The Quote “One does not play Bach without having done scales. But neither does one play a scale merely for the sake of the scale.” -Simone Weil, Gravity and Grace The Question Is this quote about purpose, or about passion? If it’s about purpose, I think Weil is saying both that art cannot be created without […]
music
What’s Making Me Happy In December (Christmas Edition)
Today I’m linking up with my friend Sara Letourneau for this installment in the “What’s Making Me Happy” series. Hop on over to her list when you’re done reading here! This month, I’m going with a Christmas theme. I’m loving… our new Advent calendar. I bought this one from an Etsy shop just before Thanksgiving. I […]
Honor Your Audience
Last week, I was preparing my flute students for the annual New York State solo festival, where they would be judged based on their performance in scales, a solo, and sight reading. Most of them expressed some degree of (understandable) nervousness. I talked to them about keeping the performance in perspective, remembering all the work […]
Reading Aloud
One of the best things about the writer’s retreat I attended last weekend was the mandate that all writing done in the kula must be read aloud. (You could technically refuse for a round or two, but it’s strongly discouraged.) It’s a scary feeling, having to read something you’ve written, and even scarier when it […]
March “What I’m Into:” Movie Music, Jo Malone, and Re-Reading
This month, I’m into… …awesome music adaptations. I usually try to do at least one pop piece per concert with my fifth graders, and this year I have two that the kids and I both love. With one band, we’re doing Pirates of the Caribbean (The Medallion Calls/The Black Pearl) and with the other, a […]
Love Your Day Job
One morning last week, I woke up to a rejection in my inbox. I’m as accustomed to these emails as any writer, but this was a particularly rough moment for me. I’d been riding high, because several agents have requested my full manuscript recently, and I was hoping that meant an offer would be coming […]