Are you a free spirit?

Does the thought of practice schedules, journals and regimens make you dig in your heels?

You understand that discipline promotes growth. You want to grow musically and to play well.  You are not a slacker.  You just want to do it on your own terms, in your own way.

Impossible to reconcile the two? Of course not.

You, the free spirit, take pleasure in...

Do you need a bridge to take you from practice to performance?

Do you feel like you're missing something, because no matter how hard you practice your piece doesn't seem to be "performance-ready"?

You may be right.

We musicians have the idea that if we just keep practicing, we will end up being able to play our music the way we want to, the way we hear it in our heads. So when it doesn't work...

Your 90 Day Practice Plan - Perfect for Summer

In this video, you will discover:

• Why I love setting goals in summer
• The power of a 90 Day Goal
• How to set a goal in one of the 3 Growth Areas
• How to plan your steps toward your goal
• How to use my two page 90 Focus Plan PDF to make it all happen

Click this link to download the free PDF.

Below is the transcript of the video and the links to the...

What is your musical legacy? 

Maybe you don’t think you have, or will have, a musical legacy. You’re not a famous performer, or a teacher of prodigies. Maybe you don’t think you even play especially well. What kind of musical legacy could you leave?

I attended a meeting of my local chapter of the American Harp Society this weekend. It was our first meeting since the death...

"Program notes? You want me to talk?!"

The time will come when you will be asked to “say something” about music that you are about to play.

I can’t remember the first time I was asked to speak about my music, but I do remember my mother’s urging me to “tell them what you’re going to play.” And I remember my first experiences as a twelve year-old,...

A "Practice Detour?" Let me explain...

Have you ever been driving on a familiar route only to be confronted with a “Road Closed: Detour” sign? The last time that happened to me I found myself taking numerous turns through a bewildering maze of rural roads with no sign posts. I had decided to trust that the car in front of me knew how to navigate the detour and that eventually I...

It's Independence Day - for your fingers, that is!

In this video you will learn exactly what finger independence is, why you want it and how to get it.

I share the five practice tips that will help your fingers do what you want them to, the way you want them to.

Plus I walk you through my secret for success with one of the most challenging finger-twisting patterns. (Think Conditioning Exercise...

I can do it. Ten more times. Get it right this time. Try it again. Last time. NOOOO!

Practicing is hard. Making progress is hard. Not seeing your progress is frustrating.

You’re an adult. You understand that the results from practice reveal themselves over time. But there is a point where we start to wonder how much time. No matter how grownup we are, it’s that classic kid question,...

What if you could power up your music study by adding one hour (or even one half hour) to your practice each week?

This one hour would help you focus your work, eliminate unnecessary repetition, multiply your practice effectiveness and streamline your path to progress. Plus your next lesson will be a good one.

Sounds like a recipe for harp happiness, doesn’t it?

With results like that,...

Perfectionism has a bad reputation.

We have heard about all the evils of perfectionism – the frustration, the self-doubt, the endless critiquing.

But is perfectionism the same thing as trying to get your piece correct, trying to make it right and without mistakes?

And if we allow that we can’t achieve perfection, what’s the point in trying? Do we stop practicing at some point...