Is entrepreneurship the kryptonite of great artistry? So many in artistic education seem to think so. The usual argument goes something like “why are they focusing on building a website when they can’t even play in tune?” Merriam-Webster defines entrepreneurship as “a person who starts a business and is willing…

As a psychotherapist and life-long student of human behavior, I’ve been fascinated in the way we think and how much power that has over the the reality of our lives. Week after week I hear my clients who are experts in their field grapple with this inner demon of imposter…

An Excerpt from HOW TO HAVE A LIFE IN MUSIC by Dana Fonteneau, LMFT Myth Buster: There is no such thing as a “career” in the arts. Not really. It looks like that on social media or in a bio or job application, but there is no such thing as…

“I am EXHAUSTED. I cancel my subscription to 2022. I did my 31 day trial and I’m out.” This post I saw on twitter sums up how many people are feeling right now. Just below that tweet however, was another that said “this was my best January yet.” I wondered…

There’s been a lot of talk on different forums about the psychological damage of perfectionism in classical music. People are expressing how this standard of “perfect” causes fear, anxiety, inhibition, lack of self-worth, lack of self-confidence and more. I would like to offer a re-frame. When we say perfectionism, what…

In the last 20 years or so there has been a major shift in classical music when it comes to self-promotion, fundraising and audience engagement. This goes hand in hand with the invention of the internet, the smart phone, the ability to design your own website and social media. Think…

For some, zoom teaching is the bane of music educators’ existence while also being a saving grace for keeping work alive during quarantine. Before you throw out the option of zoom, it might help to look at how having to pivot to online teaching has helped improve music education. Here…

You have a clear vision that your life demonstrates is on it’s way. Your WHY is defined and articulated. You are teachable: it’s not being told WHAT to do but learning HOW and WHY you are doing it. You have a relentless desire to achieve your vision. You have an…

1. Get clear on WHO your marketing is for. Shift the focus from you to your audience. The biggest complaint I hear from clients is “I don’t want to be cocky-I have a hard time putting myself out there.” Your marketing is for THEM, not for you. 2. Don’t market to your competitors, family or friends. So many musicians use their social media to market to other musicians…