The Mind Over Finger Podcast

This summer on the Mind Over Finger Podcast, I promise you a fantastic time with wonderful guests! Every month I'm having a live Q&A with amazing musicians in my Facebook group, the Mind Over Finger Tribe and, as to be expected, much wisdom is being shared! We start with pianist Konstantin Soukhovetski, we continue in May with violinist Callum Smart, in June you'll hear from trumpet player Christopher Still from Honesty Pill, July will bring violinist Esther Abrami, and we'll spend time with guitarist Brandon Jack Acker in August. I hope you can join us live for the upcoming sessions. All of the details are in the Mind Over Finger Tribe at facebook.com/groups/mindoverfingertribe. If you're enjoying today's content, take a screenshot as you're listening, share on social and tag me and my guest so we can thank you for tuning in! Frustrated with your playing? Unsatisfied with you career? Ready for a change? Whatever your challenge, you don't have to go at it alone, and I can help. Visit www. https://www.mindoverfinger.com/workwithme to learn more and book your call and let's discuss how to get you from where you are to where you want to be. THE MUSIC MASTERY EXPERIENCE will be back in June 2021. This is my LIFE CHANGING, highly personalized group coaching program where I show you how to implement mindful & effective practice techniques, how to make them habits, and how to get RESULTS. Save your spot at http://www.mindoverfinger.com/mme and get access to some really cool bonuses. MORE ABOUT KONSTANTIN SOUKHOVETSKI: Website: https://www.konstantinthepianist.com/ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/konstantinstar Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRockStarPianist/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/konstantinstar/ Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/TheRockStarPianist/ Following the premiere of his transcription of R. Strauss' Four Last Songs at L'Esprit du Piano Festival in Bordeaux, France Konstantin Soukhovetski has cemented his place as one of premiere pianist/composers of his generation. His transcriptions have been heard around the world from South African to Hong Kong; in United States' NYC's Lyric Chamber Music Society, New Orlean's MASNO, Sacramento's Crocker Museum and Pianofest in The Hamptons, where Konstantin is Artist-In-Residence since 2011. Konstantin has won 2019 Innovation Award from Music Academy Of The West. Konstantin Soukhovetski continues the Golden Age traditions of piano performance instilled in him by his mentor- the great American pianist Jerome Lowenthal. Pending post-COVID schedule will take Konstantin Soukhovetski to Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall with Rachmaninoff Concerto #4 with Pegasus Orchestra, and UC Davis's Mondavi Arts Center with Brahms Concerto #2 with Auburn Symphony. Konstantin will premiere a new ballet by Russian-American award-winning composer Polina Nazaykinskaya commissioned by MorDance in November of 2021. Konstantin is currently working on his first opera libretto for "Tear Down This Wall" in collaboration with Polina Nazaykinskaya commissioned for the 75th Anniversary Season of Mississippi Opera in 2023. In 2018 Konstantin gave world premiere of Ms. Nazaykinskaya ballet "Nostalgia" with Rioult Dance at the Joyce Theater in New York City. Acting credits include: as a narrator with Miami Symphony's Musimelange performance Stravinsky's Soldier's Tale, Forbidden Juilliard as multiple characters at The Juilliard School and Club Makkor in NYC and Victor or Children in Power as Young Victor at Moscow State Satire Theatre, Moscow, Russia. Feature film: Dishonorable Vendetta directed by Andre Josef. Short features: Decent Men, Ossetia and Hansel and Gretel, Carbon Based and Pictures. Konstantin is a producer and host of "The Real Pianists of The Hamptons" filmed at Pianofest in The Hamptons. Highlights of career: Johannesburg Philharmonic and Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra on multiple South African tours after winning Silver at UNISA International Piano competition in Pretoria, South Africa; Miami Symphony Orchestra, Richmond, Austin, Auburn, Westmoreland, Virginia and Asheville Symphony Orchestras. He appeared at London's Wigmore Hall, New York's Weill Recital and Zankel Halls at Carnegie Hall, Phillips Collection in Washington, DC, Auditorium Du Louvre in Paris, France and Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern, Switzerland to name a few. Following his debut at Alice Tully Hall, in New York's Lincoln Center asThe Juilliard School 's 2006 William Petschek Debut Recital Award winner The New York Times headlined: "Romanticism so intense it warms up Philip Glass." ​Mr. Soukhovetski has worked with distinguished conductors: Daniel Meyer, Gérard Korsten, Eduardo Marturet, James DePreist, Jahja Ling, François-Xavier Roth, Doron Salomon, Conrad von Alphen, Michael Goodwin, Stephen Ramsey, Omri Hadari, Andrew Grams and Emil Tabakov. Mr. Soukhovetski is a board member of Southampton Cultural Center, NY where is an Managing Director of The Rising Stars Piano Series and has served on the juries of numerous competitions including Hong Kong Music Schools Festival. Mr. Soukhovetski is an Adjunct Faculty and an alumnus of The Juilliard School where he has earned his BM, MM, and AD degrees with Jerome Lowenthal. Born in Moscow to a family of artists he studied at the Moscow Central Special Music School, under the auspices of the Moscow State Conservatory, with Anatoly Ryabov. ​Awards: ​Second Prize, 2011 Iowa International Piano Competition Third Prize, 2011 Bosendorfer International Piano Competition Second Prize and Audience Prize, 2010 Ima Hogg International Competition First Prize and Audience Prize, 2007 New Orleans International Piano Competition William Petschek Debut Recital Award Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans Second Prize, 2004 UNISA International Piano Competition in Pretoria, South Africa Third Prize, 2003 Cleveland International Piano Competition The Juilliard School's Arthur Rubinstein Award The Juilliard School's 2003 Gina Bachauer Competition First Prize, 2002 Hilton Head International Piano Competition Second Prize, 2002 Walter W. Naumburg International Piano Competition Grand Prize and First Prize at 1997 World Piano International Competition Join the Mind Over Finger Tribe for access to my weekly live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians Visit www.mindoverfinger.com and sign up for my newsletter to get your free guide to an exceptionally productive practice using the metronome. This guide is the perfect entry point to help you bring more mindfulness and efficiency into your practice and it's filled with tips and tricks on how to use that wonderful tool to take your practicing and your playing to new heights. 