Musicians have lost jobs, performances, and the joy of ensemble. But now that everything has been taken away from us, what more do we have to fear? This moment is an amazing opportunity to shift the direction of music.
6 Lessons from Falling on the Scree of Life
Last week I backpacked in Yosemite for 5 days with dear family friends. It was glorious beyond imagination. We went off-trail to Nelson Lake for 2 nights and then Cathedral Lake for another 2. The weather was perfect, and it
Claim the Gift of Opportunity
It’s almost August and I still have no idea if I’ll be returning to teach at 2 schools in September. Do I choose to see this as an obstacle or an opportunity? For too many years I have been stuck
Why Do Humans Hike?
My daughter and I took a beautiful 6-mile hike last weekend to Ramona Falls at the base of Mt. Hood. On the way, she asked, “Why do humans hike?” I said that we hike to satisfy our need as humans
Forests, Waterfalls and Racism
I spent yesterday in the church of Nature. I drove out past Silverton, Oregon to Shellburg Falls and hiked 1.5 miles through towering canopies of vine maples to waterfalls of purification and renewal. Connection. I felt supremely connected to all
New Beginnings
It’s time. I’ve taken a break from writing for so many reasons, but now I’m back, strong, inspired, uplifted and ready for what’s next. Adding my voice to the cacophony of these past few months seemed futile. I was unsure
What Yo-Yo Ma and I did yesterday at the same moment
I went live for an hour on Facebook yesterday to play healing cello music and discovered that Yo-Yo Ma did the exact same thing at the exact same time (#SongsOfComfort). Musicians, the world needs us. We may not be able
Remove the Lampshade (Shine Your Light #7)
The solstice is tonight. I am deep in wonder what the return of the light will bring. What will happen as I choose to stay open? Will I have the courage to take off my lampshade that hides my light?
Recharge Your Battery (Shine Your Light #6)
I blinked, and now it’s December. What a perfect time to celebrate Light! In the past 5 Shine Your Light articles, I’ve been talking about how to open, plug in, switch on, draw current, and energize. Each of these take will
Every Musician Should Give a TEDx Talk. Here’s Why.
I had imagined that the day after my TEDx talk I’d be physically and emotionally exhausted. But I wasn’t. Usually after an important performance, I experience a fabulous afterglow followed by a letdown, even a vulnerability hangover. But not this