340: Dr. Don Greene on peak performance

Dr. Don Greene is a sports psychologist and performance coach who has who has taught at The Juilliard School, New World Symphony, and The Colburn School. In 2016, Dr. Greene's students won positions with the San Francisco Opera, Montreal Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, National Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Virginia Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and the Dance Theatre of Harlem. At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, his clients won 14 medals including 5 gold. We cover topics like: Don's journey from the world of sports psychology into working with performing artists the latest research in muscle memory and myelination negative reinforcement and how it's baked into much of classical music training mental rehearsal and visualization the five pillars of centering My longtime collaborator John Grillo and I chat with Don in this wide-ranging and fascinating conversation. Links to check out: Peak Performance Training School Don's TED-Ed video (over 1.3 million views) Thanks to our sponsors! This episode is brought to you by D'Addario Strings! Check out their Kaplan strings, which have versatility and control throughout the dynamic spectrum, rich tonal color palette, superb bow response, and beautiful balance. Enter our latest string giveaway for Kaplan strings at contrabassconversations.com/strings! Thank you also to the Bass Violin Shop, which offers the Southeast's largest inventory of laminate, hybrid and carved double basses. Whether you are in search of the best entry-level laminate, or a fine pedigree instrument, there is always a unique selection ready for you to try. Trade-ins and consignments welcome! This episode is also brought to you by Rosin Saver, a revolutionary storage device that keeps bass rosin feeling as fresh as the day it was made. Rosin Saver is used by members of the New York Philharmonic, the MET orchestra, the Los Angles Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony, and many others. Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!