Here’s what I need to inspire me

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

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

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

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

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

A Call to Arms for Musicians of Light

Amplify Your 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

Musical Shifts of Consciousness

Last night I hosted a screening of a beloved movie, after which I experienced what is commonly called a “shift in consciousness”. I felt deep joy and connectedness, and my mind rose above worries for the future. All I wanted

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