Reflect and Redirect
Deliberate planning is essential to building our ideal musical life. We want to be clear about what we’re aiming for, and have a concrete...
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Michelle Monette
- Dec 19, 2022
- 2 min
Practice Self-Compassion
"What progress, you ask, have I made? I have begun to be a friend to myself." - Hecato quoted in Seneca's Letters from a Stoic...
Michelle Monette
- Dec 11, 2022
- 2 min
We Are All Built to Make Music
Music is a widely appreciated artform, and an important feature in many of our daily lives. It can connect people to themselves and...
Michelle Monette
- Nov 27, 2022
- 2 min
Our Role as Teachers
Teachers are an essential part of anyone’s musical life. Many of us begin our musical journeys by taking lessons with various...
Michelle Monette
- Nov 21, 2022
- 2 min
Regain Your Rhythm
“When jarred, unavoidably, by circumstances, revert at once to yourself, and don’t lose the rhythm more than you can help. You’ll have a...
Michelle Monette
- Oct 17, 2022
- 2 min
Do You Know Your "Why"?
Throughout my years of teaching music, I often felt an expectation from some of my students: That I should convince them of why they...
Michelle Monette
- Oct 2, 2022
- 2 min
The Joys of Discipline
Jeff Goldblum was the featured guest on an episode of Gregory Porter’s podcast a few years ago. Though best known for his acting,...
Michelle Monette
- Sep 25, 2022
- 2 min
Work Hard, Rest Hard
Seasoned musicians understand the value of hard work. We spend years in the practice room diligently refining our craft by drilling...
Michelle Monette
- Sep 14, 2022
- 2 min
There Is No "Key" to Unlocking Music
Advertisements targeted toward aspiring musicians often try to entice potential customers with an impossible promise: “This is the one...
Michelle Monette
- Jul 13, 2022
- 1 min
Dancing With Difficulty
Every musician knows how challenging the art and craft of music can be. Learning and practicing something new will stretch you, often...
Michelle Monette
- Jun 22, 2022
- 2 min
Tradeoffs
Tradeoffs are an essential part of building a musical life. Being a musician requires a lot of time, focus, and effort, which means...
Michelle Monette
- May 22, 2022
- 1 min
Mystery is Overrated
Over the years, I’ve often heard musicians explain their lack of desire to learn music in a deeper way as simply wanting to retain...
Michelle Monette
- May 2, 2022
- 1 min
What If?
If you’re anything like me, you may have found yourself bogged down with a variety of questions I call “the shoulds.” For a musician,...
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