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 Susan Blackwell for the introduction. You can find out more about Susan, her fantastic podcast The Spark File, and her work helping creatives of all backgrounds expand their impact by visiting https://www.susanblackwell.com/home. MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/

100 EPISODES!!!!! This calls for a celebration! We did this in a sweet way at Mind Over Finger with my own children interviewing me! It's a short and cute one, where you'll hear my own kids asking me questions about why we should all play music, mindfulness in practicing, my experience learning to play the violin, and dealing performance anxiety, before putting me in the hot seat for a round of rapid-fire questions! Enjoy! Frustrated with your playing? Unsatisfied with you career? Ready for a change? Whatever your challenge, you don't have to go at it alone, and I can help. Visit www. https://www.mindoverfinger.com/workwithme to learn more and book your call and let's discuss how to get you from where you are to where you want to be. THE MUSIC MASTERY EXPERIENCE will be back in June 2021. This is my LIFE CHANGING, highly personalized group coaching program where I show you how to implement mindful & effective practice techniques, how to make them habits, and how to get RESULTS. Save your spot at http://www.mindoverfinger.com/mme and get access to some really cool bonuses. Also… Join the Mind Over Finger Tribe for access to my weekly live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians Visit www.mindoverfinger.com and sign up for my newsletter to get your free guide to an exceptionally productive practice using the metronome. This guide is the perfect entry point to help you bring more mindfulness and efficiency into your practice and it's filled with tips and tricks on how to use that wonderful tool to take your practicing and your playing to new heights. If you enjoy the show, leave a review on Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast provider. I genuinely appreciate your support. 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 Susan Blackwell for the introduction. You can find out more about Susan, her fantastic podcast The Spark File, and her work helping creatives of all backgrounds expand their impact by visiting https://www.susanblackwell.com/home. MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/

In this episode, Marc Gelfo from Modacity and Dr. Renée-Paule Gauthier from Mind Over Finger discuss elements of masterful instrumental practice and are excited to announce the Masterful Practice Challenge. JOIN THE 7-DAY MASTERFUL PRACTICE CHALLENGE TODAY! Learn skills & approaches that will forever elevate the quality of your learning. Join us May 2-8, 2021 for this rare opportunity that includes live Q&A! SIGN UP HERE! Over the course of 7 days, starting May 2nd, Marc and Renée will take you along on a journey to masterful practice. During that week, we will cover: TIME MASTERY To practice well, you must simultaneously manage your time well, and live in the timeless present. Day 1 you will get set up in Modacity app to take advantage of its time budgeting, tracking, & planning features. We will also cover important strategies like interleaving and timeboxing. In right relationship with time, anything becomes possible. INTENTION MASTERY By taking the time to set your intention, you bring awareness and direction to your practice. "Priming" is a key technique for getting what you most desire from your practice sessions. Learn the best principles for intention setting and "flexible rigor". ATTENTION MASTERY The quality of your life is determined by the focus of your attention. On Day 3 you'll receive a very special guided meditation download that will build your attentional capacity. In addition, we'll go through the various focus points that are most constructive in the practice room, and talk about how misguided attention can derail you. BODY MASTERY The body is your primary instrument. Learn how to warm up and align your body for optimal practice results. Physiology influences mindset, emotions, ability to focus, and so much more. Get an overview the most effective movement modalities for music practice, and explore the role of tension in performance. EMOTIONAL MASTERY Your emotions can elevate you to greatness or completely destroy your day. Begin to master the emotional aspect of practicing. Challenging, strange, complex emotions can arise during practicing. Learn how to identify and regulate yourself so that a wave of frustration becomes an inspiration for change. This day will cover the roles of reward & punishment, as well as our favorite tools for emotional awareness and mastery. Impact/Output Mastery Your music practice impacts your body, mind, emotions, and life trajectory. Explore the inputs, outputs, and holistic impact of your music practice. This day will help you connect to a bigger picture for the role of music in your life and relationships. Specific journaling prompts and exercises from permaculture design will help you identify regenerative, energy positive ways to make the most of your practice. INTEGRATION MASTERY No matter what you're learning, maximize your chances of remembering it and making it your own through a conscious integration practice. This final day offers the key to compounding lifelong learning: effective integration. We'll discuss the role of reflection, planning, and testing. A final live Q&A session on Zoom will