, I’ve had a lesson with Gottagopractice, two (fantastic, compelling, inspiring) interviews at JHU, and dinner at a Turkish…
Lucy gets a typewriter (Secret Cat Thoughts)
A question of priority
I’ve devoted numerous posts to jackassery. Students, musicians, massage threrapists, clamshell packaging, my own personal flailings. (flailing does not necessarily equal failing, but it sure looks dorky) I’ve even laid into other teacher archetypes from time to time. It was…
Updated Tour Information!
Friends, Romans, Cello-y people: now that I have specific dates and times for the DC and Atlanta events, some changes were appropriate. Ideally, I’d have DC registration done by the end of this week so I have some idea whether…
The Fringe Benefits of Failure, by JK Rowling
This was brought to my attention by a good friend who is familiar with the general theme of my teaching, and has been witness to some of my greatest triumphs, most of which sprung from the sting of utter failure.…
First impressions
I have a policy in my studio of never accepting a student who cancels their first lesson. What a meanie, right? And yet, the few times in the past when I have caved into the pressure to be amenable, I…
Turning an issue into an asset
Learning any difficult craft can end up being a metaphor for our relationship with ourselves. No sooner have we picked up the bow than a tree falls right in our path, preventing forward progress with its clear message of: Turn…
Tour details!
In case you’re not on the epic GoogleWave I’ve created to coordinate the tour and are interested in taking a lesson in either DC/Baltimore or Atlanta, here is the sign up sheet. DC dates are March 1-5, Atlanta is March…
Meet Joe, the Guest Blogger!
One of the many benefits of Twitter (aside from limiting otherwise verbose people to 140 characters) is meeting people who have some very similar tastes and a whole host of disparate ones. My Twitter associations are grouped into three large…
East Coast Tour!
Things are starting to take shape, so I would like to officially announce my East coast teaching tour! If you’re in the DC area, PA, the Carolinas or Atlanta, hit me up at tour(at)emilywright(dot)net. If you haven’t participated in an…
Rehabbing a busted arm
This morning, I played 100 notes on the cello. If this is the first time you’re reading my blog, that might sound like amateurish bragging. For SRCB veterans who know that it’s been less than a month since I had…
The Sound of Music (Education)
Lobbyists for any cause will invoke its importance, its relevance, its benefit to children. Music gets decimated because although the benefits to students are overwhelming, the people charged with defending its validity appeal to things like motor skills and math…
Words to live by.
Whether it’s getting a book published, striving for personal growth and perspective, or just trying to take a more disciplined bow stroke, each day offers us an opportunity to either persist or buckle under the strain of it all. I…
Secret New Year’s cat thoughts
with love
Just a quick note to say thank you to everyone who reads and comments and emails here and through my site. It is nice to feel appreciated, and even when I’m critiqued, I learn how to be a better teacher,…
There are only ten days of Cellomas this year.
So, the last day of Cellomas: 2009 Failtacular is a little short (I’m writing with 1.5 hands after the surgery) but such is life. The ninth day was a warning to choose your source of self-estimation carefully. Look out for…
Pretty good!
For those of you who aren’t doing the whole Twitter thing, a quick hello from ulnar recovery 2009! Right after the surgery, I could feel more of my pinky and ring fingers than I had in years. Still swollen and…
On the ninth day of Cellomas
My teacher told to me: Stay the course. Too often, aspiring musicians of all ages and echelons are swayed by things other people tell them. Various powerful people convince us that we’re worthless, or unpopular, out of sync, or nearly…
On the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth day of Cellomas
My teacher told to me: This one’s for the college bound youngsters, from my own experience and witnessing others. You never know who’s watching. Oh, musicians. We have our personality knobs turned up to 11, don’t we? Everywhere I turn,…
On the third day of Cellomas
My teacher told to me: Never EVER leave your instrument in your car. For any reason. Aside from superheating /freezing our delicate wooden boxes to the point of strings popping, bridges falling, seams opening and general archaic misbehavior, theft is…
On the second day of Cellomas
My teacher told to me: Don’t ignore any pain, especially pain that playing seems to make worse. My left arm started acting up when I was about 11, and I have a feeling that the doctors and my parents thought…
The 12 Days of Cellomas 2009 Fail-tacular!
Back for more, are you? Last year’s 12 days of Cellomas focused on practice habits, and looking back on them, they’re pretty good! This year, I’ve collected some stories and will share some of my own complete and utter, wish-you-could-turn-back-time,…
To the Men of Troy
Unlike many self-assured USC fans, this season’s rocky ride was not a surprise to me. Nor was it as horrifying or depressing for me as it seemed to be for other fans. I think the secret to my success and…
Greetings from Indiana!
Well, it is cold here. I’m finding it more bracing than debilitating, but I’m sure my adrenaline and excitement could be affecting me. Yesterday was a big day. Mimi had an itinerary for me that initially had me occupied from…
Musician’s Etiquette, via Oboe Insight
Rules to Live By! Patty Mitchell’s blog is great. Upon reading this list of Do’s and Don’ts, I cringed just a little bit. It’s been a while since I was truly immersed in the symphonic world, and the memories of…