Jeremy Denk's book is part memoir, part musical analysis, and part reflection on what it means to grow into a life in music. Ultimately, it's a story about becoming and the lessons learned along the way. You'll find humorous personal anecdotes, reflections on the realities of developing an artistic practice, and an appendix with Denk's most recommended pieces of classical music.

• Buy this book on Amazon
• Buy this book on Bookshop (support independent bookstores 🙌)
• Every Good Boy Does Fine playlist

What to read next:

📚 See what's on our bookshelf: book recommendations for musicians, teachers & entrepreneurs

Let's be friends:

📱 IG: @ashleydanyew

✉️ Email: [email protected]

Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways we can work together:

1. Music Business Templates - tools to help you manage the business side of your music career, starting at $37.
2. The Musicpreneur Model - a self-paced course to help you build and manage a diversified portfolio career in music.
3. 1:1 Consulting - in-depth strategy sessions, résumé & CV writing reviews, and brand design.

DISCLAIMER: This description contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting Musician & Co.

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Violist and scholar, Dr. Molly Gebrian looks at the neuroscience of how we learn and memorize information and applies this to practicing and performance. This book is a practical guide for musicians of all levels, based on the principles of how the brain processes and stores information (short- and long-term).

• Buy this book on Amazon
• Buy this book on Bookshop (support independent bookstores 🙌)

What to read next:

📚 See what's on our bookshelf: book recommendations for musicians, teachers & entrepreneurs

Let's be friends:

📱 IG: @ashleydanyew

✉️ Email: [email protected]

Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways we can work together:

1. Music Business Templates - tools to help you manage the business side of your music career, starting at $37.
2. The Musicpreneur Model - a self-paced course to help you build and manage a diversified portfolio career in music.
3. 1:1 Consulting - in-depth strategy sessions, résumé & CV writing reviews, and brand design.

DISCLOSURE: This description contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting Musician & Co.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cal Newport has much to share on the topic of work, focus, and time management in this thoughtful, actionable, well-researched book. He reminds us that our time and attention are limited resources, and to foster deep work, there are a few rules we should follow (#2 may surprise you).

• Buy this book on Amazon
• Buy this book on Bookshop (support independent bookstores 🙌)
• Time-Blocking for Musicians: How to Structure Your Workday
• What I Learned from 6 Months of Time Tracking

What to read next:

📚 See what's on our bookshelf: book recommendations for musicians, teachers & entrepreneurs

Let's be friends:

📱 IG: @ashleydanyew

✉️ Email: [email protected]

Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways we can work together:

1. Music Business Templates - tools to help you manage the business side of your music career, starting at $37.
2. The Musicpreneur Model - a self-paced course to help you build and manage a diversified portfolio career in music.
3. 1:1 Consulting - in-depth strategy sessions, résumé & CV writing reviews, and brand design.

DISCLOSURE: This description contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting Musician & Co.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether you’re still dreaming about your music career, actively building your portfolio, or simply trying to make smarter choices about where to invest your time and energy, The Long Game offers an important reminder: Carve your own path. Don’t feel like you need to do what everyone else is doing. Play your own game.

Resource List:

• Buy this book on Amazon
• Buy this book on Bookshop (support independent bookstores 🙌)
• The Creative Habit (Twyla Tharp)
• Daily Rituals: Women at Work (Mason Currey)

What to read next:

📚 See what's on our bookshelf: book recommendations for musicians, teachers & entrepreneurs

Let's be friends:

📱 IG: @ashleydanyew

✉️ Email: [email protected]

Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways we can work together:

1. Music Business Templates - tools to help you manage the business side of your music career, starting at $37.
2. The Musicpreneur Model - a self-paced course to help you build and manage a diversified portfolio career in music.
3. 1:1 Consulting - in-depth strategy sessions, résumé & CV writing reviews, and brand design.

DISCLOSURE: This description contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting Musician & Co.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I thought January was the perfect time to read The Gap and the Gain: The High Achievers' Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success. This book teaches a small but important shift that can have a profound impact on your creative work and personal life.

Resource list:

• Buy this book on Amazon
• Buy this book on Bookshop (support independent bookstores 🙌)
• Morgann Davis
• Slow Productivity (Cal Newport)

What to read next:

📚 See what's on our bookshelf: curated reading recommendations for musicians, teachers, and entrepreneurs

Let's be friends:

📱 Find me on Instagram: @ashleydanyew

✉️ Email me: [email protected]

Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways we can work together:

1. Music Business Templates - tools to help you manage the business side of your music career, starting at $37.
2. The Musicpreneur Model - a self-paced course to help you build and manage a diversified portfolio career in music.
3. 1:1 Consulting - in-depth strategy sessions, résumé & CV writing reviews, and brand design.

DISCLOSURE: This description contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting Musician & Co.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've been reading Hidden Genius by Polina Pompliano. This book is a collection of stories, insights, and lessons learned from top performers, entrepreneurs, and creators. It all starts with this question: “What distinguishes the truly exceptional from the merely great?”

