Passion Grows With Skill

Parents often encourage their kids to "follow their passions." This seemingly good (or at least innocent) advice turns out to have some problems. Certainly for some, it works well. If you are lucky enough to have a clear passion early on, and are supported in pursuing it, lucky you! Most, however, don't have such a driving passion early on, and as they are exposed to and pursue various interests, these pursuits inevitably become difficult at some point, leading to frustration, and some thought like "perhaps I'm not really meant to do this."


Below is an excellent article advocating for a different mindset. One in which we should allow passion to grow alongside skills. That as we overcome obstacles and acquire competence, passion tends to follow, usually connected with feelings of accomplishment and rooted in an earned self-esteem.

My thoughts in reading the article, of course, went to parents and young music students. I've been aware for a long time that this is, in fact, the real pattern. That students that somehow do enough work to build the skills of music-making are the ones who reap the many benefits, including in some cases a growing passion to make it central to their lives for ever.

Piece of Cake!

Anyone who has practiced anything is familiar with the problem. One day you work on some spots and get them right; the next day, when you come back it feels as if you have to start all over. Sometimes this cycle seems to go on and on. If this is all too familiar to you, try this strategy. Your solution may just be a piece of cake! (chocolate for me, please)

CelloBello Masterclasses

just promoting some sure-to-be wonderful cello masterclasses that will be live streamed from the New England Conservatory. see this link.

all classes are 2-5 Eastern Standard Time and available through CelloBello.com

October 17
Paul Katz

January 23
Natasha Brofsky

February 6
Yeesun Kim

March 27
Laurence Lesser

Dana Gioia advocating for better arts education

Dana Gioia's 2007 Commencement address at Stanford University has been reprinted in several places and versions. The version below was in the Wall Street Journal (link).

Key point for me:

"The purpose of arts education is not to produce more artists, though that is a byproduct. The real purpose of arts education is to create complete human beings capable of leading successful and productive lives in a free society."

Early Music Lessons Have Longtime Benefits By PERRI KLASS, M.D.

Early Music Lessons Have Longtime Benefits

By PERRI KLASS, M.D.

Michele Higa George on what Suzuki music education is really about

I listen to color

Study: Playing Music in Groups Increases Empathy

Music of kindness: Playing together strengthens empathy in children June 13, 2012 in Psychology & Psychiatry

A year-long study on children’s music-making indicates that playing music in groups on a regular basis greatly improves a child’s ability to empathise with others.

...and more Why Music?

Two articles below from the same LA Times blog:

Favorite line from the first one: "I've just gotten used to repeating one phrase until I can play it at the proper speed, and well, and musically."

Could this skill have broader cognitive effects?

The second post is on how participation in music--not just passive listening--is necessary in order to get the broader cognitive benefits.

Why Music?

My belief is that quality music education should be considered basic and fundamental to any education, and the earlier the better. I occasionally post articles, videos, etc. that support this idea.

Mental benefits of music lessons echo years after practice ends

By Melissa Healy, Los Angeles TimesFor the Booster Shots Blog

August 21, 2012, 11:00 a.m.

Teacher Tree

I did a little research for fun to see what I could find out about my cello "family" tree. I thought it would be good for my students to see that they are connected to all those names at the top of their music. This shows student/teacher relationships going back as far as I could. They are vertically arranged by birth date. The colors are just to help make it easier to follow in the crowded areas. Hope you can see it. I'm not sure how to make it bigger.

HaRD enough

During practice, there is too easy, too hard and just hard enough to be really making progress. Staying in that zone is tricky, but one sign post to look out for is the phase I call HRD. It stands for a "Halting Run-through with Do-overs" (thanks to James Stern for the term). It should sound familiar to anyone who has ever tried to learn some music. It means that you can get through the passage or section (or whole thing) but you have to stop and start and sometimes go back to correct mistakes.

The Basic Practice Process

On the whiteboard in my studio for the past year or two has been (among other things) the following:


1. Stop
2. Change
3. Easy
4. Add Something


I think of this as the basic practice loop or process. I refer to it often during lessons, and I'll briefly elaborate here.

Beautiful Essay on Our Over-Scheduled Lives

Mary Elliott: Children at Play

Pickup, Beat or Rebound?

Shaping a musical line is one of the basic aspects of expression. Every note has a role within a gesture or within a longer phrase. It helps to think of each note as either a pickup, a beat, or a rebound.