offer the chance to make sure you walk away from this challenge equipped to continue your path of practice mastery. THE MASTERFULL PRACTICE CHALLENGE A CLEAR PATH TO MASTERY Frustrated with your playing? Unsatisfied with you career? Ready for a change? Whatever your challenge, you don't have to go at it alone, and I can help. Visit www. https://www.mindoverfinger.com/workwithme to learn more and book your call and let's discuss how to get you from where you are to where you want to be. THE MUSIC MASTERY EXPERIENCE will be back in June 2021. This is my LIFE CHANGING, highly personalized group coaching program where I show you how to implement mindful & effective practice techniques, how to make them habits, and how to get RESULTS. Save your spot at http://www.mindoverfinger.com/mme and get access to some really cool bonuses. Join the Mind Over Finger Tribe for access to my weekly live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians Visit www.mindoverfinger.com and sign up for my newsletter to get your free guide to an exceptionally productive practice using the metronome. This guide is the perfect entry point to help you bring more mindfulness and efficiency into your practice and it's filled with tips and tricks on how to use that wonderful tool to take your practicing and your playing to new heights. 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 Susan Blackwell for the introduction. You can find out more about Susan, her fantastic podcast The Spark File, and her work helping creatives of all backgrounds expand their impact by visiting https://www.susanblackwell.com/home. MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/

I'm very exciting to have international violin soloist Leila Josefowicz on the show for the second time. Leila shares incredible wisdom in our conversation, including: Her outlook for how things are going to be like in the coming months How her recent incredible project at The Metropolitan Museum of Art unfolded, from where it originated to the vision coming to reality The significance of her performing Bach, and how she sees Bach as the music of infinite possibilities What she calls the performance headspace Thoughts about performance preparation and performance anxiety What having fun in performance means to her And many other wonderful musings ! This discussion is a window on the way artists like Leila approach a project - the power of the intention and the thoughtfulness they put behind each decision. How each aspect is carefully evaluated, weighed, and curated, and very angle crafted with care and love. Partita for Leila Josefowicz Unseen in the field a sapling trembled naked. You touched its slim trunk with flayed fingertips, tenderly and hard, and it gave forth a cry, oh. Sun ran like water on line upon line of buds. Bare, you stood, electric, head in this world, feet planted. We heard what we never knew before. _________ Natania Rosenfeld Writer Independent Scholar Professor Emerita of English, Knox College Frustrated with your playing? Unsatisfied with you career? Ready for a change? Whatever your challenge, you don't have to go at it alone, and I can help. Visit www. https://www.mindoverfinger.com/workwithme to learn more and book your call and let's discuss how to get you from where you are to where you want to be! THE MUSIC MASTERY EXPERIENCE will be back in June 2021! This is my LIFE CHANGING, highly personalized group coaching program where I show you how to implement mindful & effective practice techniques, how to make them habits, and how to get RESULTS. Save your spot at http://www.mindoverfinger.com/mme and get access to some really cool bonuses! MORE ABOUT LEILA JOSEFOWICZ: Website: https://www.leilajosefowicz.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Leila+Josefowicz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeilaBJo Leila Josefowicz at the The Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Condo Concerts: Fred Sherry String Quartet: In Performance: Leila Josefowicz at Hauser & Wirth Leila's first conversation on the Mind Over Finger Podcast: Episode 82 - The Art of Authentic Music Making Biography Leila Josefowicz's passionate advocacy of contemporary music for the violin is reflected in her diverse programmes and enthusiasm for performing new works. In recognition of her outstanding achievement and excellence in music, she won the 2018 Avery Fisher Prize and was awarded a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship in 2008, joining prominent scientists, writers and musicians who have made unique contributions to contemporary life. Highlights of Josefowicz's 2019/20 season include opening the London Symphony Orchestra's season with Sir Simon Rattle and returning to San Francisco Symphony with the incoming Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen to perform his Violin Concerto. Further engagements include concerts with Los Angeles Philharmonic, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Cleveland and Philadelphia orchestras, where she will be working with conductors at the highest level, including Susanna Mälkki, Matthias Pintscher and John Adams. A favourite of living composers, Josefowicz has premiered many concertos, including those by Colin Matthews, Steven Mackey and Esa-Pekka Salonen, all written specially for her. This season, she will perform the UK premiere of Helen Grime's Violin Concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Dalia Stasevska. Other recent premieres include John Adams'Scheherazade.2 (Dramatic Symphony for Violin and Orchestra) in 2015 with the New York Philharmonic and Alan Gilbert, and Luca Francesconi's Duende – The Dark Notes in 2014 with Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Susanna Mälkki. Josefowicz enjoyed a close working relationship with the late Oliver Knussen, performing various concerti, including his violin concerto, together over 30 times. Alongside pianist John Novacek, with whom she has enjoyed a close collaboration since 1985, Josefowicz has performed recitals at world-renowned venues such as New York's Zankel Hall, Washington DC's Kennedy Center and London's Wigmore Hall, as well as in Reykjavik, Chicago, San