Seasonal Affective Disorder is defined by the Mayo Clinic as “a type of depression that is related to changes in the seasons and begins and ends around the same time every year—typically in the fall and winter months.” In this episode Andrew breaks down his relationship with Seasonal Affective Disorder, its symptoms, and his methods for combating and preventing them.
Read MoreSustainable practice is what will carry you to the promised land of “good.“ It isn't so much about practicing for hours and hours a day but about consistency over a long period of time. In this entry Andrew describes his method of improvement based on all of the research he has done integrated with his own experience as a musician and athlete.
Read MoreOn October 17th I ran the Des Plaines River Marathon. This journey was at times depressing and others exhilarating. In this entry Andrew breaks down his journey from injury to sustainable marathon fitness, balancing his training with his personal life and graduate school, what his training and nutrition looked like, how he made this sustainable, and what he has learned about himself as a result of this adventure.
Read MoreHydration is one of the most important factors in elite level performance--because H2O is essential to life on Earth! In this entry Andrew adds to the first hydration episode to talk more in depth about his hydration method and why preemptive hydration is the best way to live.
Read MoreHydration is one of the most important factors in elite level performance--because H2O is essential to life on Earth! In this entry Andrew breaks down factors that influence hydration, how much water to drink, and shares his personal method.
Read MoreIn this entry Andrew breaks down factors that contribute to better sleep and what his process is.
Read MoreIn this entry Andrew breaks down one of the most important contributors to being non-judgmental of yourself, remaining curious about the world, and getting more enjoyment out of your personal life.
Read MoreVinny Giaconia is the bell maker for Best American Craftsman (BAC) Instruments in Kansas City. In this entry we discuss what he does to relax, the books he loves, what he had wished he’d known about instrument repair before joining the industry, and his new found interest in boxing.
Read MoreVinny Giaconia is the bell maker for Best American Craftsman (BAC) Instruments in Kansas City. In this entry we discuss what brought him into the industry, advice he would have given his younger self, and what his journey has been like since becoming the youngest bell maker in North America in the last 50 years.
Read MoreOne of the most important practices brass musicians can take up is cleaning their horns. For more active players especially, this can have a major impact on the quality and efficiency of your playing as well as the longevity of your equipment. Over the course of my 4 years as an instrument technician I have cleaned thousands of instruments and dived deeply into the chemistry that drives it in order to understand how and why the best cleaning methods work. In this entry I outline what a good cleaning process is and some everyday practices that can add years to the life of your instrument and save you thousands of dollars in the long term.
Read MoreOther than maybe “sustainability is king” there’s a good chance that anyone that has ever spoken to me about fitness would say that “train in volume” is my mantra. This philosophy shaped my fitness journey, has impacted nearly every aspect of my life, and proves to me time and time again that it is the best method for building sustainable progress. In this entry I go in-depth to explain training in volume and then share the story that proved to me that it is the optimal training experience.
Read MoreAll of us have important parts of our life that we aren’t willing to compromise on. What they are and how you choose to prioritize them is different for everyone. In this entry I break down more specifically what non-negotiable are, how they can serve us, and some shortcomings I find many folks fall into.
Read MoreThe creative process is individualized and essential. In this entry I break down some thoughts I have about it and go in depth about what my creative process is.
Read MoreIn many ways we have seen John Cage’s vision for the future of orchestration come to life through electroacoustic music for fixed media, but a slight pivot from that takes us to what may be the most important development in solo music performance—works for soloist and electronics. In this entry I discuss the value of works for soloist and electronics, dissect an exemplary piece in this medium, and how I approach writing pieces in this style.
Read MoreIn this entry I discuss the kind of meditation I practice, what drew me to it, my running background, the overlap I saw between the two, and some of the science behind it.
Read MoreActive Recovery might be the one of the most important practices of high-octane athletes and is, in my opinion, an underrated pillar of good wellness practice. In this entry I break down what active recovery is (including some examples and how to use it), its importance in our wellness and activity routines, and how I approach it in aspects of my life outside of the gym .
Read MoreScale and Key fluency are essential for any musician, but they are not the same. In this entry I break down my interpretation of the difference, how I pursue fluency in each of them, and my case for why we should change the way we evaluate a student’s key mastery.
Read MoreThe black suit is a double edged sword. At its best it is hard to find another garment that is equally as elegant. At its worst you would be hard pressed to find another color so thoroughly inflexible. In this entry I discuss the strengths and shortcomings of black suits, and what a stronger wardrobe foundation should look like.
Read MoreTies are a staple of men’s formalwear and, for a lot of folks, the only part of their wardrobe where they will take chance on colors and patterns. Still more use ties as a way to showcase how dramatic their fashion taste is or the popular media that interests them. In this entry I ponder the purpose of the tie, if it holds up, and whether or not the institution of men’s fashion still needs them.
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