Top 5 Favorite Blog Posts from July

• The “Other” Essential Skill You Should be Consciously Cultivating in Your Daily Practice by Bill Plake Music

"Ultimately, your technique is only as good as your sense of time." 

• Recording Your Practicing by Bret Pimental

Great tips for simplifying the process and reaping the benefits of self-recording while practicing!

• ASK THE PROS | Cellist Natasha Brofsky – ‘Developing a Great Performance Presence’ [ADVICE]

“Performance presence is born out of a sincere and deep connection to the music you are playing and the desire to share this with your audience." 

• Which Promotes More Productive Practice - Practicing for Time, or for a Set Number of Repetitions? by The Bulletproof Musician

"How setting the right practice goal can help us improve more in the same amount of time (hint: practicing for time or number of repetitions is not the answer)."

• A Practice Flowchart that shows how to ‘think Alexander’ in music practice

"Note the acute observation required here: the tiniest hesitation or deviating muscle movement is to Lynne an indicator of further work being required."

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May Inspiration Calendar

This Month's Themes!

There are two main themes present in this month's calendar!

• Improving Technique
• Audition Preparation: Deep and Effective Practice + Mental Strength and Focus

Over the past few weeks, I have been digging in to as many resources as possible while preparing for a professional audition. There are so many layers to a thorough preparation when it comes to auditions, but deep practice and mental strength for consistent, uninhibited performances have been my main focus. I have included several resources that I find useful, in addition to practice intentions and activities that led me to several breakthroughs!

In addition, I have received many requests for technique tips and a technique calendar! I have put a lot of thought into the subject, and will be sharing a Technique Workout Tracker, Technique Prompt Sheet, and a video full of tips and exercises demonstrations that will be available during the first week of May!

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Tips for Using Your Calendar

• While this is not a practice calendar, there are several actions that are to be implemented directly into your practice session, such as the Practice Intention ideas.
• There's no need to do every action in the order specified. If you're one to print out calendars like this one, then stop using them after one day if you haven't done everything as listed perfectly, here's permission to use it however you'd like! 
• Half the days are intentionally left blank, and you're encouraged to fill them in with actions that are very specific to your own personal sources of inspiration or goals.
• The first action involves reviewing your goals, and writing them specifically in the space at the top. 
• Items with an asterisk (*) have corresponding links and explanations that are available below the calendar at the end of this post! 

Set Your New Goals

Take a moment to reflect and check-in on goals, experiences, and behaviors, ask the following questions:

• Am I on track with my overall goals?
• Are my behaviors reflective of what I wish to accomplish in the short and long-term?
• What have I observed in myself that I wish to change?

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Here you Go!

Click the image or click the button below to download your free PDF!

CORRESPONDING LINKS

• May 2nd: PRR Technique Workout: The Technique Workout Tracker
• May 3rd: The Bulletproof Musician's Practice Hacks
• May 4th: PRR Technique Workout: The Technique Prompt Sheet
• May 5th: The Bulletproof Musician's Pressure Proof Hacks
• May 6th: Peripheral Vision: How Two Words Instantly Took Me From Frustration to Freedom
• May 9th: A full post on Pre-Performance Routines will become available soon!

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#practiceroomrevelations

I am SO EXCITED to see your calendars and the ways you're staying inspired throughout the month! Use the hashtag #practiceroomrevelations and tag @joleneflute to share!

April Inspiration Calendar

How to Use It

• While this is not a practice calendar, there are several actions that are to be implemented directly into your practice session, such as the Practice Intention ideas.
• There's no need to do every action in the order specified. If you're one to print out calendars like this one, then stop using them after one day if you haven't done everything as listed perfectly, here's permission to use it however you'd like! 
• Half the days are intentionally left blank, and you're encouraged to fill them in with actions that are very specific to your own personal sources of inspiration or goals.
• The first action involves reviewing your goals, and writing them specifically in the space at the top. Here are mine:

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Set New Goals

Take a moment to reflect and check-in on goals, experiences, and behaviors, ask the following questions:

• Am I on track with my overall goals?
• Are my behaviors reflective of what I wish to accomplish in the short and long-term?
• What have I observed in myself that I wish to change?

Last Month's Goals

• Spend time on my body map, specifically re-evaluating my representation of my hip joints and the relationship of the spine and balance of the head.
• Use video recordings to evaluate movements and habits in a more specific way to better understand how I'm moving as a whole.
• Spend time experimenting with throat tension, and learn more about the relationship between the soft palate and support.

How'd It Go?

I set my goals knowing that I would be completely out of commission for two weeks in the middle of the month during my wedding and honeymoon. I did not spend time on my hip joints, but I did have a pulse on my head-spine balance. It helped me with my third goal of figuring out my throat tension. (Read about that here!) I committed to recording more videos of myself, and now that I'm back and well-rested after a busy month, I'm ready to begin putting my findings into action to replace unnecessary habits.

Goals

• Turn findings from video recordings into action steps. Begin to replace unnecessary habits with efficient movements.
• Revert to using a timer to focus more during fundamentals.
• Continue listening to recordings each day that inspire musicality and effortlessness.

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Calendar

Click the image or click the button below to download your free PDF!

