I’m not the only musician fostering a love/hate relationship with social media. The other day, I lamented that there was this constant pressure to provide evidence of work- and worth. There’s a lot to be curated: a web site,…
So after an explosive start, the weekend fundraising was…nominal. I suppose I’m trying to see how things develop organically without cluttering up the internet with frequent posts that will only annoy the people whose support I am trying…
Day 1 was epic and incredibly emotional. I am overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity that has been shown to me. Within 4 hours of launch, nearly $3500 had been raised! I was particularly moved by a donation from…
Go here if you’d like to contribute to the cello fund. I’ll try to keep it as low-key and unobtrusive as possible. Thank you for all of your support over the past few years. even if you can’t contribute…
Goals 1. Fundraise, without shame, the remaining $16,000 balance on the cello that is currently lying on its side next to me. It’s taking a long time to edit the video the fundraising site requires, and…
“I don’t want to hear myself cry”. I find incredible depth in those words, and in their timing. Ellen took it to the next level. PS: She rocks the half sleeve like a boss.…
I was talking with someone about the upheaval that’s been a characteristic flavor of the past few years, and he said, “Well, I know you: it’s about time for your next reinvention.” At the moment, I didn’t think…
I need your advice. I have a teenage student who has not responded positively to any approach, though he is progressing as well as anyone who has a pulse and thrashes away at the instrument a few times…
One of the most frustrating things about teaching is seeing a student work like crazy and still not make music. It’s part of the Note Salad effect: all of the ingredients are there, but with little or no relation to…
New video post should be up tomorrow. For now, a picture of the cathedral in the sopping-wet snow of yesterday’s anticlimactic storm.
Kettler Capitals Iceplex, Arlington, VA.
I’ve started to internalize some of the wisdom that has been around for, well, eternity: Do things that make you happy. Screw the economy and the burden of expectations. Things are not the same now, and they will continue…
The first time I was formally introduced to the concepts of mindfulness and maitri (aka metta or loving kindness) was during an epic meltdown freakout after a relationship tanked in the mid 2000s. I was in a bad way, and…
5 things I wish more adult students would do: 1. Stay focused on whatever we’re working on in lessons. You would not believe how tough this is! I understand the inclination to want to patch every hole in…
I tell my students that much like gasoline is a byproduct of the oil refining process, frustration is a symptom of learning. It means that changes are happening, that you’re bumping up against things that hold you back.…
Guess which part I screamed “YES” at?
In late October, I watched the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary “Broke”. It details the oft-repeated parable of young professional athletes coming into giant sums of money in the early part of their careers and the subsequent inability to cope…
The day before Veteran’s day is the Marine Corps’ birthday, and this year I was lucky enough to score an invite to the MCB Quantico ball. As the evening began, we had cocktails and chit-chatted with the people at…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rpOvYWd4KW4
I have spent much of my life being critiqued. As musicians, we never stop being on the receiving end of strong opinions from our instructors, conductors, snarky colleagues and music critics. Mostly, we vacillate between periods of…
As a thank you for helping him choose an instrument, one of my students drew this for me: a Marine playing the cello. This could not be a more timely reminder of what’s important. I really do need my…
Once there was a tree, probably germinated in the Bavarian forest around the turn of the 19th century- and this tree was felled, bucked, hauled and delivered to the workshop of a luthier. Although we cannot be sure of…
So I write for Strings. Some reviews, some technical pointer style pieces- for the past 6 months, I’ve been churning out a series of articles condensing some of the workshops that took place at this year’s ASTA conference. They’re…
Through the magic of Twitter, I was contacted by the fabulous English composer Alison Wrenn, who wanted some stick-figure illustrations for her book of beginning cello trios. Of course, I couldn’t resist. They just went on sale here,…
This.
I was chatting with a friend from California the other day and he said it seems like I’ve adjusted to east coast living. It got me thinking about the differences between the two places, and how moving away from…
I just realized that my primary aim as an instructor is not to convey information but rather to do whatever it takes to foster the bravery required to continue learning. In this respect, I guess I’m more of a coach than…
I keep thinking about some Yeats I read a while back. Labour is blossoming or dancing where The body is not bruised to pleasure soul. Nor beauty born out of its own despair, Nor blear-eyed wisdom…
When I was taking flying lessons, I joined the Cessna Diamond Club. That’s the group of pilots who have a perfect diamond-shaped scar on their foreheads from walking into the trailing edge of the wing, usually in preflight checklist haste.…
I’m a city girl. I’m an escapist. I love road trips. Maybe it doesn’t matter how I begin this stupid post. To put it bluntly: I love this city but hate this apartment. I was in such a hurry…