The Mind Over Finger Podcast

This is a special episode where I offer you a recap of the concepts we’ve covered during the Joyful Practice Challenge in March of 2022. Focusing on joy in practice is a powerful tool in becoming more efficient, and you’re in for a treat because I have everything you need to get started in this episode! You’re going to hear insight from Rachel Barton Pine, Mary Elizabeth Bowden, Vijay Gupta, Tom Hooten, Kim Kashkashian, Brian Lewis, Jennifer Montone, Laurie Niles, Elizabeth Rowe, Ralph Skiano, Mimi Zweig, and yours truly, and we will cover a wide variety of topics, from presence, to rewards, exploration, discovery, using technology, recording yourself, observing your thoughts, and many more. This episode is going to help you bring more awareness, presence, engagement, fun, and results in your practice.   GRAB YOUR FREE COMPANION GUIDE AND ACCESS ALL LIVE VIDEO LINKS TO THIS CURRENT AND TO THE PAST CHALLENGES HERE.   THE MUSIC MASTERY EXPERIENCE - YOUR LIFE CHANGING MUSICAL EXPERIENCE: BOOK A CALL AT www.mindoverfinger.com/musicmasteryexperience

I'm so happy to bring you someone phenomenal and highly inspiring on the podcast this week: I'm speaking with oboe player, teacher, entrepreneur, coach, and author Jennet Ingle. We had a great time covering of variety of topics in our conversation, including what shaped her career and got her where she is today, what it looks like to be a multi passionate performer entrepreneur, how to start taking agency in your career, her fantastic book, The Happiest Musician, and so much more! I know you're going to walk away with so many ideas and find yourself really inspired by Jennet’s wisdom! Jennet elaborated on: How she got started (04:09) and what lead her to a portfolio career she loves (06:18) The various hats she wears in her career (08:00) How she transformed her teaching career and created a new impactful way to reach oboists (13:44) Her awesome new book, The Happiest Musician (22:05) Her thoughts on the Tall Poppy Syndrome (33:57) The habit that contributed to her success, the skill she thinks young musician should acquire, what balance looks like for her, and her actionable tip for the listeners (38:44)  MORE ABOUT JENNET: Website: https://jennetingle.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennetingleoboist Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennetingle/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jennetingle The Happiest Musician: https://amzn.to/3JkOV6g Happiest Musician Workshop Series: https://jennetingle.com/product/happiest-musician-workshop-series/     THE MUSIC MASTERY EXPERIENCE: Enrollment for THE life-changing, highly personalized group coaching program for musicians is now open! You will go beyond just strategies and methods by getting to the root cause of issues and unlock everything that’s keeping you stuck to help you experience amazing results (in every level of your music-making and life). We cover everything from practice methods that work, to performance preparation strategies that have you perform with confidence, and mind management techniques that will remove all the obstacles and self-limiting beliefs that hold you back. So if you’re ready to make big dreams, plans, and more happen in your musical life, book a call today at MindOverFinger.com and let’s make it happen.     THANK YOU: A HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly, who works really hard to make this podcast as pleasant to listen to as possible for you. Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show’s musical theme.  Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson. Thank you to pianist-singer-song-writer Louise Kelly for the introduction!  You can find out more about Kelly and her creative work by visiting louisekelly.com.    MIND OVER FINGER: Visit MindOverFinger.com for resources on mindful practice and information on how to work with me. Sign up for my newsletter and receive your free guide to a highly productive mindful practice using a metronome. Don’t forget to join the Join the Mind Over Finger Community  for access to my live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians. mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfinger https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/

This week in the Try it at Home series we unpack and apply in our lives the wisdom of world-renowned double bass player and pedagogue Paul Ellison.  Just for you, I’ve created a free resource that has all the steps I’m about to share.  Download it HERE to follow along and continue the reflection after the episode.  You can also find the link in mindroverfinger.com/resources. Catch Paul’s conversation with me on the Mind Over Finger Podcast in episode 125 at https://mindoverfinger.libsyn.com/

