DEREK JUSTIN WRIGHT

Don’t Bash Your Colleagues!

The old saying, “If you don’t have something nice to say about someone, say nothing at all” is great advice for any musician. The classical music industry is extremely small, to the point where I would guess that there is only one degree of separation between any two musicians. When bashing someone you are always [...]

Rhythm and Time Part 1: Why is a recording device just as essential as a metronome?

A metronome is a great tool. It helps one to learn the correct rhythm and time for any metrical piece of music. However, the overuse of a metronome can be detrimental. It allows one to play in time without reliance on his internal sense of time. I’ve seen many students work on the rhythm of a piece [...]

Failure

As musicians we all want to be successful. We want to be hired for that full-time job, win that concerto competition, be selected for that all-state band, get into that top music school, be chosen as first chair, etc. We all also know that one player that seems to be successful at everything they attempt. They [...]

Motivation

A few days ago Bruce Hembd posted a YouTube video about people’s real motivation for work over at Horn Matters. I believe that the points illustrated in the video are true. Motivation comes from within, not from external sources. As a teacher, the best way to motivate a student to practice is to convince them [...]

Mind Gym: An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence

“Ninety percent of the game is half mental.” -Yogi Berra
“You have to train your mind like you train your body.” -Bruce Jenner
“The mind messes up more shots than the body.” -Tommy Bolt
“The mind is a powerful thing and most people don’t use it properly.” -Mark McGwire
The words above are just a few of the quotes [...]

The Savvy Musician: Building a Career, Earning a Living, & Making a Difference

A great book that I have recently finished reading is titled “The Savvy Musician: Building a Career, Earning a Living, & Making a Difference” by David Cutler. The most important aspect of this book is the fact that it encourages musicians to think out of the box. There is more to life as a musician than [...]