Milt’s Mindful Moment #4

by | Apr 7, 2025 | Milt's Mindful Moment

Are you stressed? Bet those of you who are wrapped up in large ensemble festivals are. Are you looking for a little self-validation, recognition or encouragement online? Burning the candle at 3 ends? Hmmmm. Here’s a little exercise for you to do RIGHT NOW.

Grab a piece of paper – doing this on a computer doesn’t count. The tree won’t mind and may actually be appreciative that its remnant is being used for something positive. Starting at the top of the page, make a column of EVERYTHING that’s causing you stress and related to your vocation (a personal list can come later). Make it a total brain-dump and be as specific as you can. You want to get to your heart-of-hearts on this. Be honest and be thorough. Got everything down? Cool. Now, start at the top of that list and put a line through everything that you truly have no control over. Be honest and don’t try to weather someone else’s storm. If you’re honest in your evaluation, my guess is that the majority of the things on that list will have a line through them. But don’t stop there.

Go back through that list and see if there’s anything that you could eliminate in the future that could relieve whatever is causing your stress. For many folks, it’s the overemphasis on the competitive elements in their programs, which can actually inhibit truly teaching art and creativity, opening avenues of expression versus the regurgitation of instructional material. For others of us, it could be administrative pressure, budget pressure, or peer pressure (a big one). Ask yourself if everything on that list is for the students, or if your ego is wrapped up a little too much in there, too. Are you overly concerned about how you portray yourself to the expectations of peers, administration, other teachers, parents or the community?

It’s a challenging artistic and educational world in which comparison plays a huge and worldwide roll (hello social media). Too often we find ourselves comparing what we do to others, and we justify our actions as “educational, for the kids”. In doing so, however, it’s easy to get caught in a downward spiral (note the reference to mid-1990’s Nine Inch Nails. You’re welcome late Gen Ex-ers/early Millenials). The result? Well, negative stress can rear its ugly head for sure. When it does, we lose the insight, expertise, charisma and musicianship that only you can bring. More concerning are the mental and physical ramifications resulting from ongoing stress – and anxiety, which can result in depression and burnout. Never said it was easy to beat your own drum, but your kids need that groove. Your students, your family, your friends and your colleagues need the authentic YOU! They don’t care about comparison, nor are they concerned that you’re trying to solve every problem. Their priority is, or should be, that you’re leading their musical journey, their portal into themselves, who they are and who they can be. It’s music that’s the key. Music. And remember you’re the one beating that drum.

Make the list, make a change, breathe easier and focus on the joy of teaching music. You know, the reason you chose to be the rock star you are!

About the Author

Dr. Milt Allen has worked with hundreds of schools, community groups and organizations, reaching thousands of students, directors and community members during his career. He is often described as being one of the most creative, innovative, inspiring and non-traditional music educators today. Conductor, clinician, speaker, author and tireless advocate on behalf of music education, his passion for reaching more musicians at a grass-roots level includes extensive experiences in both public schools and universities in addition to founding a non-profit: The Music Guerrilla, which works with underfunded/under-serviced programs in Rwanda, Zambia, Haiti and Compton, CA as well as other schools across the United States. Milt brings a rare perspective to his role. His cross-genre music interests effectively combine with previous teaching positions in rural/suburban, large/small and public/parochial environments to create a truly unique ability to connect to those he serves. His experiences range from teaching beginning instrumentalists in a boiler room to premiering new works at the university level, to working with young African musicians learning to play an instrument. Yet always, from Glasgow, Scotland, to Zambia, Africa, and at regional, state, national, and international conferences, Milt’s humor, passion, and experience combine to illuminate the possibilities of both music and the live art of performance. Dr. Allen is sponsored by Meredith Music, a division of GIA and Jupiter Music.

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