For this episode, I’m delighted to bring you one of the world's leading teachers and performers of the Double Bass, the legendary Paul Ellison. This is a really powerful conversation that I know will have you walk away feeling completely inspired! Paul shares with us his wisdom on practicing, learning, and teaching.  Wherever you are in your musical journey, there is something for you in this interview.   MORE ABOUT PAUL: Videos featuring Paul - https://www.google.com/search?q=paul+ellison+bass&source=lmns&tbm=vid&bih=1611&biw=3200&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS974US974&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwirk8yhxdX2AhVhB50JHRldCHMQ_AUoBHoECAEQBA   Books Paul Recommends: (henri, please keep those links – they’re my associates links, thanks!) A Soprano on Her Head: Right-Side-Up Reflections on Life and Other Performances - https://amzn.to/3D0M8Oi Superlearning 2000: New Triple Fast Ways You Can Learn, Earn, and Succeed in the 21st Century - https://amzn.to/3tp9idI Performing in The Zone: Unleash your true performing potential! - https://amzn.to/3tpQX0l   THE MUSIC MASTERY EXPERIENCE: Enrollment for THE life-changing, highly personalized group coaching program for musicians is now open! You will go beyond just strategies and methods by getting to the root cause of issues and unlock everything that’s keeping you stuck to help you experience amazing results (in every level of your music-making and life). We cover everything from practice methods that work, to performance preparation strategies that have you perform with confidence, and mind management techniques that will remove all the obstacles and self-limiting beliefs that hold you back. So if you’re ready to make big dreams, plans, and more happen in your musical life, book a call today at MindOverFinger.com and let’s make it happen.   THANK YOU: A HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly, who works really hard to make this podcast as pleasant to listen to as possible for you. Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show’s musical theme.  Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson. Thank you to pianist-singer-song-writer Louise Kelly for the introduction!  You can find out more about Kelly and her creative work by visiting louisekelly.com.    MIND OVER FINGER: Visit MindOverFinger.com for resources on mindful practice and information on how to work with me. Sign up for my newsletter and receive your free guide to a highly productive mindful practice using a metronome. Don’t forget to join the Join the Mind Over Finger Community  for access to my live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians. mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfinger https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/

This week in the Try it at Home series we unpack the wisdom of Joe Alessi together and apply it in our lives.  Just for you, I’ve created a free resource that has all the steps I’m about to share.  Download it here to follow along and continue the reflection after the episode.  You can also find the link in www.mindroverfinger.com/resources.   THE MUSIC MASTERY EXPERIENCE: Enrollment for THE life-changing, highly personalized group coaching program for musicians is now open! You will go beyond just strategies and methods by getting to the root cause of issues and unlock everything that’s keeping you stuck to help you experience amazing results (in every level of your music-making and life). We cover everything from practice methods that work, to performance preparation strategies that have you perform with confidence, and mind management techniques that will remove all the obstacles and self-limiting beliefs that hold you back. So if you’re ready to make big dreams, plans, and more happen in your musical life, book a call today at MindOverFinger.com and let’s make it happen. Catch Joe’s conversation with me in its entirety on the Mind Over Finger Podcast in episode #123