Francisco and Santa Barbara. This season, they appear together at Washington DC's Library of Congress, New York's Park Avenue Armory and Amherst College. She will also join Thomas Adès in recital to perform the world premiere of his new violin and piano work at Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris and the Japanese premiere at the Tokyo Opera City Cultural Foundation. Recent highlights include engagements with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Washington's National Symphony Orchestra, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich and Boston and Finnish Radio symphony orchestras. In summer 2019, Josefowicz took part in a special collaboration between Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Royal Ballet, and Company Wayne McGregor featuring the music of composer-conductor Thomas Adès. Josefowicz has released several recordings, notably for Deutsche Grammophon, Philips/Universal and Warner Classics and was featured on Touch Press's acclaimed iPadapp, The Orchestra. Her latest recording, released in 2019, features Bernd Alois Zimmermann's Violin Concerto with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted byHannu Lintu. She has previously received nominations for Grammy Awards for her recordings of Scheherazade.2 with the St Louis Symphony conducted by David Robertson, and Esa-Pekka Salonen's Violin Concerto with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by the composer. Join the Mind Over Finger Tribe for access to my weekly live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians Visit www.mindoverfinger.com and sign up for my newsletter to get your free guide to an exceptionally productive practice using the metronome. This guide is the perfect entry point to help you bring more mindfulness and efficiency into your practice and it's filled with tips and tricks on how to use that wonderful tool to take your practicing and your playing to new heights. If you enjoy the show, leave a review on Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast provider! I genuinely appreciate your support! 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 Susan Blackwell for the introduction! You can find out more about Susan, her fantastic podcast The Spark File, and her work helping creatives of all backgrounds expand their impact by visiting https://www.susanblackwell.com/home. MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/

In this fourth episode of my series on building an amazing practice routine I talk about the about how to create a efficient practice session breakdown You will hear about the three basic qualities you want in a practice session, the mindsets to nurture to be productive in your work, and the general sections to include in a solid musical progression. Download your free guided visualization exercise here: DOWNLOAD Frustrated with your playing? Unsatisfied with you career? Ready for a change? Whatever your challenge, you don't have to go at it alone, and I can help. THE MUSIC MASTERY EXPERIENCE is back on June 1, 2021 This is my LIFE CHANGING, highly personalized group coaching program where I show you how to implement mindful & effective practice techniques, how to make them habits, and get RESULTS! The Music Mastery Experience gives you all the tools you need to elevate your performance and create the musical life you want. Spots are limited Save yours now at http://www.mindoverfinger.com/mme and get access to all the early bird bonuses Ziva Meditation – Emily Fletcher: https://zivameditation.com/ Emily's book: Stress Less, Accomplish More: Meditation for Extraordinary Performance 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 Instrument and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, instrument, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson. Thank you to Susan Blackwell for the introduction! You can find out more about Susan, her fantastic podcast The Spark File, and her work helping creatives of all backgrounds expand their impact by visiting https://www.susanblackwell.com/home. MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/

In this episode, I'm really happy to bring you a very special artist, cello professor and Feldenkrais practitioner Uri Vardi. In our conversation, Uri talks to us about the basic principles of the Feldenkrais method, how it aims to bring new awareness and possibility into every aspect of our life using gentle, mindful movements, and he elaborates on his philosophy of teaching, which I think you will find very beautiful! Frustrated with your playing? Unsatisfied with you career? Ready for a change? Whatever your challenge, you don't have to go at it alone, and I can help. Visit www. https://www.mindoverfinger.com/workwithme to learn more and book your call and let's discuss how to get you from where you are to where you want to be! THE MUSIC MASTERY EXPERIENCE is back in June 2021! This is my LIFE CHANGING, highly personalized group coaching program where I show you how to implement mindful & effective practice techniques, how to make them habits, and how to get RESULTS. Save your spot at http://www.mindoverfinger.com/mme and get access to some really cool bonuses! MORE ABOUT URI VARDI: Website: http://www.harmoniousmovement.com/ YouTube channel: Find videos here Your Body Is Your Strad: http://www.yourbodyisyourstrad.com/ Uri Vardi has performed as a recitalist, soloist, and chamber player across the United States, Europe, South America, Asia, and his native Israel. Born in Szeged, Hungary, Vardi grew up on kibbutz Kfar Hahoresh, Israel. He studied at the Rubin Academy in Tel Aviv, was an artist diploma student at Indiana University, and earned his master's degree from Yale University. His teachers have included Janos Starker, Aldo Parisot, Eva Janzer, and Uzi Wiesel. Vardi has recorded and toured widely with the Israel Chamber Orchestra and was a founding member of the Sol-La-Re String Quartet. He has served as assistant principal cellist of the Israel Chamber Orchestra and principal cellist of the Israel Sinfonietta. In 1990, following an extensive teaching and performing career in Israel, Vardi was appointed professor