All episodes
2026.8 | Lorna McGhee
Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse: The Science of Sleep for Musicians
Paul Baxter: Why Bad Habits Keep Coming Back (And a Faster Way to Change Them)
Micah Killion: The One Thing Artist-Level Musicians Do Differently in the Practice Room
How to Start a Performance with More Accuracy (Without the Onstage Warm-Up)
When You Can’t Get Yourself to Start Practicing, Try This
The Central Strategy Expert Musicians Use to Practice Difficult Passages
How a Small Change in Self-Talk Could Improve Performance Under Pressure
A Learning Method That Outperformed Traditional Practice
How Much Perfectionism Do You Really Need to Succeed?
Pallavi Mahidhara: On Practicing for Flexibility, Not Perfection
What Happened When Musicians Slept 90 Minutes More
Why Being Too Quick to Offer Feedback Could Inhibit Learning
Fewer Repetitions….But More Rapid Progress?
Ida Kavafian: Habits That Separate Good Musicians from Great Ones
Can Memorizing Music Make You a More Expressive Performer?
Two Approaches to Memorization (Beware: One Could Leave You Stranded!)
A Hidden Reason You Forget Music on Stage
Jane Ginsborg: On Building Stronger and More Reliable Musical Memory
How to Use Focus Cues to Play More Freely on Stage
Is There Hope for the Most Anxious Performers?
How to Get Your Mind in the Right Place Before Going On Stage
Graham Fitch: On Playful Practice and Muscle Memory You Can Trust
Does Aiming for Perfection Actually Hurt Performance?
Could Performance Anxiety Be Causing Students to Quit?
Worried About a Performance? 4 Reasons Why (And How to Stop)
Double Your Practice Gains With a Nap?
Ignasi Cambra: On Learning, Memorizing, and Interpreting Music
Notes First or Music First? Which Leads to Better Performance?
A Way to Get More Useful Performance Feedback?
How to Unlock Your Students’ Hidden Practice Abilities
Judy Loman: On the Best Advice For an Aspiring Harpist (or Musician)
A Comparison of Three Approaches to Teaching Expressiveness
The Overlooked Skill That Could Make Performing More Enjoyable
How Do Effective Practicers Make the Most of Their Practice Time?
Do We Unconsciously Favor Talent Over Effort?
Cellist Yumi Kendall: On Becoming a More Positive (And Effective) Practicer
How to Keep Your Inner Critic From Getting the Better of You
Pre-Performance Apathy (and the Importance of Mentally Disengaging From Practice)
Your Brain Isn’t Built for Consistency - Here’s How to Make That Work for You
Mitch Abrams: On Trauma and High-Level Performance
Reward vs. Punishment: Which Leads to Faster Learning?
One Way Parents Can Help Their Kids Be Less Anxious
A Self-Talk Tweak to Boost the Odds of Achieving Your Goals
Linda Chesis: On Cultivating a More Beautiful Sound and Becoming a Better Practicer
Finding Your Optimal Anxiety Level: Why Calm Isn’t Always Better
The 70% Rule: Why Practicing Shouldn’t Be Too Easy
Sight Reading: The Ideal Error Rate for Optimal Learning
Why Practicing While Distracted Is Actually Very Important
How to Help Students Remember More From Each Lesson
How to Increase the Likelihood of Being Accepted by Others
Stumped by a Problem in the Practice Room? Try an “Incubation” Break
Perfect Shmerfect. Could More “Mistakes” Accelerate Learning?
Carolyn Christie: On Overcoming Nerves With Healthier Internal Dialogue - and Phrasing!
Can We Train Ourselves to Worry Less About Others’ Opinions?
What Causes "Choking" Under Pressure? And What Can We Do About It?
The Truth About Cramming: Why Your Brain Needs Breaks
Orli Shaham: On Overcoming Setbacks and Learning to Trust the Process
A Backward Strategy for Enhanced Goal-Setting Success
4 Approaches to Goal Setting (And Which Works Best)
Do Extroverts Make Better Performers Than Introverts?
Laurie Scott & Cornelia Watkins: On Going From the Stage to the Studio
Does How We Look On Stage Matter More Than How We Sound...?
Does Counting Our Blessings Really Change Anything?
An Easier Way to Get Better at Mental Imagery?
A Better Way to Do Mental Practice?
Not an Optimist? How to Make Pessimism Work for You.
Can Breathing Really Help Reduce Anxiety? Or Is It Just a Cliché?
Go From Procrastination to Productivity With “Temptation Bundling”
A Better Way to Bounce Back From Disappointing Setbacks
Why Giving Students Choices Could Dramatically Enhance Learning
What Are Audition Committees Really Listening For?
The Best Time to Exercise for Maximizing Practice Gains
How Important Is It Really to Practice Every Day?
Improve Coordination With Opposite-Side Practice
Nathan Cole: Lessons From 20 Years of Concertmaster Auditions
An Ironic Strategy to Stay Calmer and Avoid Rushing on Performance Days
How Teachers' Expectations Can Shape Students' Learning & Performance
How Much Do Positive or Negative Expectations Affect Performance?
How to Keep Music Feeling Fresh Through Repeated Performances
Is It Really so Bad to Frown After Making a Mistake?
What’s the Optimal Practice-To-Rest Ratio?
Is There a Way to Make Self-Imposed Deadlines Work?
Does Listening to Music Benefit the Music Learning Process?
A Better Way to Learn, Teach, and Perform New Skills?
Is It Better to Perform With Eyes Open or Closed?
A Teaching Method That Creates Smarter Practicers
The Subtle Habit That Might Be Undermining Your Confidence
Learn More Effectively with This Lesser-Known Mindset Shift
Are You the “Good” or “Bad” Kind of Procrastinator?
Why Practicing for Consistency May Be Less Effective Than You’d Think
Are Great Sight-Readers Born or Made?
Michael Bridge: On Cultivating Expressive (vs Impressive) Virtuosity
How Much of an Effect Does Hydration Have on Practice & Performance?
Feel Like You’re Getting Worse? Here’s Why That May Not Just Be Your Imagination.
An Unconventional Way to Enhance Your Focus in the Practice Room
Frank Almond: On Work, Fun, and the Importance of Both in Dealing with Adversity
How the Wrong Kind of Praise Could Increase a Student’s Feelings of Shame
Can We Learn Faster by Thinking Less?
To Play More Accurately, Change Your Focus?