Table Of ContentThe Musician’s Way
This page intentionally left blank
The Musician’s Way
A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness
Gerald Klickstein
1
2009
1
Oxford University Press, Inc., publishes works that further
Oxford University’s objective of excellence
in research, scholarship, and education.
Oxford New York
Auckland Cape Town Dar es Salaam Hong Kong Karachi
Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Nairobi
New Delhi Shanghai Taipei Toronto
With offices in
Argentina Austria Brazil Chile Czech Republic France Greece
Guatemala Hungary Italy Japan Poland Portugal Singapore
South Korea Switzerland Thailand Turkey Ukraine Vietnam
Copyright © 2009 by Gerald Klickstein
Published by Oxford University Press, Inc.
198 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016
www.oup.com
Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior permission of Oxford University Press.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Klickstein, Gerald.
The musician’s way : a guide to practice, performance, and wellness / Gerald Klickstein.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-19-534312-0; 978-0-19-534313-7 (pbk.)
1. Practicing (Music) 2. Music—Performance. 3. Musicians—Health and hygiene. I. Title.
MT75.K74 2009
781.44—dc22 2008043840
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
Preface
I’ll never forget the day that my parents brought home my first guitar—the
awe I felt as I reached for the strings and was enveloped in the silken tone.
My command of those strings has come a long way since then, yet I still feel
that same sense of wonder whenever I unlatch a case and take a guitar in my
hands. If you’re a musician, too, you know exactly what I mean.
What is it about music that grabs the heart and fires the imagination?
Victor Hugo wrote, “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words
and that which cannot remain silent.”1Words are destined to fall short when
it comes to capturing the essence of music, but the skills involved in making
music can be pinned down. And for aspiring performers, those skills are
priceless.
The Musician’s Wayarticulates fundamental skills that bring about musical
excellence. It merges concepts drawn from current research with the insights
that I’ve gathered across three decades in the performing and teaching pro-
fessions. Part I, Artful Practice,describes strategies for practicing creatively
and efficiently. Part II, Fearless Performance, maps out a route to conquer
nervousness and connect with audiences. Part III, Lifelong Creativity,equips
readers to look after their most important resource: themselves. It shows
how musicians can prevent occupational injuries, boost creativity, and thrive
amid the demands of their field.
The chapters and sections are best read in order, but they’re also designed
to function independently so that a musician interested in a particular topic
can singly read the relevant portion. To achieve such independence, some
points are reiterated, albeit sparingly.
Many sections incorporate case examples. Such narratives are compos-
ite sketches of students with whom I’ve worked, although identifying char-
acteristics have been modified so that none depict specific persons. The book
also employs a companion website, musiciansway.com. The site compiles
vi Preface
useful links, instrument-specific tips, and more—it provides readers with
easy access to web-based information and allows the book to address issues
concisely.
The Musician’s Way can aid all vocalists and instrumentalists who are
seeking to improve their abilities. Nonetheless, it’s framed around the learn-
ing environment of first-year, university-level music students performing in
the Western music traditions. It’s intended as a companion text to music les-
sons and classes and also as a guidebook that music lovers can explore on
their own. Whether you’re enrolled in school or not, if you have a passion for
music, I hope that these pages will be a beacon on your journey toward limit-
less artistic growth.
Acknowledgments
The Musician’s Wayarrived at its present form owing to the support of diverse
people and institutions. I’m grateful to the University of North Carolina
School of the Arts Foundation for funding the sabbatical that enabled me to
concentrate on writing. At Oxford University Press, I’d like to acknowledge
Suzanne Ryan, Senior Editor for music books, as well as Associate Editor
Norman Hirschy, Production Editor Liz Smith, and Editorial Assistants
Katharine Boone and Lora Dunn. And to the individuals, listed alphabeti-
cally below, who gave sage advice, read various drafts, or otherwise made
helpful contributions: Thank you.
Angela Myles Beeching Court Huber Joseph Pecoraro
Guy Blynn Sarah Johnson Steven Pologe
Alice Brandfonbrener Adele Klickstein Marion Pratnicki
Sheila Browne Steven Lankenau Ellen Rosenberg
Kris Chesky Eric Larsen Judith Saxton
F. Joseph Docksey Barbara Lister-Sink Glenn Siebert
John Ferri Kathryn Lucktenberg Mary Siebert
Arlene Gostin Eric Maisel Jeffrey Solow
Paige Greason Linda Moore Taimur Sullivan
Ann Grimaldi Thomas L. Murray Jr. Ransom Wilson
The photographs were produced thanks to Rick Lee Photography and these
models:
John Beck, marimba Laura Gutierrez
Sheila Browne, viola Ryan Layton, guitar
Ronnal Ford, oboe Genevieve Leitner, guitar
Preface vii
Daphne Nichols, piano Judith Saxton, trumpet
Taya Ricker, violin Paul Sharpe, bass
Notice
This book includes research-derived information regarding how musicians
can flourish or become harmed in their occupations. However, the ideas
presented here are not offered as substitutes for expert medical or psycho-
logical advice. Before you make decisions concerning your health and prior
to beginning any exercise, diet, or wellness regimen, consult a healthcare
professional.
This page intentionally left blank
Contents
Part I Artful Practice
1 Getting Organized 3
Artful Practice 3
Defining Practice 4
Creating a Practice Environment 5
The Five Practice Zones 6
Planning Your Practice 7
Scheduling Practice Sessions 11
Choosing New Material 14
Self-Recording 16
2 Practicing Deeply, I 19
Practicing Deeply 19
Habits of Excellence 20
Essentials of Artistic Interpretation 23
Mental Imaging 34
Warming Up 37
3 Practicing Deeply, II 40
The Craftsmanship of Practice 40
Starting New Material 42
Managing Repetition 51
Solving Problems 54
