Are you teaching music lessons? How is it feeling for you? Musicians often teach as a supplement to their income, and love both the intellectual challenge and the gratifying personalContinue readingPresence and Pricing
Practice Filters
I was talking with my FLOW group about our upcoming recital. Most of my participants have their pieces in pretty good shape, with a month to go. This is fantastic!Continue readingPractice Filters
Dance With the Voices
Last week in my Oboe Flow class, Dr. Andrew Parker was talking with us about performance nerves and he put it so well. He said, “Your approach needs to be two-prongedContinue readingDance With the Voices
Authenticity or Integrity
In my Flow class recently we played a game around the tones and timbres of the oboe. Each of us played a scale and asked the others to identify it.Continue readingAuthenticity or Integrity
When in Doubt, Play Beautifully
What does it mean to Play Beautifully? That’s what one of my FLOW oboists asked in our group this week. My teacher, Richard Killmer, used it as a mantra – “When inContinue readingWhen in Doubt, Play Beautifully
Glorified Long Tones
Last week I had the pleasure of hearing a student who SIMPLIFIED her air, her embouchure, and her approach, trusted the oboe, and let an entire slow movement gently unspoolContinue readingGlorified Long Tones
Taking Up Space
I’m thinking about the instinct we have to avoid taking up space, especially, though not exclusively, as women. I was in a zoom group coaching session recently and found myselfContinue readingTaking Up Space
Zooming Back to Work
Zoom has been a necessary evil this year – but emoting through it has been an obstacle that turned into an opportunity. It’s liberated my playing, and I invite you to let it liberate yours! … Continue readingZooming Back to Work
The Element of Surprise
I’m working with an adult oboist who can play beautifully but tends to melt down as soon as anything at all doesn’t go her way. And because it’s the OBOE,Continue readingThe Element of Surprise
The Magic of a PLAN
My student’s issue is that she loses her focus during long pieces and stops being able to play well. She starts out great and then her mind wanders and thenContinue readingThe Magic of a PLAN