Best Practice for Musicians

Cello as a folk instrument? In this 40-minute interview, Judy Minot speaks with cellist Natalie Haas, who has influenced an entire generation of cellists, making cello an acceptable and even sought-after instrument in trad music ensembles.  They talked about what we call "trad," the benefits of playing with others, specific cello/accompanist practice routines, incorporating rhythmic variation, cra...

In this 55-minute interview, American violinist Liz Knowles talks with author Judy Minot about "the practice of practicing." Liz has a strong foundation in both classical and Irish traditional music and is known for her work with fiddlers Liz Carroll (The String Sisters, The Lizzes Podcast) and Martin Hayes (Martin Hayes Quartet). She and Judy covered a range of topics about music practice, includ...

In this 55-minute interview, English #accordion player and teacher Mel Biggs talks with author Judy Minot about making music and practicing. As a teacher she has plenty of tips for amateur musicians, and anyone who wants to learn music. She offers #practicetips on learning by ear, finding your way in sessions, playing in rhythm with dancers, finding the similarities in tunes to boost your repertoi...

In this 45-minute interview, #irishflute player and singer Shannon Heaton talks with author Judy Minot, focusing in on issues for amateur musicians and anyone who wants to learn music. She offers #practicetips on breathing, phrasing, musical expression and overcoming challenges. Shannon talks about fitting in to Irish traditional music sessions, breathing and phrasing, intonation, consistency in p...

Memorable Quotes from This Episode "The magic ingredient is feeling like you're able to do a thing. "   "Music is a language. But it's not one language. It's a whole bunch of different languages. The idea is to treat it as a language so that when we are spoken to by another musician, we can understand what they said to us."   "The ideal is to keep our ears, to keep our fluency of hearing and speak...

In this interview, renowned Irish Fiddler Martin Hayes shares his deep understanding of musical expression, personal style, and creating a beautiful sound in this interview with author Judy Minot. Martin offers practical tips on practicing, playing with feeling, balancing tradition with innovation in Irish music and conquering stage fright. Memorable Quotes: "There's only one fundamental mistake r...

Interviews, Ideas, and Inspiration: On this monthly video podcast, host Judy Minot talks to musicians and other thought leaders about how we can get better - not just as musicians, but at everything we want to do. Judy Minot is the author of the award-winning book, Best Practice: Inspiration and Ideas for Traditional Musicians. If you play an instrument, no matter whether you're beginner or expert...