You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength. Marcus Aurelius (2nd century Stoic philosopher) We are in the final stages of the academic year and concert season, starting to feel the call of spring and summer when we have a little more space, some time to breathe, […]
Yoga
The Conductor as Yogi: Here Comes the Sun
Little darling, it’s been a long, cold lonely winter Little darling, it feels like years since it’s been here Here comes the sun, here comes the sun And I say, it’s all right George Harrison There’s something about the sun—its warmth, its golden hue, its energy. Even the coldest winter days can feel warmer when […]
The Conductor as Yogi: The Spirit of Work
What do you think of when you hear the word “work?” Some days, “work” feels like these dictionary definitions: Exertion, Labor, Toil, Slog, Drudgery. Ouch. Just reading these words makes us feel heavy, even if they accurately describe how we feel right now. It’s not that we don’t still love our art or care about […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Our Olympic Journey
I love watching the Olympics. Summer or winter, sports I like or those I have little knowledge about—it doesn’t matter, because it is always the human-interest element behind the athlete’s journey that draws me in. The summer Olympics occur when I am not teaching or conducting full time. I am in big picture mode then, […]
The Conductor as Yogi: What’s in the Words
I’ve been teaching a new course, an honors seminar combining a yoga mat practice with the study and application of core yoga principles and readings to develop a “toolbox” for students to navigate their college life and beyond, as they build careers and develop as leaders and humans. Though we are just beginning this journey […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Dare to Pause
“Few things are so pressing that they cannot wait for a moment of breath.” T.K.V. Desikachar Maybe you have had this conversation, usually with family or friends who are not in music or in teaching: Them: “Are you on break now? How nice that you have all that time off!” Us: “Oh, I am never […]