PA Shorts: Finding Waldo
“You need to find Waldo,” I said. It was true. Maggie was working on polishing the Bartok Sonatina and it needed character, action, detail, and nuance to truly come to…
Taking My Own Medicine
Last Wednesday evening I played a recital with Soprano Cynthia Sanner. It was a privilege to play the repertoire she had chosen—some works were new to me and others I…
Vintage PA: Amateur Exploration 2
Yesterday''s wonderful post on amateur pianism by Fran Wilson, More Than Hobbyists, deserves some extra airtime. "...all the amateur pianists I have met and know play the piano because they…
The Anti-Masterclass
Antimatter: Any substance that, when combined with an equal amount of matter, results in the complete and direct conversion of all substance to energy. () Anti-Masterclass: Any masterclass that, when…
PA Shorts: Boundaries
"You can’t fill up when you’re holding your breath. And writing is about filling up, filling up when you are empty, letting images and ideas and smells run down like…
Smart Choices
Do you judge yourself as you practice? Those negative inner thoughts are human nature. Sometimes voices from the past echo in our heads. Sometimes, the thoughts have nothing to do…
Jack of all Trades
When you teach in an outlying area, you have to keep quite a few irons in the fire. This semester I have renewed my relationship with the harpsichord. Ours is…
Success = Yard Maintenance
Over the summer, I had to make some fundamental decisions about what and how much I do professionally. In order to make the changes needed, I was forced to ponder…