Discussions on mindful music-making, efficient practice, and building a purposeful career with the performers, pedagogues, and innovators who are shaping the classical music world today!
The Mind Over Finger Podcast is a resource for knowledge, insight, tips, tricks, and inspiration for musicians interested in learning more about practicing mindfully, performing optimally, and getting more intentional in creating a fulfilling musical career.
We provide you with the tools to mindfully shift your musical practice from unconscious to deliberate, from paint-by-numbers to art by flow, from going through the motions to delightful play!
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264 You Don't Need More Time - How To Perform Under Pressure When Preparation Feels Impossible
Season 8 · Episode 264
Friday, May 22, 2026 • Duration 18:18
What happens when the audition is closer than you expected and the preparation feels impossible?
In this episode, I'm talking about how to handle high pressure performance situations when time is short, nerves are high, and your brain keeps telling you it's not enough. We dive into mindset, performance psychology, nervous system regulation, and the surprising ways urgency can actually work in your favor.
In this episode:
• Why resisting the situation drains the energy you need to perform
• How to stop spiraling and start preparing effectively
• What short timelines can teach you about trust, resilience, and performance under pressure
Are you ready to take your playing and career to the next level and create a life that feels purposeful and joyful? Let's connect and explore how personalized coaching can support your journey. Click here to schedule your free consultation, and let's start turning your goals into reality.
Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme: Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson.
263 What Winning The Audition Actually Took - My 90 Days of Preparation, Performance Training, And Building Trust Under Pressure
Season 8 · Episode 263
Friday, May 15, 2026 • Duration 46:08
What does it actually take to win a major orchestra audition?
In this deeply personal episode, I take you behind the scenes of my winning audition for the Lyric Opera Orchestra at 47 years old. I'm sharing the real preparation process, the mental work, the conditioning, and the mindset shifts that carried me through 90 days of intense preparation and into the audition room.
In this episode:
• How I prepared mentally, physically, and musically while working full time and raising a family
• Why trust under pressure matters more than "feeling confident"
• The surprising gap between how a performance feels and how it actually sounds
If you're ready to step on stage with confidence, perform at your best, and win that next audition, join me inside The Music Mastery Experience.
Let's connect and explore how personalized coaching can support your journey. Click here to schedule your free consultation, and let's start turning your goals into reality.
254 Finding Your Way Back to Playing - Gabriel Radford on rebuilding after fear, injury, and loss of control
Season 8 · Episode 254
Friday, March 20, 2026 • Duration 57:39
If you've ever felt your body work against you in a performance, if tension, fear, or a loss of control has crept into your playing and you don't know why, and if you've wondered whether it can actually get better, this episode is for you. Gabriel Radford, Third Horn of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, was diagnosed with focal dystonia at the height of his career. He came back playing better than before, and co-founded the Embouchure Project to help other musicians do the same. This conversation is honest, practical, and full of things musicians rarely hear spoken out loud.
What you'll take away:
· Why fear can show up long before a playing problem becomes visible, and what that early signal means
· What neuroscience tells us about why the body stops cooperating, and how to reverse it
· Why rigid practice routines may be working against you
· The one daily habit that can rewire your relationship with your instrument
· What the Embouchure Project is
· And much more!
If you're ready to step on stage with confidence, perform at your best, and finally feel secure in your playing, let's talk! Book a free discovery call and let's create a plan to get you there.
Are you ready to take your playing and career to the next level and create a life that feels purposeful and joyful? Let's connect and explore how personalized coaching can support your journey. Click here to schedule your free consultation, and let's start turning your goals into reality.
In this episode, I cover ways to incorporate more joy, presence, variety, and creativity in your practice.
Infusing joy and purpose in your preparation journey – having it alongside you day after day – will have a profound impact on both how well you prepare and how confident you feel on stage.
As a VIP member, you will you receive my free guide to a highly productive practice, a transcript of each new podcast episode delivered to your inbox every week, and all the insider information about my coaching programs, including VIP prices on most of them. March bonus: get 10$ off the Performance Anxiety Solution when you join the mailing list HERE!
Do you have specific questions for me or my guests you would like answered on the podcast? Share them with me HERE!
Always hated recording yourself? There's no reason you should miss out on this EXTRAORDINARY way to increase your results in the practice room. In this episode, I have removed all the excuses NOT to record yourself by offering you a simple and powerful approach to start enjoying the process.
As a VIP member, you will you receive my free guide to a highly productive practice, a transcript of each new podcast episode delivered to your inbox every week, and all the insider information about my coaching programs, including VIP prices on most of them. March bonus: get 10$ off the Performance Anxiety Solution when you join the mailing list HERE!
Do you have specific questions for me or my guests you would like answered on the podcast? Share them with me HERE!