Resource list:

• Buy this book on Amazon
• Buy this book on Bookshop (support independent bookstores 🙌)
• Field Notes on Music Teaching & Learning - Ep. 68, Ep. 69, Ep. 71

What to read next:

📚 See what's on our bookshelf: curated reading recommendations for musicians, teachers, and entrepreneurs

Let's be friends:

📱 Find me on Instagram: @ashleydanyew

✉️ Email me: [email protected]

Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways we can work together:

1. Music Business Templates - tools to help you manage the business side of your music career, starting at $37.
2. The Musicpreneur Model - a self-paced course to help you build and manage a diversified portfolio career in music.
3. 1:1 Consulting - in-depth strategy sessions, résumé & CV writing reviews, and brand design.

DISCLOSURE: This description contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting Musician & Co.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've been reading Feel Good Productivity by Dr. Ali Abdaal. As busy working musicians, we’re all familiar with the quest to be more productive—to get more done in less time. But what if it were simpler than that? Building on decades of psychological research, Dr. Abdaal discovered that the secret to productivity isn’t discipline... it’s joy. Here are my 5 big takeaways from this book.

Resource list:

• Buy this book on Amazon
• Buy this book on Bookshop (support independent bookstores 🙌)
• Field Notes on Music Teaching & Learning - Ep. 71
• How to Overcome Procrastination & Get More Done

What to read next:

📚 See what's on our bookshelf: curated reading recommendations for musicians, teachers, and entrepreneurs

Let's be friends:

📱 Find me on Instagram: @ashleydanyew

✉️ Email me: [email protected]

Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways we can work together:

1. Music Business Templates - tools to help you manage the business side of your music career, starting at $37.
2. The Musicpreneur Model - a self-paced course to help you build and manage a diversified portfolio career in music.
3. 1:1 Consulting - in-depth strategy sessions, résumé & CV writing reviews, and brand design.

DISCLOSURE: This description contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting Musician & Co.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've been reading This Is Marketing by Seth Godin—timeless truths about marketing and how to share your creative work in a way that’s genuine and intentional and builds trust. Contrary to popular marketing gimmicks, Godin re-frames marketing as an act of generosity based on empathy, the power of connection, and the change we all seek. Here are my 5 big takeaways.

Resource list:

• Buy this book on Amazon
• Buy this book on Bookshop (support independent bookstores 🙌)

What to read next:

📚 See what's on our bookshelf: curated reading recommendations for musicians, teachers, and entrepreneurs

Let's be friends:

📱 Find me on Instagram: @ashleydanyew

✉️ Email me: [email protected]

Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways we can work together:

1. Music Business Templates - tools to help you manage the business side of your music career, starting at $37.
2. The Musicpreneur Model - a self-paced course to help you build and manage a diversified portfolio career in music.
3. 1:1 Consulting - in-depth strategy sessions, résumé & CV writing reviews, and brand design.

DISCLOSURE: This description contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting Musician & Co.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've been reading Daily Rituals by Mason Currey—an inside look at the routines, rituals, and daily work schedules of 161 well-known writers, performers, composers, artists, philosophers, and other creatives along with insights into their creative processes. Through primary source materials (interviews, letters, and personal accounts), he pieces together a picture of the daily rituals of some of the most famous artists and creators.

Resource list:

• Buy this book on Amazon
• Buy this book on Bookshop (support independent bookstores 🙌)

What to read next:

📚 See what's on our bookshelf: curated reading recommendations for musicians, teachers, and entrepreneurs

Let's be friends:

📱 Find me on Instagram: @ashleydanyew

✉️ Email me: [email protected]

Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways we can work together:

1. Music Business Templates - tools to help you manage the business side of your music career, starting at $37.
2. The Musicpreneur Model - a self-paced course to help you build and manage a diversified portfolio career in music.
3. 1:1 Consulting - in-depth strategy sessions, résumé & CV writing reviews, and brand design.

DISCLOSURE: This description contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting Musician & Co.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've been reading Profit First by Mike Michalowicz—a guide to organizing your finances and building a profitable business.

We'll talk about how to use this framework + share tips for structuring your time and working more efficiently. Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice.

Resource list:

• Buy this book on Amazon
• Buy this book on Bookshop (support independent bookstores 🙌)
• Profitable Pricing Guide for Musicians
• Pricing Calculators for Musicians
• How to Organize Your Finances As a Musicpreneur
• Bookkeeping Templates for Self-Employed Musicians

What to read next:

📚 See what's on our bookshelf: curated reading recommendations for musicians, teachers, and entrepreneurs

Let's be friends:

📱 Find me on Instagram: @ashleydanyew

✉️ Email me: [email protected]

Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways we can work together:

1. Music Business Templates - tools to help you manage the business side of your music career, starting at $37.
2. The Musicpreneur Model - a self-paced course to help you build and manage a diversified portfolio career in music.
3. 1:1 Consulting - in-depth strategy sessions, résumé & CV writing reviews, and brand design.

DISCLOSURE: This description contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Thank you for supporting Musician & Co.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.