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
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
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
The Secret Beyond Stillness
(This blog is from the mystical side of my musical/spiritual practice) I use music daily before meditation to awaken my relationship with the Divine, chanting sacred sanskrit verses with my harmonium. The effect is always uplifting, energizing and centering, but
Walking the Talk Amidst Crashing Worlds
I’m in the midst of a tumultuous situation that rips out my heart and stomps on it, with no easy solution in sight. It’s not important for you to know details, but I bet you’ve felt something like it in
Inspired Music – a Pathway to Higher Consciousness
I love the clean slate of January: a chance to set intentions and renew my sense of purpose. Fueled with energy to change the “old” by bringing in the “new,” I’m ready to clarify, expand, and uplift. For me, 2019 will
A Call to Arms for Musicians of Light

I grew up in Pittsburgh. Yesterday’s attack hit me hard. My weekly cello lessons with Michael Lipman took place just blocks away from the synagogue. Again the question arises: what can I do in response? Last night at the Oregon Symphony,
Stop the Reactive, Engage the Responsive
The first major benefit I noticed when I began meditating 22 years ago was that I started making progress much faster. I thought it was magic! But it turns out that as we meditate, we awaken the prefrontal lobes of
The Thrill of Liberating Progress
We’ve all felt it—the moment we wake up into a new realm of sound production, technique, or level of mastery. A thrill from the core of our being that revitalizes and empowers our hope, and reminds us in a flash
Courageous Peace
I longed for a lasting experience of Peace. I found it in nature: at the coast and on the lakes, in mountains and forests. I found Peace in slow movements of Brahms’ Second Piano Concerto and Ravel’s Piano Concerto for