of cello at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition to his work at Wisconsin, Vardi has taught and conducted master classes at numerous music schools, including: Juilliard, Eastman School, New England Conservatory, Indiana University, Yale University, Oberlin College, Cleveland Institute of Music, University of Iowa, Ohio State University, Geneva Conservatory (Switzerland), Paris Conservatory (France), Tunghai University (Taiwan), Bartok Conservatory (Budapest, Hungary) , and the Jerusalem Music Center (Israel). In recent years, Vardi has initiated four major projects. –The St. Petersburg School – Music for Cello. In the St. Petersburg project, Vardi researched, performed and recorded (with pianist Uriel Tsachor), compositions written by Russian-Jewish composers, many of which had never been previously recorded. In 1977 Beth Hatfutzot (the Diaspora Museum in Tel Aviv) released the recording on a CD, which was favorably reviewed by the Jerusalem Post. —Fusions, a chamber music project sponsored by the University of Wisconsin- Madison and the Consulate General of Israel in NYC. Fusions was a chamber music project of Jewish music and Arabic art music, culminating in a commissioned Trio for Oud, Cello and Piano. In this project, Vardi collaborated with Oud artist Taiseer Elias and pianist/composer Menachem Wiesenberg. The project toured Israel and the U.S and was positively reviewed by major newspapers such as the Washington Post and the Boston Globe. This successful chamber music project was the inspiration for the commission of a full orchestral composition. —Forty Steps, a double concerto for cello, oud and symphony orchestra. In 2007 Joel Hoffman composed Forty Steps for Taiseer Elias and Uri Vardi. It was premiered on the Madison Symphony Orchestra's 2007-2008 concert series in March 2008. –The National Summer Cello Institute in conjunction with the Feldenkrais for Musicians Workshop. The National Summer Cello Institute is a unique program exploring the relationship between body awareness, creativity in performing and teaching, and prevention of music related injuries. This Institute is geared towards professional and graduate cellists and other performing musicians. It has been co-sponsored by The College Music Society and the UW-Madison Mead Witter School of Music, since 2010. Internationally renowned cello teachers, including Timothy Eddy, Laurence Lesser, Steven Doane, Ralph Kirshbaum, and Richard Aaron have been involved in instruction and in conducting masterclasses. Vardi's students have been successful as soloists, chamber players, faculty members of major music schools including Oberlin College, and the Peabody Institute, and members of major orchestras such as The New York Metropolitan Opera (associate principal), the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (principal), the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Simon Bolivar Orchestra in Caracas, Venezuela (principal), and the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Click here for full list. In his teaching, Vardi puts great emphasis on the relationship between movement and sound. In order to further his understanding of this approach, Vardi has specialized in the Feldenkrais Method, for which he received the 1999 UW-Madison Arts Institute Faculty Development Award. He completed a Feldenkrais Practitioners Training and in 2003 was certified by the Feldenkrais Guild of North America and by the International Feldenkrais Federation as a Feldenkrais practitioner. For five years, Vardi taught a Feldenkrais for Performing Artists course at UW-Madison. Vardi was awarded the UW-Madison Arts Institute Emily Mead Baldwin Award to create a program for somatic education in the performing arts at UW-Madison. My Teaching Philosophy I believe that my principal role as a teacher is to help my students become aware of who they are and to help them grow. It is not to define their faults nor cure them. The driving force in this process is my curiosity in the unique makeup of each of my students. As a cello teacher, I not only challenge my students to understand the intentions of each composer, I also help them to explore their inner world, and to express their unique voice within the context of the composition. Most of the learning occurs in the process of working towards a musical goal. When I teach a musical composition, I often guide my students to attend to their habitual ways of musical expression. Musical expression encompasses the whole range of human emotions. Although the exploration of expressive nuances does not necessarily lead directly to the ultimate mastery of a composition, it frequently results in the expansion of the student's personality and music-making abilities. This way of learning is organic rather than linear. Instead of setting concrete, simple goals and learning the prescribed tools to attain them, in organic learning, the experimentation with different ideas provides the student with the freedom to choose among a whole array of options for expressing a musical intention. The same principle of encouraging the search for a variety of options applies to the technical mastery of the musical instrument. In order for my students to gain the ability to meet any composition's demands, they must have a vast repertoire of movements that will give them the freedom to use their bodies with maximum efficiency. Most of us accept the ways we move as if they are a part of our genetic makeup, whereas in reality, we learned to move by trial and error, and our nervous system is wired according to our experiences. Unless we are challenged to question this wiring, and to explore new possibilities of movement, we limit our range of expression. I constantly challenge my students to explore new ways of moving while playing, and to correlate them with minute differences in the quality of sound. Through my experience, I have found that when students discover the power of becoming aware of minute differences in their movement, it is not only their sound that changes, but also their coordination, and overall technical proficiency. The most fascinating aspect for me in approaching teaching in