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
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
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.
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
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
Shine Your Light: Ten Ways in 30 Days

During this month of September, I invite you on a journey to increase your musical and spiritual brightness using the concept of light. Religions and spiritual practices reference both sound and light. I’m intrigued to see what they have in common,
Music, the Heart, and Hope
Tuning my share of 150 elementary string players before their joint rehearsal the other day was the perfect opportunity to practice sharing kindness and love from a relaxed heart. It kept me calmly focused, and definitely helped me perceive one
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
Music, Yoga, and the Divine Response
Live music & yoga: what incredible, dramatic impact they have on each other! I experienced this firsthand in February at the Northwest Yoga Conference. Then in March, I had the opportunity to collaborate with a yoga class, this time with a
5 Ways to Soften Musical “Scar Tissue”
I recently had the honor of teaching an esteemed colleague how to meditate. The next week he told me of an immediate benefit: “I was walking through my college campus during the Viola da Gamba Society Conclave—hundreds of viola da gambas everywhere—and passed