“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.” Phil Collins There is a pause, if we choose to take it, after a concert season, academic year, major project, or significant life experience. Like savasana at the end of a yoga practice, we take the opportunity to assimilate, to feel the effects of […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Ordinary (Extraordinary) Wisdom
“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” Henry David Thoreau I don’t know how often we think of ourselves as “wise.” That word seems reserved for the sages, the super seniors with long beards or gentle voices and twinkling eyes, sharing mic-drop pearls that stop us in our tracks. Yet, […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Q & A on Yoga with JW Pepper
About a month ago, JW Pepper reached out to me about doing a piece on yoga for their CUEDIN blog, supporting their outreach on topics related to musicians’ wellness. They had followed my work through this Conductor as Yogi blog and my 2021 Choral Journal article on the topic and had some specific and practical […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Abilities vs. Gifts
Our professional life’s journey is very much focused on developing our abilities—the ability to play or sing, to read music, conduct, plan effective rehearsals, and understand the context of the music we teach. In time, we get really good at it, and even receive pieces of paper to demonstrate that we “made it” in our […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Thanks (in Advance)
The power of a genuine “Thank you” cannot be underestimated. Our busy lives don’t slow down for much, but when a gesture or word of thanks comes our way, we pause and take notice of where we are and who we are with. We smile, breathe more deeply and for a moment, think larger than […]
The Conductor as Yogi: No More “Less Than”
Sometimes, I divide our large mixed choir into separate treble and bass ensembles to give them a different experience singing SSAA or TTBB repertoire. Great for programming and for variety in rehearsal, and for listening in a different way for blend and balance and color. When I resumed this practice a couple of years ago […]