It's summer festival time and like seasonal allergies, there are a set of common symptoms you may experience. I spoke last week at the fantastic Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival and worked with a terrific set of musicians (YAY!). Afterward, I found myself thinking...
As a follow up to last week's post on letters of recommendation: have you ever had to write your own? Have you ever asked a student or intern to write her own? It's hard enough to convey someone else's distinctive strengths and detail what makes them a great...
MONDAY BYTES — March 9, 2015 What kind of feedback on your work (artistic or otherwise) has been the most useful? What was it that made it helpful?And when has feedback you've gotten been not helpful (even though it may have been well-intentioned or — maybe you...
MONDAY BYTES — February 16, 2015 As I write this we're experiencing the fourth snowstorm in three weeks and outside my windows in Boston is an unbelievable amount of the white stuff (7 ft total for 2015 so far). Snow days can be a great time for reflecting. It's...
MONDAY BYTES — October 20, 2014 What did you learn last week—about yourself, others, or about the world—that's going to help you do better this week? It's easy to focus on specific aspects of our performance, stage presence, or technique—or any logistical aspect of...
MONDAY BYTES – April 28, 2014 This past week I saw the Quilts and Color exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and it's a knockout. There's nothing like being stunned by color and pattern: each quilt has its own outrageous sensibility. For the viewer, it's...
MONDAY BYTES – December 16, 2013 It's human nature to want to assign blame to others. And it's all too common to hear musicians blaming their career slumps on the economy, the "old boys' network," or the lack of a manager, publicist, or a recording contract.While...
MONDAY BYTES – September 30, 2013 This week, at a workshop at Manhattan School of Music, two recent alumni spoke about the challenges and surprises they faced in transitioning from students to professionals. They each described how important it is to know who you are...
MONDAY BYTES - December 17, 2012 As 2012 draws to a close, it's a good time to review and reflect on the past year. Too often we're so busy DOING that we forget to take stock of our achievements, let along our motivations or the after-effects of these achievements!...
