I did something scary today. I put myself out of my comfort zone, and it surprised me how very far out of it I felt. There is safety in numbers, and I have experienced this first hand in musical performance. When I went out busking last week, I went with a friend. We kept each…
Category: singer-songwriter
Make the audience your friend
In my experience performing with ukulele in hand, I have found that befriending the audience helps alleviate much of the stress from being vulnerable on the stage. When I befriend the audience, I am no longer standing up there in front of a bunch of strangers. I can create a temporary community with everyone in…
Performance jitters
A musician across the proverbial pond recently sent me a message about performance. The questions she raised were perfect fodder for a dialogue, and I was honored by her words and her willingness to be vulnerable and reach out. For me, becoming comfortable with performance has been a long, bumpy ride, and even today there…
Artist or Busk
Do you ever feel like you are in limbo? In my post-doctorate life, I feel the weight of what comes next. It haunts me day in and day out. When I ponder the question, it is clear in my mind what I would like to be doing, but the desire is a daunting one to…
What’s in a song?
What makes a song a song? If a child is sitting in the bathtub singing away, is that a song? One of my favorite Pete Seeger songs is one of this very kind. Malcolm’s idea of a song: To me, a song is something that when you start to sing you are carried by each…
Guiding Song 