CORRESPONDING LINKS

• April 3rd: What are some thing you'd like to do more often in your daily routine? Listening? Practicing a secondary instrument? Yoga? Working with a tuner? Use these ideas to fill in some of the blank spaces!
• April 5th: How to Use the Pomodoro Technique
• April 11th: Stop Chasing Pain's Tension Release Secret
• April 19th: Explore TED Talks on Music, Mindfulness, Composing, Conducting, Leadership, and More!
• April 23rd: The Whole-Hearted Musician Blog by Dana Fonteneau
• April 25th: Some ideas include circular breathing, beat-boxing, flutter tonguing, jazz or improvisation, other extended techniques...
• April 27th: Audition Hacker by Rob Knopper's Resource Listing (Recommend signing up for the newsletter! It's worth it!)

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#practiceroomrevelations

I am SO EXCITED to see your calendars and the ways you're staying inspired throughout the month! Use the hashtag #practiceroomrevelations and tag @joleneflute to share!

March Inspiration Calendar

Welcome to March, friends! I am happy to share a new Inspiration Calendar for the new month! 

How to Use It

• While this is not a practice calendar, there are several actions that are to be implemented directly into your practice session, such as the Practice Intention ideas.
• There's no need to do every action in the order specified. If you're one to print out calendars like this one, then stop using them after one day if you haven't done everything as listed perfectly, here's permission to use it however you'd like! 
• Half the days are intentionally left blank, and you're encouraged to fill them in with actions that are very specific to your own personal sources of inspiration or goals.
• The first action involves reviewing your goals, and writing them specifically in the space at the top. Here are mine:

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Set New Goals

Take a moment to reflect and check-in on goals, experiences, and behaviors, ask: "Am I on track with my overall goals? Are my behaviors reflective of what I wish to accomplish in the short and long-term? What have I observed in myself that I wish to change?

Last Month's Observations

My goals from February involved a re-establishment of optimal breathing and lots of Constructive Rest. (Read all about it on last month's post!) Awareness of rib movement has settled back in as a daily habit, and I'm able to take fuller, more comfortable breaths more often! I also utilized Constructive Rest to clear my mind and release tension before practicing and playing. It hasn't become a daily habit, but we're getting closer!

I realized that while focusing on specific parts, such as the ribs or the feet, I leave others out of the picture. I rarely consider the hip joints, and can even forget to notice the balance of my head on top of the spine.

In addition, I've been uncovering some connections between a lifted soft palate, support, and throat tension that I haven't been able to put into words yet.

Goals

• Spend time on my body map, specifically re-evaluating my representation of my hip joints and the relationship of the spine and balance of the head.
• Use video recordings to evaluate movements and habits in a more specific way to better understand how I'm moving as a whole.
• Spend time experimenting with throat tension, and learn more about the relationship between the soft palate and support.

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Calendar

Click the image or click the button below to download your free PDF!

CORRESPONDING LINKS

• March 3rd: Body Intelligence by Imogen Ragone: 30 Days of Constructive Rest
• March 5th: Why You Need a Custom Warm-Up Sheet
• March 19th: Musicians' Way Practice or Creativity Schedule Template
• March 25th: Maximizing Improvement with Video Recordings

As always, I love seeing your calendars in action! Use the hashtag #practiceroomrevelations and tag @JoleneFlute so I can share in the excitement!

Top Picks: Online Video Resources For Musicians

In honor of last week's Inspiration Calendar activity of researching online video resources, I am rounding up some of my favorite videos and channels for flutists and musicians!

Best Channels To Follow For Master Classes:

1. Musaic - Curated by New World Sympyhony, America’s Orchestral Academy 

Also on YouTube!

• Flute excerpt: Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream - Scherzo - Taught by Joshua Smith
• How to Practice Scales by Leone Buyse

2. Carnegie Hall Series Master Classes YouTube Channel

Flute Master Class Playlists

• Emmanuel Pahud Master Class
• Berlin Philharmonic Master Class
• Carnegie Hall Flute Master Classes - Summer School

3. The Master Class Media Foundation YouTube Channel

Worth-The-Subscription:

Principal Chairs

I highly recommend the subscription to Principal Chairs if you are preparing for an audition or working in depth with excerpts! There are a wealth of quality, in-depth, full-length video masterclasses covering many excerpts. 

On Performance Anxiety

1. How to Stay Focused During Performance: Carnegie Hall Master Class with Emmanuel Pahud

2. Your body language shapes who you are | Amy Cuddy

3. TEDxBloomington -- Jeff Nelsen -- "Fearless Performance"

4. The Healthy Musician: Dealing with Nerves & Performance Anxiety by Annie Bosler

5. Pre-Audition Meditation for Dancers

The Alexander Technique and Constructive Rest

1. Posture awareness with the Alexander Technique by Carolyn Nicholls

2. Alexander Technique Lie Down by Pyeng Voice Coach

Favorite Channels for Flutists

1. Flutings with Paula By Paula Robison

2. Mimi's Flute Tips by Mimi Stillman

3. NinaFlute - Nina Perlove

4. BevaniFlute - Bevani

5. JustAnotherFlutist - JustanotherFlutist

Inspiring Performances

1. Amy Porter: Poem by Griffes

2. Jasmine Choi: Paganini Caprice No. 24

3. Karl-Heinz Schütz: Mendelssohn Concerto

4. Marianne Gedigian: Liebermann Concerto

5. Alain Marion: Boehm Grande Polonaise

What are your favorite videos? Check out my YouTube Channel for more playlists!