Last Sunday I had the tremendous honor of performing the first movement of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with my Bodhi Trio and the Pacific University orchestra. When I perform repertoire I’ve known for decades, it’s easy to let the fingers do
Discoveries from the Heart of Yoga, Music and Meditation
Last weekend I helped design and lead a workshop that combined yoga and a live music experience for the Northwest Yoga Conference. Using music in yoga classes is nothing new, but we decided to offer live music not as background,
Walking the Fine Line
As a public school employee, I have to be careful about how I introduce meditation in the classroom. Thankfully, mindfulness practices have been accepted into public education by focusing on improving awareness and paying attention, bypassing religious dogmas and debates. But
It’s Time to Redefine Our WHY of Music
Imagine working towards a high-level performance: tensions build, expectations rise. Breath tightens. Cortisol flows increasingly into your bloodstream to cope with the stress, leading to eventual disease of body and mind. We justify it all as perfectly acceptable, because “the
Spring Overwhelm – How Do You Deal?
Do you ever get overwhelmed this time of year? I’m preparing for a stretch of very intense performing, teaching and presenting, and sometimes my mind and body rebel against my best intentions. What’s the best thing to do? I’ve learned over
What Was Your First Musical Epiphany?
An epiphany (from the ancient Greek ἐπιφάνεια, epiphaneia, “manifestation, striking appearance”) is an experience of sudden and striking realization. Generally the term is used to describe scientific breakthrough, religious or philosophical discoveries, but we can also use it to describe those
2nd of 10 Obvious Inaudibles: Focus
A 19-year old pianist recently showed me the power of focus. I heard Aaron Petit perform at the Young Musicians and Artists Camp in Salem this past summer. He played with impressive passion and precision, and drew us all very deeply into the
1st of 10 Obvious Inaudibles: Fear
In this series I’ll be presenting the qualities we experience in performance that go beyond the audible. 1. Fear (including worry and anxiety) Although fear can be heard in your sound from shaky hands or breath, some scientists say that
Notes from a Journey into “Center Everywhere”
What an amazing tour through California! It succeeded far beyond my expectations, and expanded my understanding, friendships, and new connections. It began with a great day at the YMA Camp where I presented Meditation for Musicians to the 100 young singers
Fear, Courage, and My Misunderstood Pulse
Like many, my heart rate increases when I audition behind a screen. It’s distracting and annoying. As a 20-year meditator, I’d like to tell you that my years of inner practice has completely fixed this. But I can’t, because it hasn’t—yet. So