by Peter Boonshaft | Oct 7, 2025 | Boonshaft's Blog
If I asked you to fix a loose screw on a wall fixture, would you grab a hammer out of your toolkit? Or a saw? Or a chisel? Probably not. Because you know the best thing to use to accomplish that goal is a screwdriver. Well, I often think of the shape of our left hand...
by Peter Boonshaft | Sep 30, 2025 | Boonshaft's Blog
I have always believed that the warm-up portion of any rehearsal can be incredibly fruitful – or the biggest waste – of time. And of all the things we need to accomplish during that potentially valuable time, I think the most significant one is not something they will...
by Peter Boonshaft | Sep 23, 2025 | Boonshaft's Blog
It took me a long time, a lot of decades, but I finally figured out what we, as teachers, really are. You’re thinking musician, educator, administrator, counselor, accountant, bookkeeper, psychologist, motivator, public relations specialist, and a thousand other...
by Peter Boonshaft | Sep 16, 2025 | Boonshaft's Blog
I saw an advertisement while walking through an airport today. It read, “Tomorrow will be nothing like today.” And it bothered me, but I couldn’t figure out why. As I thought about it, I came to realize why. Yes, in many ways, I do hope tomorrow will be nothing like...
by Peter Boonshaft | May 13, 2025 | Boonshaft's Blog
B. F. Skinner stated, “Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.” And that, my friends, really frames what we do, and more importantly, why we do it. As music teachers, we pass along so much information, teach so many skills, share so...
by Peter Boonshaft | May 6, 2025 | Boonshaft's Blog
Though I know your teaching day is long and exhausting, with a seemingly endless list of tasks and responsibilities, I ask that you take a few minutes to find a quiet place. Maybe grab a cup of coffee or tea. Take a few relaxing breaths. Then read the following...