this manner, is that my students come to not only discover their personal involvement in the communication of a musical composition, and their ability to efficiently express it on their instrument, but they also very often gain self-confidence and imagination. The benefits of body awareness also help them in the prevention of injury, and in the healing after a disabling injury. Join the Mind Over Finger Tribe for access to my weekly live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians Visit www.mindoverfinger.com and sign up for my newsletter to get your free guide to an exceptionally productive practice using the metronome. This guide is the perfect entry point to help you bring more mindfulness and efficiency into your practice and it's filled with tips and tricks on how to use that wonderful tool to take your practicing and your playing to new heights. If you enjoy the show, leave a review on Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast provider! I genuinely appreciate your support! 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 Susan Blackwell for the introduction! You can find out more about Susan, her fantastic podcast The Spark File, and her work helping creatives of all backgrounds expand their impact by visiting https://www.susanblackwell.com/home. MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/

For this episode, I'm really excited to bring you and extremely knowledgeable, thoughtful , and inspiring musician: horn player, pedagogue, and author Eli Epstein. I'm particularly excited about this episode because Eli's philosophy and approach to practicing and music making embody so much of what mind over finger is about. Eli elaborates on: His inspiring journey from picking up the horn to teaching at NEC and Berklee, via a 16- year tenure with the Cleveland Orchestra The importance of listening to music in order to ignite our interest, refine our ears, and improve our playing The process of myelination and how it affects our work Ways to deal with our negative inner voice Ways to express authentic emotions through sounds The "Magic If" … and so much more! I I know you're going to love this conversation! Frustrated with your playing? Unsatisfied with you career? Ready for a change? Whatever your challenge, you don't have to go at it alone, and I can help. Visit www. https://www.mindoverfinger.com/workwithme to learn more and book your call and let's discuss how to get you from where you are to where you want to be! THE MUSIC MASTERY EXPERIENCE will be back in June 2021! This is my LIFE CHANGING, highly personalized group coaching program where I show you how to implement mindful & effective practice techniques, how to make them habits, and how to get RESULTS. Save your spot at http://www.mindoverfinger.com/mme and get access to some really cool bonuses! MORE ABOUT Eli Epstein Website: https://eliepstein.com/ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCabKpW2k2vQDAkpmI4H2D7w Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eliepsteinproductions/ Eli Epstein enjoys a multi-faceted career as performer, educator, conductor and author. Epstein was second horn of the Cleveland Orchestra (1987-2005), and horn professor at the Cleveland Institute of Music (1989-2005). He has appeared several times as soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra. Epstein left Cleveland in 2005, and moved to Boston to devote more time and energy toward educational and creative endeavors. He is currently on faculty of New England Conservatory and Boston Conservatory at Berklee. At NEC, Epstein is on the college faculty, NEC at Walnut Hill, and Brass Chair of the Preparatory School. Epstein's students hold positions as chamber musicians and teachers, and have won posts in more than 30 major orchestras in North America. An active performer, Epstein has appeared on chamber programs at Jordan Hall, Severance Hall, Tanglewood, Philadelphia's Academy of Music, Kennedy Center, Music Academy of the West, where he was on faculty (2005-2013), and the Aspen Music Festival, where he served as principal horn of the Aspen Chamber Symphony (2000-2012). Epstein has collaborated with the Borromeo and Brentano String Quartets, and has been guest principal horn for the Rhode Island Philharmonic, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and the Saint Louis Symphony. Epstein performs with the Boston Symphony Orchestra from time to time and has played on the BSO Community Chamber Concerts series. Director of the NEC Youth Brass Ensemble since 2009, Epstein has conducted college ensembles at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Cleveland Institute of Music, Longy School of Music, Music Academy of the West, NEC, and El Sistema in Venezuela. Advocating the idea that music can be a meaningful and uplifting force in society, in 2009 Epstein won Grand Prize in the Entrepreneur the Arts Contest for his Inside Out Concerts, and appeared on Heartbeat of America with William Shatner. Drawing on years of experience as a performer, educator and entrepreneur, in 2013 Epstein joined the NEC Entrepreneurial Musicianship faculty to teach their survey course The Entrepreneurial Musician. Epstein's book, Horn Playing from the Inside Out, A Method for All Brass Musicians (Third Edition) was celebrated in Horn Matters: "Without a doubt the most physiologically correct book ever published on horn playing. Epstein presents a pedagogy that is truly informed by science, with new insights that should not be ignored." Orchestral Excerpts for Low Horn, Epstein's album released in 2014, was acclaimed in HornWorld as "a perfect sequel to (Krebiehl's) original horn excerpts CD...you would be hard pressed to find more nuanced, musically substantial performances anywhere." Join the Mind Over Finger Tribe for access to my weekly live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians Visit www.mindoverfinger.com and sign up for my newsletter to get your free guide to an exceptionally productive practice using the metronome. This guide is the perfect entry point to help you bring more mindfulness and efficiency into your practice and it's filled with tips and tricks on how to use that wonderful tool to take your practicing and your playing to new heights. If you enjoy the show, leave a review on Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast provider! I genuinely appreciate your support! 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 Susan Blackwell for the introduction! You can find out more about Susan, her fantastic podcast The Spark File, and her work helping creatives of all backgrounds expand their impact by visiting https://www.susanblackwell.com/home. MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/

