In an ideal world, we’d be building confidence in the practice room from one day to the next, but sometimes that can be easier said than done. It’s easy for the voice in our head to get very judge-y and negative and make us feel like we’re playing a never-ending game of whack-a-mole. Where every time we think we’ve solved a problem, a new one pops up to take its place.
Whether it’s getting through challenging passages that have become “a thing,” troubleshooting intonation in an ensemble without judgment, or making sure you’re not accidentally reinforcing bad habits when practicing slowly, bassoonist Benjamin Kamins has seen it or worked through it in his years as an orchestral musician, chamber musician, soloist, educator, and Alexander Technique teacher.
In this month’s interview, you’ll hear lots of anecdotes and tips for overcoming some of the common challenges we often encounter in the practice room and on stage.
Get all the nerdy details (and transcript) here:
Benjamin Kamins: On Self-Judgment, Slow Practice, and Reed-Making
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Have you been feeling a little stuck or stagnant in the practice room? Or has performance anxiety and the gap between practice and performance been a nagging issue that hasn’t changed, no matter how well you've prepared for performances, auditions - and even lessons?
If you’ve been wanting to experience more joy in the practice room and play more like yourself on stage, but haven’t been quite sure how to make that happen, starting June 10, 2025, I’ll be teaching a live, online, accelerated 2-week class on the most essential mental skills and practice strategies that can make a difference in your practicing and performing.
We’ll meet twice a week via Zoom and work on a series of exercises and techniques in four essential skill areas (effective practice, managing anxiety, focus, and confidence), together as a group. And to make sure the concepts become consistent habits, I'll show you how to gently integrate these new skills into your (or your students’) daily practice through bite-sized practice challenges alongside a supportive group of practice buddies from around the world. Registration is open now through 11:59pm on Sunday, June 8th.
Over 2000 musicians, educators, and students and learners of all ages have participated in the course to date. You can find out what alumni are saying, and sign up to join Cohort 23 at:
bulletproofmusician.com/essentials
The Bulletproof Musician