Welcome to today’s conversation with Joseph Alessi, Principal Trombone with the New York Philharmonic. In our conversation, Joe shares wonderful wisdom on many topics, including the importance of fundamentals, the types of mindset that are helpful to nurture, tips on performance preparation, helpful habits to adopt, and so much more.  I know that you're going to find this discussion really interesting and will take a lot of Joe’s insight with you in the practice room today! We covered: How Joseph’s artistic journey has unfolded (3:53) What his mindful, efficient practice looks like (07:58) The importance of having a clear image before you play, using skills like conducting and emotive singing (13:17) Consistently bringing a performance mindset into your practice room (19:18) Joseph’s approach to teaching (25:26) Additional skills musicians should hone (33:30) How Joseph’s habit of planning contributed to success (37:37) LINKS: Website: https://slidearea.com/ Alessi Music Studios: http://alessimusicstudios.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josephalessi_ny/   WATCH JOSEPH TALK ABOUT THE TROMBONE & PRACTICING: New World Symphony: https://musaic.nws.edu/videos/audition-preparation-and-style All-star Orchestra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qld3ZF3-qWo SOAxNYPhil Virtual Masterclass 3: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=750234919063308    THE MUSIC MASTERY EXPERIENCE: Enrollment for THE life-changing, highly personalized group coaching program for musicians is now open! You will go beyond just strategies and methods by getting to the root cause of issues and unlock everything that’s keeping you stuck to help you experience amazing results (in every level of your music-making and life). We cover everything from practice methods that work, to performance preparation strategies that have you perform with confidence, and mind management techniques that will remove all the obstacles and self-limiting beliefs that hold you back. So if you’re ready to make big dreams, plans, and more happen in your musical life, book a call today at MindOverFinger.com and let’s make it happen.   THANK YOU: A HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly, who works really hard to make this podcast as pleasant to listen to as possible for you. Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show’s musical theme.  Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson. Thank you to pianist-singer-song-writer Louise Kelly for the introduction!  You can find out more about Kelly and her creative work by visiting louisekelly.com.    MIND OVER FINGER: Visit MindOverFinger.com for resources on mindful practice and information on how to work with me. Sign up for my newsletter and receive your free guide to a highly productive mindful practice using a metronome. Don’t forget to join the Join the Mind Over Finger Community  for access to my live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians. mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfinger https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/

This week in the Try it at Home series we unpack the wisdom of Mary Elizabeth Bowden together and apply it in our lives.  just for you, I’ve created a free resource that has all the steps I’m about to share.  Download it here to follow along and continue the reflection after the episode.  You can also find the link in www.mindroverfinger.com/resources.   SIGN UP FOR THE JOYFUL PRACTICE CHALLENGE AT WWW.MINDOVERFINGER.COM   Catch Mary’s conversation with me in its entirety on the Mind Over Finger Podcast in episode #121   Share a screen shot of the episode on social before March 7 and tag me for a chance to win your very own set of my favorite Mala beads.  Find Mind Over Finger on Instagram (here) and Facebook (here).

Welcome to today’s episode with award-winning trumpet soloist, Mary Elizabeth Bowden.  Mary is an artist with a profound, genuine approach to music-making. In our conversation, we covered: How her artistic path has unfolded (3:45) Mary’s creative journey to a soloist career, and a discussion of the age limit on competitions (7:05) What her life looks like now, as someone who wears so many hats (14:26) Her approach to staying in playing shape, practicing, and learning new pieces through mental preparation (19:02) Advice for how to show up as the best musician you can be (29:25) How Mary deals with doubt, and continues to craft her own path (35:40) Habits that contributed to her success, suggested skills for young musicians to acquire outside of musicianship, and Mary’s favorite tool in the practice room (39:24)   LINKS:   Website: https://www.maryelizabethbowden.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marytrpt/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MaryElizabethBowden Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maryelizabethbowdentrumpet JOYFUL PRACTICE CHALLENGE: Join me March 7-18, 2022 for the Joyful Practice Challenge: A motivating FREE 10-Day Challenge for Musicians. Take 10 minutes a day to transform your practice: Reconnect with your love of playing and making music Revive your motivation and your joy of practicing  Bring more mindfulness and efficiency in the practice room    Get ready to be inspired by wisdom from: Rachel Barton Pine, Mimi Zweig, Brian Lewis, Laurie Niles, Vijay Gupta, Kim Kashkashian, Tom Hooten, Elizabeth Rowe, Jennifer Montone, Mary Elizabeth Bowden, and Ralph Skiano!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The JOYFUL PRACTICE CHALLENGE includes:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🔷 10 days 🔷 10 actionable tips 🔷 Amazing guests 🔷 PDF worksheets 🔷 Accountability & support 🔷 ... and PRIZES! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/226ccc5528ff/jpc22 MIND OVER FINGER: Visit MindOverFinger.com for resources on mindful practice and information on how to work with me. Sign up for my newsletter and receive your free guide to a highly productive mindful practice using a metronome. www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfinger https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/ THANK YOU: A HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly, who works really hard to make this podcast as pleasant to listen to as possible for you. Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show’s musical theme.  Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson. Thank you to pianist-singer-song-writer Louise Kelly for the introduction!  You can find out more about Kelly and her creative work by visiting louisekelly.com. 