In this third episode of my series on building an amazing practice routine I share my favorite tips on how to create an effective warm up regimen. I also offer you another priming guided visualization exercise. Enjoy! Frustrated with your playing? Unsatisfied with you career? Ready for a change? Whatever your challenge, you don't have to go at it alone, and I can help. THE MUSIC MASTERY EXPERIENCE is back in June 2021 This is a LIFE CHANGING, highly personalized group coaching program where I show you how to implement mindful & effective practice techniques, how to make them habits, and get RESULTS! The Music Mastery Experience gives you all the tools you need to elevate your performance Save your spot at http://www.mindoverfinger.com/mme and get access to all the early bird bonuses 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 Susan Blackwell for the introduction! You can find out more about Susan, her fantastic podcast The Spark File, and her work helping creatives of all backgrounds expand their impact by visiting https://www.susanblackwell.com/home. MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/

In this episode, high-performance coach and respected author Dr. Amy Baltzell discusses the power of mindfulness. She elaborates on: The Olympic journey that led her to devoting her life to helping athletes and performers How mindfulness and self-compassion are transformative and liberating, and how they can help us deal with fear, anxiety, and self-doubts How accepting reality as it is – including all of our emotions – can be profoundly helpful The concept of Fierce Presence and the Domino of Goodness The power of self-compassion The Mindful Meditation Cycle – how meditation can help train your mind and your heart so you can be more efficient in your practice Tips to cope with undesirable results and things we can focus on to improve our performance The power of acceptance and surrender What Reiki is and how it can be helpful Why we must let go of our fears of mistakes Her message of hope: there's a way out of anxiety Frustrated with your playing? Unsatisfied with you career? Ready for a change? THE MUSIC MASTERY EXPERIENCE is back in June 2021! This is my LIFE CHANGING, highly personalized group coaching program where I show you how to implement mindful & effective practice techniques, how to make them habits, and how to get the RESULTS YOU WANT. Save your spot at http://www.mindoverfinger.com/mme and get access to some really cool bonuses! MORE ABOUT DR. AMY BALTZELL: Website: https://www.mindflowperformance.com/dr-amy-baltzell Her books: The Power of Mindfulness: Mindfulness Meditation Training in Sport Living in the Sweet Spot: Preparing for Performance in Sport and Life Mindfulness and Performance (Current Perspectives in Social and Behavioral Sciences) Dr. Amy Baltzell, Ed.D., is an Author, high performance coach, Sport Psychologist, Speaker, Reiki Master, Potter, mother-of-three, and the co-creator of Mindful Meditation Training in Sport. Dr. Baltzell is a high performance and well-being coach for athletes, musicians, sport coaches and business. She has offered invited keynote talks and workshops in the US, Canada, England, The Netherlands and Sweden. She has worked with Olympians, professional athletes, athletic coaches as well as classical musicians, and was Clinical Assistant Professor at Boston University for over 20 years. ​ Dr. Baltzell is a CMPC-AASP Certified Mental Performance Consultant via the Association of Applied Sport Psychology and a Reiki Master Teacher, Men Chhö Rei Kei certified practitioner. In 2016 Amy was elected president of AASP, serving 2017-2018. She was a member of the 1992 Olympic Rowing Team and a racing team member of 1995 America's Cup women's sailing team. Dr. Baltzell is the author of The Power of Mindfulness (2018, Springer International); Mindfulness and Performance (2016, Cambridge University Press) and Living in the Sweet Spot: Preparing for Performance in Sport and Life (2011, FIT). ​ Dr. Baltzell will offer insights and lessons learned from creating, implementing and studying Mindful Meditation Training in Sport (MMTS), a 6-hour program designed to help athletes integrate a mindful approach into practicing and competing. Synthesizing her academic and applied understanding, she offers a conceptual model of the intersection of mindfulness, self-compassion and flow in sport. Join the Mind Over Finger Tribe for access to my weekly live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians Visit www.mindoverfinger.com and sign up for my newsletter to get your free guide to an exceptionally productive practice using the metronome. This guide is the perfect entry point to help you bring more mindfulness and efficiency into your practice and it's filled with tips and tricks on how to use that wonderful tool to take your practicing and your playing to new heights. If you enjoy the show, thank you for leaving a review on Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast provider! I genuinely appreciate your support! 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 Susan Blackwell for the introduction! You can find out more about Susan, her fantastic podcast The Spark File, and her work helping creatives of all backgrounds expand their impact by visiting https://www.susanblackwell.com/home. MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/