161 How to Master a Scary Passage for Performance
Season 5 · Episode 161
Friday, March 3, 2023 • Duration 22:19
What is your current strategy to deeply, fully master a scary passage performance? Is it simply to practice it more? In this episode, I present you a better option that will allow you to not only learn it better but also learn it faster and facilitate flow in your performance!
As a VIP member, you will you receive my free guide to a highly productive practice, a transcript of each new podcast episode delivered to your inbox every week, and all the insider information about my coaching programs, including VIP prices on most of them. March bonus: get 10$ off the Performance Anxiety Solution when you join the mailing list HERE!
Do you have specific questions for me or my guests you would like answered on the podcast? Share them with me HERE!
In this episode, we continue where we left off in episode 158, discussing the teacher/student relationship, and we turn our attention to the second partner in the musical team: the student and how they can get the most out of their lesson and learning experience.
Reflection - Here are questions to increase your awareness of the topics I cover in the episode:
· What else can I try?
· How does this concept work for me?
· How can I make this work for me?
· How can I solve this?
· If I knew how to improve this, what would the solution look like?
Do you have specific questions for me or my guests you would like answered on the podcast? Share them with me HERE!
Join me for FREE on February 17th for the Deep Practice Model Teacher Training Workshop when you join Practicing for Peak Performance! (Replays will be available)
Get you self-paced program HERE and transform how you perform TODAY!
Mind Over Finger
Visit MindOverFinger.com for resources on mindful practice and information on how to work with me.
Sign up for my newsletter to receive your free guide to a highly productive mindful practice and to get the transcripts of the Mind Over Finger Podcast episodes delivered to your inbox.
Join the Join the Mind Over Finger Community for access to my live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians.
Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme: Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson.
Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme: Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson.
As a VIP member, you will you receive my free guide to a highly productive practice, a transcript of each new podcast episode delivered to your inbox every week, and all the insider information about my coaching programs, including VIP prices on most of them. March bonus: get 10$ off the Performance Anxiety Solution when you join the mailing list HERE!
Do you have specific questions for me or my guests you would like answered on the podcast? Share them with me HERE!
Mind Over Finger
Visit mindoverfinger.com for resources on mindful practice and information on how to work with me.
Sign up for my newsletter to receive your free guide to a highly productive mindful practice and to get the transcripts of the Mind Over Finger Podcast episodes delivered to your inbox.
Join the Join the Mind Over Finger Community for access to my live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians.
Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme: Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson.
A HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly, who makes this podcast as pleasant to listen to as possible for you!
Mind Over Finger
Visit mindoverfinger.com for resources on mindful practice and information on how to work with me.
Sign up for my newsletter to receive your free guide to a highly productive mindful practice and to get the transcripts of the Mind Over Finger Podcast episodes delivered to your inbox.
Join the Join the Mind Over Finger Community for access to my live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians.
Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme: Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson.
A HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly, who makes this podcast as pleasant to listen to as possible for you!
Mind Over Finger
Visit MindOverFinger.com for resources on mindful practice and information on how to work with me.
Sign up for my newsletter to receive your free guide to a highly productive mindful practice and to get the transcripts of the Mind Over Finger Podcast episodes delivered to your inbox.
Join the Join the Mind Over Finger Community for access to my live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians.
Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme: Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson.
A HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly, who makes this podcast as pleasant to listen to as possible for you!
Visit MindOverFinger.com for resources on mindful practice and information on how to work with me.
Sign up for my newsletter to receive your free guide to a highly productive mindful practice and to get the transcripts of the Mind Over Finger Podcast episodes delivered to your inbox.
Join the Join the Mind Over Finger Community for access to my live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians.
Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme: Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson.
A HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly, who makes this podcast as pleasant to listen to as possible for you!
Do you have specific questions for me or my guests you would like answered on the podcast? Share them with me
Visit MindOverFinger.com for resources on mindful practice and information on how to work with me.
Sign up for my newsletter to receive your free guide to a highly productive mindful practice and to get the transcripts of the Mind Over Finger Podcast episodes delivered to your inbox.
Join the Join the Mind Over Finger Community for access to my live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians.
Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme: Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson.
Mind Over Finger
Visit MindOverFinger.com for resources on mindful practice and information on how to work with me.
Sign up for my newsletter to receive your free guide to a highly productive mindful practice and to get the transcripts of the Mind Over Finger Podcast episodes delivered to your inbox.
Join the Join the Mind Over Finger Community for access to my live videos and to exchange with a community of like-minded musicians.
Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme: Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson.
A HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly, who makes this podcast as pleasant to listen to as possible for you!
Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme: Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson.
A HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly, who makes this podcast as pleasant to listen to as possible for you!
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