Practicing Harp Happiness
#037: Playing Without Fear: My No-Sweat Performance System
Let’s face facts: performing is scary.Â
Even though you’ve practiced that piece a million times and a million different ways and you feel you know it backwards, forwards and inside out, there are so many variables in a performance situation that it’s no wonder we’re scared.Â
Yes, there are ways to “bulletproof” your music and yourself. But that’s not what today’s show is about. Today we are putting the focus on the fear itself. That feeling of fear is real, even though we can tell ourselves there isn’t anything to be actually afraid of. We are going to call out the fear we feel, bring it into the light, give it a name and learn how to get past it.
We’re not talking about perfection here. We’re talking about management: of your fear, your expectations, your adrenalin, your focus. And while I can’t guarantee that you won’t have any fear, I can promise you that the strategies we will talk about today will allow you to play for others with confidence, with assurance that your perform...
#033: Choosing Your Next Step: How to Eat an Elephant
The energy of the New Year can be a trap as our good intentions become overwhelming. We burden ourselves with too many resolutions, too many projects and too many brilliant ideas. That’s the fast track to disappointment.
Today Anne explains why the best strategy for harp success in the new year is a one step at a time approach. Choosing your next best step and creating a plan to ensure you take that step are key to your harp happiness this year.
Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:Â
Get involved in the show! Send your questions for future podcast episodes to me at [email protected]
#031: Relax, Review, Enjoy: A Practice Plan for the Holidays
Is holiday harping making you stressed? As the angel said, “Fear not!”
We all find it difficult to find practice time during the holidays, even though this is the time we need to keep our fingers ready to play. In this episode of the podcast you will discover a stress-free practice plan that will keep you in shape, no matter how many cookies you still need to bake. All it takes is a few minutes and a little planning.
Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:Â
Get involved in the show! Send your questions for future podcast episodes to me at [email protected]
#027: Cure the Carol Blahs: Strategies for Practicing Music You Know Too Well
If you find it difficult to practice Christmas Carols, you are not alone.
Reviewing holiday music is an unusual kind of challenge. Everyone knows the songs so well we dread making even a single mistake. But we know them so well we practice on autopilot. On today’s show I share how to do the practice you need and still keep the holiday spirit with three simple strategies that make even the most tired carol (or any music) fun to practice and play.
Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:Â
- Cracking the Nutcracker Code webinar
- Cadenza Play In LIVE Friday, November 26 at Noon Eastern time
- My Harp Mastery
- How to Play Music You Hate Blog post
- Harpmastery.com
Get involved in the show! Send your questions for future podcast episodes to me at [email protected]
#026: Memorization: The Three Methods (and the Only One That Works)
Memorizing your music isn’t essential, but developing your memorization skills IS.
Memorization isn’t just for people who want to play without music. It’s also a proven practice technique that creates critical connections between what you play and what you hear which translate into faster learning and longer retention. Even if you can’t remember what you had for breakfast you can learn to memorize - if you use the only method which really works!Â
Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:Â
- Cracking the Nutcracker Code webinar
- My Harp Mastery
- No More Memorization Mistakes Blog post
- Harpmastery.com
Get involved in the show! Send your questions for future podcast episodes to me at [email protected]
#023: Practice It or Personalize It: How To Know If A Piece Really Too Hard For You
Maybe the piece is too hard for you. You could soldier on or you could put it away for later. Which choice do you make?
Neither choice is satisfying. Instead of battling on or conceding defeat, you could choose to fix the problem. Asking the right questions will show you what you need to do to eliminate the obstacles so you can play the piece confidently and with pride. In this episode I will share six key questions and the all-important answers.
Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:
- Waltz of the Flowers Cadenza Challenge
- Are Your Fingers Failing You? 10 Quick Fixes blog post
- Harpmastery.com
Get involved in the show! Send your questions for future podcast episodes to me at [email protected]
#022: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: How To Review Your Pieces For This Holiday Season
Too much music and not enough time? Here’s the solution you’ve been waiting for.
While this holiday season may not have as many performances as other years, preparing all your music is still a mammoth task. You know the secret is in organizing it properly, but somehow every year you’ve indeed up scrambling to get it all done.
On this podcast episodeI reveal my method for reviewing old pieces and learning new ones in a simple, stress-free way.
Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:
- Waltz of the Flowers Cadenza Challenge
- Five Steps to Build Your Repertoire blog post
- 30 Days to Done course
- Harpmastery.com
Get involved in the show! Send your questions for future podcast episodes to me at [email protected]
#019: Plan Your Practice Like a Pro [Goal Setting for Harpists 4]
If you ask a professional harpist how she plans her practice, she probably won’t be able to tell you.Â
But ask her what she does every day and she’ll tell you her favorite routine, what she does first and what is the most important part of her practice. Pros learn how to practice efficiently and how to get consistent results from their practice. If you’ve ever wondered if you’re missing something in your practice, this episode is for you.
Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:Â
#018: Knowing When You Get There [Goal Setting For Harpists 3]
Case Study: A 90 Day Goal In Action
On this show, I present a case study of a student whose 90 Day Goal was to improve her skill in playing hands together. You’ll see the plan come together as I walk you through each step of the goal setting process from idea to action. You’ll also learn how to adapt this plan for a different skill or change it for your personal learning style, along with critical safeguards to put in place to ensure your success.
Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:
#015: Do You Fall Into the Practice Gap? [3 Steps to Finishing Your Music Faster]
Have you spent weeks or months practicing your piece and it still isn’t ready to play? You have fallen into the Practice Gap!
The Practice Gap is the divide between making your music better and making it music. If you’re taking longer than four weeks to finish a piece, you’re in serious danger of being stuck on the wrong side. Revamp your practice system so you never have to worry about getting tired of your piece before you can actually play it.
Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:Â
- Work with one of our Certified Coaches. Register today!
- Get involved in the show! Email me a question, comment or topic at [email protected]
- Practicing Differently: 4 Steps to Faster Learning blog postÂ
- Harpmastery.com
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