I wonder if you’ve had an experience where a leader (conductor, boss, teacher, manager, coach) tried to inspire you to give more in order to achieve their own goal of helping others. Service is always central to me as a
Facing the Great Critic
The spirit of the Great Critic accosts me as I imagine stepping back into the Eastman School of Music. From a huge Wizard of Oz-like face I hear these words echoing off the marble walls: “WHO ARE YOU? WHAT GREATNESS
Becoming Tough
I have always had difficulty relating to the word tough. As a boy full of sensitive feelings, I never gravitated to fighting or dangerous stunts. The risk of hurt was not worth the effort to be daring with my body
Hitting Rock Bottom – and finding my bedrock
Three weeks ago I faced the lifelong fear of being completely alone. I finally hit rock bottom. And then a week later as I came out of sedation for a hernia repair surgery, I knew that my life had just
My Anxiety and the Gift of Dissonance
Hi. My name is David. I’ve been meditating for 25 years, and I have anxiety. The low-level, disguisable, hide-it-behind-my-ego anxiety that slowly eats away at well-being. Background radio static in my energy that subtly influences my words and actions. When
Sound Journey at Princeton
This was one of the most fulfilling performances of my life. Ruth is an exquisite musician whose spirit soars through her voice. Such a joy to be in musical conversation in such a sacred space.
What Does Your Sound Say About You?
What do you hear in your own voice or those close to you? What pain can you recognize and address? What can you admit to, what can you let go of?
My Cello Broke Open
It was a nightmare dream. I had loaned my cello to a student, and they brought it back to me broken to bits. I mourned over the broken scroll and cracked top, wailing at the misfortune. Right before I bolted
Showing up with my whole self
At 2pm I was given last-minute tickets for the Portland Timbers soccer game that would start at 4:30. I grabbed my neighbor (who played and coached for 40 years) and off we went. As a kid, I was inspired by
The Gift of Witnessing
Is anyone else having week after week of new growth and understanding? Inner discoveries continue unabated. This week I performed online at a ceilidh with a group of new and old dear European friends. I realized by the presence with
Back on Track
I never thought life would turn this way. After leaving my marriage, I didn’t think there was more to come. The afternoon after finishing my AnandaCello album, I received very strong guidance to step back from the Ananda spiritual community,
Purity. Beauty. Love.
The tear rolled gently down my cheek as I lay on the couch, listening to Vladimir Martynov’s The Beatitudes played by the Kronos Quartet. The beauty and purity of the song was just too much for the loss I was feeling.
Back to Work!
In the space of the next month, I will be performing onstage with the Oregon Symphony (Mahler Symphony No. 2! complete with masked chorus!), at Pacific University and The Old Church with Kevin Lefohn, the violinist from the Bodhi Trio,
Did my music help to heal her?
Two nights ago, my Zoom window opened to an ICU unit in Hyderabad, India. A middle-aged woman lay on the bed, her breathing shallow and quick, eyes peacefully closed. Supplemental oxygen went into her nose, under sedation. She was to
Joy in the Guise of Hope
As a teacher, my desire is to pass along the inspiration I feel, the knowledge I’ve gained. As I venture day by day into the gift of getting to know my true Self, I’m often challenged with how to present
Wonder what my new favorite word is?
It’s a simple word that opens up possibility. It’s a major part of inquiry based learning. It opens up the inner experience, which is key for developing an inside-out approach to whatever we do. The word is… There it is.
A Sine from God
A sine wave, that is! Happy New Year everyone!! I’m giving talks next weekend for the Recharge: Health Global Retreat, and have been preparing by researching more on the healing power of music. One of the most intriguing things I’ve
snow, mistakes, and love
I put on my clunky oversized snow boots and slopped through the frozen slush. Everything was canceled, and I needed to move my body. My mind needed a break, and my heart yearned for completeness, and as I trudged along,
National Anthem of Love
I was invited to arrange and perform the Star Spangled Banner for a Portland Trailblazers basketball game on St. Valentine’s Day with Carin Miller, principal bassoonist for the Oregon Symphony. Being the day that it was, I wondered how could
Shaming – what is your story?
Many of us have endured teachers and conductors (maybe even family and friends) who used subtle or overt shaming to motivate or change. If you feel brave enough to share, I’m gathering examples that perhaps were meant to be harmless,
Unwind the Past, Uncover the Future
I lay on the massage table, ready for change. Ever since I was a teenager, my right thumb has given me problems while holding the bow, and 2 weeks ago I finally put it together – I broke my right
Sound listens.
My friend lay face up on the pad in front of me for a sound healing session, seeking to ease the dark pit of grief from her mother’s passing. I told her that I had no magic notes to make