#222. “The 7-38-55 Rule”

#222. “The 7-38-55 Rule”

In the 1970s, then UCLA Professor Albert Mehrabian postulated a theory he called “The 7-38-55 Rule.” According to Professor Mehrabian, just 7% of a message is communicated through our words. Our tone of voice contributes 38%, and our body language...
#221. Don’t Miss The Point!

#221. Don’t Miss The Point!

Those of you who know me know that for all of my efforts to be an optimist, I am a card-carrying pessimist at heart. I hate it, but it’s true. However, I’ve gotten much better as I age. How? By simply remembering an amazing anonymous phrase: “People...
#220. “It’s A Hard Life”

#220. “It’s A Hard Life”

Many years ago, the legendary W. Francis McBeth wrote an article entitled, “It’s A Hard Life” that sticks (pun intended, as you’ll see!) with me every time I rehearse an ensemble. The essence of this article was his opinion that all too often...
#219. Absolutely Brilliant!

#219. Absolutely Brilliant!

This past summer, I had the wonderful privilege of serving as a clinician for a wind conducting symposium with my dear friend, Dr. Robert Halseth. Bob’s extraordinary abilities as a conductor and teacher are only matched by his kindness, sincerity, and spirit....
#218. Winnie-the-Pooh Knew!

#218. Winnie-the-Pooh Knew!

As I reflect on so many facets of being a music teacher, I am often reminded of the marvelous words of A. A. Milne, who had Winnie-the-Pooh state so profoundly, “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” How lucky, indeed. On so...
#217. Information Fatigue

#217. Information Fatigue

When one is bombarded with too much information all at once, it causes what is known as “Information Fatigue.” The result of this condition is a sense of apathy, indifference, disinterest, stress, and mental exhaustion. Basically, we “tune out”...