On being sure-footed
Traveling with Lucy the WonderCat has been an adventure. I’m sure she’ll tell you all about it when she gets her typewriter back. Anyway, as a loyal JetBluer, I went out to get the “Jet Paws” pet carrier in accordance with their specs. Unfortunately, Lucy’s, er, dimensions, did not do well with their compact design. […]
It’s a cello-y post!
Oh, internets, how I missed thee! I seriously hugged my laptop just then. Due to a screw up of epic proportions, it looks like your friendly neighborhood cellist will be sleeping on the floor in her swanky (vacant) new place for an additional ten days. Last night marked my eighth as a member of Floor […]
Hey, cellist.
When you have a large number of adult students, it seems like everyone takes turns being injured. It’s hard on everyone involved, especially because most people hurt themselves after a breakthrough. A simple case of overuse gets ignored to the point of very serious physical impediment because at long last, when all seemed lost, the […]
What I want to do when I grow up
It’s hard for me to get used to this blog being read by colleagues and future employers. I think it will always feel like a bit of personal correspondence or a note to myself. I think part of what makes me me is that I am relatively unguarded, and though this blog may be full of […]
Sitting in the fire
There are just some days where perspective fails and we are convinced that playing music sucks. Or rather, that as we are attempting it, music sucks. Both are false, but that’s not much consolation when you’re in the middle of a crummy practice session. When you’re mayor of Crapville, Grand Marshal of the Futility Parade, […]
Fired
Again, from the Twitter files: why would I “fire” a student? First, you should know that “firing” is a term I use with humor. Very rarely do I have to genuinely dismiss a student with unpleasant connotations. Normally, it’s a talk that starts with me asking if there’s anything I should know, and one that […]
from the mailbag
Oooh weeeee I LOVE a request! Wendy wanted me to talk a little more about breathing after a conversation she had with a tuba player. (we won’t tease her too much about that). First stealthy secret about breathing: If you hold your breath, you probably don’t know you’re doing it. I want you to assume […]
Cheerful Relentlessness
Maybe some of you remember Devin. He was a very special student of mine who, despite a massive brain injury that resulted in virtually no ability to retain information for more than 2-3 minutes, managed to make major strides on the cello. His caretakers noticed a difference in his retention of other information, too. Something […]
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 so much fun, I thought I’d do it again. Ok, it’s not fun, but sometimes […]
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. It ties in nicely with my upcoming seminar series about The Talent Code, where the […]
