Find inspiration in the greatest examples of music (all styles)–art–(sculpture–painting)…

Translate this excellence into your music and your approach to work and practice… each of us will share in the joy and benefits as each of you make yours a passionate pursuit of greatness in the small things and the large. Aren’t we all inspired by this kind of greatness, vision, pursuit, drive…and achievement?

Bring more AWE, more “WOW!”, more RESPECT….more LOVE to every sound, every note, every breath, that you play, hear and imagine (and someday, for many of you, every phrase that you conduct and teach).

This is what people respond to in performers and teachers; elevated views of the otherwise (or, the all-too-often) “typical”…elevated discernment, elevated and meticulous care and love given to the details of any enterprise, musical score, or object being worked/presented…(and yes, life itself!)…arriving as each of us daily make our best efforts toward excellence- in art (and life.)

This, then, is the most fun part as well…artistic pleasure comes from things done to the best of our abilities, from progress (small victories!) in the little things daily, to greater things and joys found in such events as personal “milestone” performances…

Each of you is capable of such great things, in your own way, in your own day to day, in the small things (many unseen by anyone except you in your practice rooms, etc !) and the large things as well.

It will be my pleasure to watch each of you “go for it” this year. —Dr. James Umble, YSU