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How to Cure “Musician’s Block”
Why do only writers get a name for dry spells in creativity (aka writer’s block)? All artists, whether it be painters, dancers, actors, or musicians, are prone to slumps in inspiration. Henceforth, let’s start referring to this as musician’s block (or musician’s Bloch is you like a good composer pun). An unfair advantage writers and other artists have over musicians is that they usually have a tangible stopping and starting point from which to resume. If a writer is stuck on the ending of a novel, their existing work doesn’t vanish. Musicians’ work is dependent on daily practice – a drop in creativity during an important performance or audition can…
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Why All State Auditions are Stunting your Musical Growth
Let me preface this post by saying that I have had nothing besides positive experiences from All State band and orchestra (except for the sporadic bouts of crippling self doubt and heart-palpitating audition anxiety, but that’s for another discussion). It is a great way to fuel competitive spirit among young musicians while fostering friendship and teamwork. I am still close friends with several people I met in All State band and orchestra nearly ten years ago (I even went to prom with a fellow All State clarinetist!). Social aspects aside, All State ensembles are an incredible opportunity for growing musicians. The key word here is “growing” musician. In middle and…
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Why You Should Fight for Music
If you’re a classical musician, I’m sure you’re well aware of the dismal funding for music programs in America. If you’re not a musician, maybe you’ve heard of budget cuts in local school systems and later realized the marching band that used to play at halftime shows was no longer doing so. Music is easily overshadowed by STEM programs (science, technology, engineering, and math) in America, with the flawed logic that other disciplines are not as useful or beneficial to the American economy and productivity. Musicians have argued this point relentlessly to save public music programs and fight bankruptcy for orchestras (Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Minnesota Orchestras have all faced financial…