The Art of Practicing: A Guide to Making Music from the Heart

As a choir director and organist of a small parish church in suburban Philadelphia, I refer to this book frequently to renew my inspiration. Frankly, I have found this book invaluable for its ability to help me refine my ability to focus, which in turn, continually revives my enthusiasm and zeal, which in turn, helps me refine my ability to focus, etc., etc. While parts of it are definitely a "how-to manual", the book generally takes more of a reflective (almost spiritual) approach to providing a more intense awareness of the surrounding environment and its influence on practice habits and results.

After earning a masters degree in piano performance from a major conservatory, I struggled for years with debilitating performance anxiety and frustration, to the point where I changed careers and moved into the corporate world for 15 years. The practice techniques and disciplines which Madeline Bruser so clearly describes in this book enabled me to recapture my earlier love and enthusiasm for music and performing, and have put me on a path toward "playing from the heart," which has led me among other things to a decision to return to teaching and performing again as a career. This book is written in a simple and straightforward style. The author is not dogmatic about her ideas, but rather, deals with the physical and emotional aspects of playing music at a basic and fundamental level. Ms. Bruser's own credentials as a pianist and teacher are impressive. The research she cites -- interviews and collaboration with numerous professional musicians and teachers, experts in posture and movement (Alexander, Feldenkreis), and medical professionals, are partly what attracted me to this book, as did the praise for this book from musicians such as Peter Serkin, Yehudi Menuhin, and Richard Stolzman -- all impeccable sources in my opinion. When I first found this book, I couldn't put it down. I felt like I had found an oasis from my musical struggles, and hope for resolving them. If you are a musician, former musician, or aspiring musician, this book will be a source of encouragement and creative ideas. I highly recommend it!

I greatly regret that I should have read this book long long years ago ! I have seen many music students teachers who completely lack the most important things that the book describes. And I think that any musican-want-to-be should read this book first. This is the "Road Less Travelled" equivalent in psycology of musical practicing and performance. Her explanations were inspiring. Very often they were too conceptual. OK. That sounds very nice, but what is it exactly, and how do we achieve it ? Fortunately, at the end of each chapter, there is a section called "Questions and Answers". I think that the questions are from her students. And the questions were more "practical" ones rather than conceptual. And answers were very good. She provides 10 steps (suggestions) for practicing. Most of them are quite reasonable. Some of them may not be applied to me. However, it may be because I am still musically immature (far from her level) comparing with her.

If a musician could only read a single book to learn about how to PREVENT injury, this would be the one. Madeline Bruser has assembled, from a host of resources terrific practical advice that does far more than help you find a healthy approach to using your instrument: The Art of Practicing also examines how to bring the highest level of artistry and communication to your playing. It includes question/answer sections throughout and instrument-specific advice. I really can't say enough about this book: if all teachers and students would take its guidance to heart, we would not have the levels of injury among musicians we now see, and music making would be both more human and humane.