Philadelphia Orchestra concertmaster David Kim shares insights on his most effective practice techniques, biggest failures (and successes), and more.

David Kim: On Letting Go and Being Yourself

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Are people who have pictures of family and friends in their case on to something? A study suggets that simply imagining our partner can help us reduce stress as much as having them physically present.

A Scientific Rationale for Keeping Photos of Friends and Family in Your Case

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Is getting into "the zone" something that just happens randomly? Or do we have more control over this than we realize? New research suggests that we actually do indeed.

Get Into "The Zone" More Frequently with This Subtle Mental Adjustment

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Pre-performance routines often consist of a number of different elements. But might simply squeezing a ball in your left hand a few times be just as effective?

A Comparison of Two Types of Anti-Choking Strategies

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What is Alexander Technique, really? Will it help our playing? If so, in what way? How do we know if we need it? Learn more in this chat with Juilliard's Alexander Technique teacher Lori Schiff.

Lori Schiff: On How Alexander Technique Can Enhance Learning and Performance Under Pressure

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How much wiggle room do we have when it comes to intonation? Do pitch issues affect audience (and other musicians') opinions of the quality of a performance as much as we think they do?

How Perfect Does Your Intonation Have to Be?

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It's often said that we should focus on "the music" when performing instead of the notes and technique per se. But does this come at a cost to technical accuracy?

Does Focusing on Musical Expressiveness in Performance Come at the Expense of Technical Precision?

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Ever have a teacher tell you to imagine performing to the very last row in a hall? Research suggests that this might be better advice than we realize.

A Mental Shift That Could Help You Produce a More Beautiful Sound on Stage

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Ever have difficulty shutting off your brain and getting to sleep? A recent study found that this 5-min writing exercise could help.

Can’t Shut Off Your Brain and Get to Sleep? This 5-min Exercise Could Help.

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Cleveland Orchestra principal cellist Mark Kosower talks about how he approaches learning music, and describes what exactly he is thinking about when he's having his best performances.

For additional notes and links, visit Mark Kosower: On Learning Music, Slow Practice, and the Kind of Focus That's Associated With His Best Performances

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• Live and self-paced courses