routine Archives

Training Plan Details: Workout Types (Part 2) — by Jonathan Thomson

TEMPO A tempo run is a set distance run at a fast sustained pace. An example would be 7 miles overall, with 5 miles run at a 7:24 pace (the first and last mile are slower, to warm up and cool down). Again, the tempo workout alternates with the speed workout (opposite the long run), and increases in distance while also quickening the pace as the race date approaches. The tempo run is a particularly important workout because the long run is usually not run as fast as race pace. Instead, the long-run is geared toward getting the body accustomed to running long distances, while the tempo run is geared toward sustaining a quicker pace for long periods. EASY Easy runs are low intensity workouts, designed to allow the body [...]

By Jonathan Thomson|2017-10-10T03:15:20-04:00October 30th, 2015|Categories: In the Practice Room, Playing Healthy, Self Discovery|Tags: routine, CelloBlog, Jonathan Thomson, Cello Workout, how to practice, training plan, cellobello|

“But I Don’t Want To!”: How to Get Yourself (or Your Kid) to Practice… — by Martha Baldwin

One of the most frequent problems my students ask me about is how to get inspired to practice. Old, young, serious and casual cellists alike come to me in frustration: “But I just can’t find the inspiration to practice right now/ever/this month/today etc. etc.” Parents ask even more often how to get their child to practice without a battle. Here’s the thing—there’s a hard truth about being a cellist, about the practicing it takes. It’s not always fun. It’s hard to get started. You don’t feel inspired to practice all the time. Don’t feel bad—you know that student next to you in the practice room who’s there every day without fail? He’s not more inspired than you, you’re not missing the I-Love-To-Practice gene. Parents—you know that mom who says “I [...]

By Martha Baldwin|2017-10-24T04:04:38-04:00March 3rd, 2014|Categories: In the Practice Room, Self Discovery, Teaching|Tags: appointment, Martha, daily routine, practicing, feel like practicing, how to get yourself to practice, Habits, inspiration to practice, cellist, rehearsal, inspiration, problems, schedule, cello, routine, truth, cellobello, Baldwin, structure, Practice Room, discipline|

Orchestra: A Love Story — by Martha Baldwin

Solo playing, chamber music, orchestra, teaching—I loved them all in college but at some point, we all must start to narrow our focus and work to establish a career that is dominated by one or two of these. I think the most often over-looked aspect of choosing what direction to take your musical talents (insert LeBron goes to Miami joke here), is thoughtful consideration of the daily life. Happiness in life and career is so often not determined by money or status but by how closely our lives conform to our personal ideals and individual quirks. Young cellists often ask me “Why did you choose to play in an orchestra?” This is my answer. I’m a planner. I am happiest with a stable structured day with a decent amount of routine [...]

By Martha Baldwin|2017-10-03T02:47:39-04:00January 27th, 2013|Categories: Orchestra, Self Discovery|Tags: concert halls, Cleveland Orchestra, cello, social outlets, Touring, direction, cellobello, soloist, concerts, establish a career, stability, colleagues, family time, orchestra, status, chamber music, lifestyle, Travel, working full time, personal ideas, mom-friendly schedule, routine, money, challenges, Baldwin, musical talents, focus, happiness, inspiration, orchestral jobs, Martha, choices, Teaching, predictability, rehearsals, Cleveland Institute of Music, variety, short attention span|

It’s Time to Start [NOT] Practicing — by Martha Baldwin

It’s September, the school year has begun, and the concert season is looming large. This time of year is the New Year’s Eve of the academic and music world—a time for resolutions and new beginnings. For cellists everywhere these resolutions often focus around practicing—namely doing more of it. For myself, I somehow already feel behind and the temptation to try to cram as much work in as possible, especially on my “day off” from the orchestra is strong (well, to be honest there are other days when the temptation to sit on the couch is stronger). But this year my resolution is two-fold. Yes, I want to prepare upcoming repertoire earlier than ever this year but before I come up with a plan for that, I’m going to be planning [...]

By Martha Baldwin|2017-09-15T02:54:54-04:00September 29th, 2011|Categories: Playing Healthy, Self Discovery|Tags: cello, cellobello, school, orchestra, routine, Preparation, self-improvement, Baldwin, energy, Injuries, Martha, relaxing, practicing, taking time off, repertoire, improvement, Rest|

The F-Word — by Aron Zelkowicz

“Do you play with a regular ensemble?” the lady at Kinko’s asked me. Lately I’ve noticed this to be one of the routine first questions that new acquaintances throw my way, especially in New York. My theory is that music aficionados latch on to this question, while novices (often in airports, as we can all testify) tend to focus on the size of the cello case and the hilarity of imagining something else inside it: an AK-47, King Kong’s tennis racket, mother. In this instance my cello was not with me, but the scraps of dissected scores scattered across the work station easily gave away my vocation. She asked, “Do you play with a regular ensemble?”, which is exactly the wording that gets me like a deer in headlights. The [...]

By Aron Zelkowicz|2021-09-10T16:21:12-04:00May 11th, 2011|Categories: Beyond the Traditional, Interpersonal Relationships, Self Discovery|Tags: Auditions, fundraising, masterclasses, repertoire, New York City, orchestral tours, ensemble, orchestras, Teaching, chamber music, radio, career, routine, musician, environment, self-improvement, cello, cello case, social, cellobello, Competition, string quartets, music, freelance|