Just a few weeks ago we skirted the edge of the Camp Fire’s devastation as we drove by Paradise, CA. Choking on the heavy smoke, we walked into the Target in Chico, passing mountainous piles of donations for those who had
Giving the Gift of Love Through Music
I sat at the end of a quiet hallway at Randall Children’s Hospital and unpacked my cello for what seemed just a few passersby on the 4th floor unit. My idealism faded away—what good could my music truly do for
Ahimsa (Non-Violence), Competition, and Inspired Performance
When I entered Eastman as a Freshman in the fall of 1985, I needed a tool to survive being plunged into an intimidating sea of talent. In the first few weeks I was lifted up high by a wave (Principal
What Really Saved Me When I Got Hit By a Car
On Monday I paused at the top of the long downhill before me, feeling good. It had been a short and sweet 10-mile bike ride, and I was almost home. A few days previous I had taken this route and timed the
The “Perfect Joy” of Music
This morning I met with someone about my Transform Your Performance online course, which is built on the foundation of inner resonance and our tangible joy of music. On the way home, I was listening to a story of St. Francis and Perfect Joy. As St.
How in GRATItune are you?
A spontaneous test for you—attune yourself to gratitude right this moment, without any specific thing for which to be thankful. Just BE in gratitude. See how close to gratitude you can get in just the space of 3 deep relaxed breaths. Now please rate
Are You a Spiritually Independent Musician?
Is your spirituality tucked safely out of harms way? Have you ever yearned to bring into the secular world of the Arts the deep spiritual truths that you have experienced? Centuries ago we created a barrier separating the Arts and Sciences from the
The 13 Top Ten reasons why musicians know the basics of meditation
We’ve had musical experiences of deep joy and expansiveness – the reason why we became musicians in the first place. Our first music lesson? Stand or sit up straight, breathe correctly. We have opened ourselves to a teacher, something beyond