A Search for Balance A full-time symphony job brings its own unique set of challenges. In the orchestra I played with, we had 180 performances packed into a 38 week season each year. It was common to be “forced” to prepare the music for 3-4 different upcoming concerts at the same time. That could be… Read more: A Search for Balance

Do the Thing, Get the Power! When I played in a symphony full time, the Canadian Brass were visiting artists for a pops concert series. That year they were traveling with a plus one artist, a drummer.  It was a bit unusual. The rest of us under our breath, “gimmick?”   He blended into the… Read more: Do the Thing, Get the Power

What is spiritual rhythm? The great Kriya Yoga Master, Swami Sri Yukteswar once shared, ‘When a human being takes an action with specific intent, with all of their soul, mind and body going in the same direction… that is a Kriya.” I recently bought a buffalo drum. I was guided to sit quietly and pulse… Read more: What is Spiritual Rhythm?

Mastering an Instrument: Does Your Playing Share Soul Energy? In one of my independent study projects as a graduate student at Rice University, I posed the question: “If two soloists perform the same concerto on two different days with the same orchestra, playing the same right notes at similar tempos and dynamics; why is it… Read more: Got Soul?

An Awakening Looking back, it’s clearly the most pivotal moment of my life as a human being, and as a musician. After that day, everything changed. When I was 26, fresh out of grad school, enjoying my 1st full time music job playing violin in a symphony, I came home from a rehearsal and played… Read more: An Awakening