R E S P E C T

Recently, a professor of mine published a great article in the Massachusetts Music Educators Association Journal about phone usage in ensembles. He took blame as the professor for not having an interesting enough rehearsal for us college students to stay engaged.

As a college student, it makes me so sad to hear that our professors are blaming themselves because we are too disrespectful to put the phone down. It happens in every class I go to, one or two people constantly on their phone scrolling through Facebook, or texting their buds back. When it comes to rehearsal or an ensemble, how is it justifiable to pull out a phone unless it is for checking time, tuning, or recording?

Our professors are not to blame for a lack of focus, we are.

Here are some tips on focusing, musically!

1. Practice in 24 minute segments

Christian Lindberg, trombonist, composer, and conductor, said in his daily routine video that science has found that practicing an instrument for 24 minutes in segments allows for peak performance in a human being.

2. Coffee

If you aren't a coffee drinker. Be one.

There's no downside.

3. Lists

I just think lists help me focus. I list each day's required activities in order of appearance, and then pencil in things like practice time, down time (yes, you have to schedule in that down time), cleaning, etc.

4. Take Breaks

Take 5-7 minutes mental pauses through the day. Lay back, don't talk to anyone, read a book or an article, etc. I find that this helps especially when I am becoming frustrated with my practicing!