Today, I speak with a wonderful storyteller of sound, Assistant Principal Clarinetist of the Chicago Symphony John Bruce Yeh. In our conversation, John shares how his artistic journey unfolded. He takes us on an amazing trip, featuring great musical figures, which shows the various elements that go into the making of a world-class musician. He also talks about how to prepare fully for an audition (it involves "raiding" the stage... in a way!), how to enter the professional life, and he gives us amazing insight on music-making in general. This was a great conversation and I know you'll walk away inspired and motivated! Frustrated with your playing? Unsatisfied with you career? Ready for a change? Whatever your challenge, you don't have to go at it alone, and I can help. THE MUSIC MASTERY EXPERIENCE is back in June 2021 This is a LIFE CHANGING, highly personalized group coaching program where I show you how to implement mindful & effective practice techniques, how to make them habits, and get RESULTS! The Music Mastery Experience gives you all the tools you need to start performing at your best! Save your spot now here and get access to all the early bird bonuses MORE ABOUT JOHN BRUCE YEH: Website: https://cso.org/about/performers/chicago-symphony-orchestra/clarinet1/john-bruce-yeh/ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXbWXWXVo6xV7jn4GE5oyig Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chicagopromusica Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jyehcondor/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jyehcondor The first Asian musician ever appointed to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, as well as the longest-serving clarinetist in CSO history, John Bruce Yeh joined the CSO in June of 1977, having been appointed solo Bass Clarinet of the Orchestra at the age of nineteen by Sir Georg Solti. Two years later, he was named Assistant Principal and solo E-flat Clarinet. He served as Acting Principal Clarinet of the CSO from 2008-2011. Recently he has also performed as Guest Principal Clarinet of The Philadelphia Orchestra as well as of the Seoul Philharmonic in Korea and the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in China. Yeh has performed concertos with the CSO on several occasions, including the 1998 American premiere of Elliott Carter's Clarinet Concerto with Pierre Boulez conducting, and the 1993 performance of Carl Nielsen's Clarinet Concertowith Neeme Järvi. A concert recording of the Nielsen was released on the CSO CD set Soloists of the Orchestra II: From the Archives, vol. 15. In 2004, Yeh was featured in Leonard Bernstein's Prelude, Fugue and Riffs in collaboration with the Hubbard Street Dance Company and the CSO conducted by David Robertson. An enthusiastic champion of new music, John Bruce Yeh is the dedicatee of new works for clarinet by numerous composers, ranging from Ralph Shapey to John Williams. A prizewinner at both the 1982 Munich International Music Competition and the 1985 Naumburg Clarinet Competition in New York, Yeh continues to solo with orchestras around the globe. His more than a dozen solo and chamber music recordings have earned worldwide critical acclaim. In 2007, Naxos International released a disc titled "Synergy," of single and double concertos with clarinet and symphonic wind ensemble featuring John, his wife Teresa, his daughter Molly, and the Columbus State University Wind Ensemble conducted by Robert Rumbelow. Yeh is director of Chicago Pro Musica, which received the Grammy Award in 1986 for Best New Classical Artist. He frequently appears at festivals and on chamber music series worldwide, and he has performed several times with Music from Marlboro; the Guarneri, Ying, Colorado, Pacifica, Calder, and Avalon string quartets; as well as the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. With his wife, clarinetist Teresa Reilly, erhu virtuoso Wang Guowei, and pipa virtuoso Yang Wei, Yeh formed Birds and Phoenix an innovative quartet dedicated to musical exploration by bridging Eastern and Western musical cultures. In their debut performance in September 2006, the group performed works by Victoria Bond, Pamela Chen, Lu Pei, and Bright Sheng, all commissioned for them by Fontana Chamber Arts in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Passionately committed to music education, Yeh served for twenty-six years on the faculty of DePaul University's School of Music, and he joined the faculty at Roosevelt University's Chicago College for the Performing Arts in 2004. He has taught master classes at many universities and conservatories including the Juilliard, Eastman and Manhattan Schools of Music, The Cleveland Institute of Music, Northwestern University, and the University of Michigan. In addition, he is on the faculty of Midwest Young Artists in Fort Sheridan, Illinois. Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Los Angeles, John Bruce Yeh pursued premedical studies at UCLA, where he also won the Frank Sinatra Musical Performance Award. He entered the Juilliard School in 1975 and attended music schools in Aspen, Marlboro, and Tanglewood. He cites Gordon Herritt, Gary Gray, Michele Zukovsky, Harold Wright, Ray Still, Marcel Moyse, Allan Dennis, and Mehli Mehta as influential mentors. Join the Mind Over Finger Tribe for access to my weekly live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians! Visit www.mindoverfinger.com and sign up for my newsletter to get your free guide to an exceptionally productive practice using the metronome! This guide is the perfect entry point to help you bring more mindfulness and efficiency into your practice and it's filled with tips and tricks on how to use that wonderful tool to take your practicing and your playing to new heights! If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review on iTunes! I truly appreciate your support! THANK YOU: A HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly, who works so hard to make the podcast sound as good 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 Susan Blackwell for the introduction! You can find out more about Susan, her fantastic podcast The Spark File, and her work helping creatives of all backgrounds expand their impact by visiting https://www.susanblackwell.com/home. Also a HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly! MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/