Working through this course has sparked a lot of ideas of how to reframe what I think about while practicing/performing. The concept of anticipatory auditory imagery has really been helpful – filling as much of the mental space as possible with concepts of how I want to sound, phrase, etc and leave as little space as possible for all the random, unhelpful thoughts to wiggle in. Also, it’s become easier to deal with little glitches, move on and focus on what’s ahead rather than dwell what just happened (and potentially allow things to snowball into a monumental train wreck). I’ve been doing this a long time with a generally high level of success but maybe always wished for a bit more consistency and ability to focus. Feeling better equiped now to make that a reality.

I’ve found playing along with recordings to be really helpful, especially with orchestral pieces. Hearing how my part fits in with all the others from a different perpective than where I sit in the orchestral is especially enlightening. Also, it’s a fun break from the usual practicing. 🙂