Things I say in rehearsal
- If you don’t give your best effort now, you will not be able to when you become a pro. Be professional today.
- Your instrument is just equipment. Music comes from the heart and the brain. Don’t expect your instrument to do something you are feeling and thinking.
- Every time you play, whether it is a rehearsal or performance, someone may be hearing you for the first time. What first impression do you want to make?
- Playing correct notes and rhythms is not the goal. It is the starting point.
- Use more air to play longer phrases, not louder notes.
- You cannot simultaneously talk and listen. Don’t talk.
- Melody is the most important element. It is your
responsibility to ensure the audience can hear it clearly. - If every part is marked forte, everyone cannot play forte.
- Practice does not make perfect. Practice makes better.
10. You do not practice a part to learn it.
You learn it and then practice to master it.