Rachel Barton Pine’s advice on how to efficiently plan for practicing. "Write down what you plan to do, but don't judge yourself!  Write down what you actually did, and that will help you refine as you go... so the next week you can have a plan that you want, but also closer to reality."  - Rachel Barton Pine, Mind Over Finger Podcast Episode 119 This week in the Try it at Home series we unpack the wisdom of Rachel Barton Pine together and apply it in our lives.  And: just for you, I’ve created a free resource that has all the steps I’m about to share.  Download it here to follow along and continue the reflection after the episode.  You can also find the link in www.mindroverfinger.com/resources.   SIGN UP FOR THE JOYFUL PRACTICE CHALLENGE AT WWW.MINDOVERFINGER.COM   Catch Rachel’s conversation with me in its entirety on the Mind Over Finger Podcast in episode #119

Today’s episode is packed with wisdom from the wonderful Rachel Barton Pine. As a violinist, Rachel performs with the world's leading orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony, Vienna Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic, and Camerata Salzburg. Rachel is also the founder of the RBP Foundation, which assists young artists through its instrument loan program, as well as providing scholarships and grants for education and career development. Through the RPB Foundation, Rachel also leads the groundbreaking organization Music by Black Composers which she started in 2001 to spread awareness of work by Black composers and make that music available to all through online and printed collections. Rachel holds prizes from several of the world’s leading competitions, including a gold medal at the 1992 J.S. Bach International Violin Competition in Leipzig, Germany. This is an impactful conversation that I’m sure you’ll want to revisit often! Here’s what we discussed: How Rachel’s artistic path has unfolded (04:00) Advice for handling large amounts of repertoire, and her own process for scheduling piece preparation, practice and performance (05:50) Rachel’s experience with last-minute replacements, specifically when she performed with the Chicago Symphony with 4-hour notice (15:30) The element of facial expressions in conjunction with musical expression (23:50) Her journey with teaching and practicing parents, both as one herself and practicing with her own mother growing up (32:20) How and why Rachel began the RBP Foundation, their mission, and some ways they support young, aspiring musicians (35:20) How and why she founded the organization Music by Black Composers, and how their resources have developed over the years (38:41) A series of rapid-fire questions, including habits that have contributed to her success (48:00), nurturing creativity in young musicians (49:07), and the importance of weekly planning (53:00) How valuable it is to allow yourself the time and space you need to improve, without comparing yourself to others (56:55) Rachel’s upcoming projects (59:25)   LINKS: Website: https://rachelbartonpine.com/ Link to Rachel’s CD, Violin Concertos by Black Composers of the 18th and 19th Centuries: https://www.cedillerecords.org/albums/violin-concertos-by-black-composers-of-the-18th-and-19th-centuries/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/RachelBartonPine Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RBPviolinist/ Instagram: @RBPviolinist RBP Foundation website: https://www.rbpfoundation.org/ Music by Black Composers website: https://www.musicbyblackcomposers.org/   MIND OVER FINGER: I encourage you to visit MindOverFinger.com for a plethora of resources on mindful practice and information on how to work with me. Sign up for my newsletter and receive your free guide to a highly productive mindful practice using a metronome! mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfinger https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/   PRACTICING FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE: Practicing for Peak Performance, my transformative workshop, is now available for download. Go to MindOverFinger.com for access to all the tools that will help you transform your practice, gain confidence in your process, and start performing at your best.  With the purchase of PPP, you gain: Access to all recorded content - over 7 hours of instruction Guidance in effective high-performance systems Detailed handouts   THANK YOU: A HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly, who works really hard to make this podcast as pleasant to listen to as possible for you. Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show’s musical theme.  Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson. Thank you to pianist-singer-song-writer Louise Kelly for the introduction!  You can find out more about Kelly and her creative work by visiting louisekelly.com.