Make Music First
A 50-Day Online Program for Busy Musicians Who Want to Take a Deep Dive Into Their Own Artistry
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Dear Fellow Musician,
Mind Body Music School founder Peter Jacobson here.
As a busy musician, it can be very easy to neglect one's own artistry.
That's why starting Wednesday, April 5th, I’m committing to making music every day (yes, every day) for 50 days straight. And I'm inviting other dedicated musicians to come along for the ride.
Here's the plan for those that join:
During the 50 days from April 5th to May 25th, we will commit to doing at least 30 minutes of artistic work per day. Ideally this work will be done in the morning to signify that music comes first, both in your day and in your life.
Why 50 consecutive days?
I want to go deep into my own artistry for a significant period of time. And 50 straight days feels like a stretch and a challenge to me.
I also predict that this amount of time will create some serious artistic momentum for anyone who joins me. As I'm sure know, consecutive days of practice act more like compound interest than simple addition. In other words, 50 consecutive days of work is NOT the same as 50 random days. It’s more like a year’s worth of work in terms of depth and growth.
Here are the 7 main themes we will explore over these 50 days:
7 Weeks, 7 Themes
Week 1: The Professional Mindset
Inspired by Steven Pressfield’s book The War of Art, we’ll look at what it means to approach our art with the mindset of a professional (vs an amateur) and the role resistance plays in the artistic process.
Week 2: The Human Instrument
Drawing from principles of the Alexander Technique we’ll ask the question: How can we do our artistic work in a way that uses the body efficiently, constructively and intelligently?
Week 3: Listening
In Week 3, we’ll go deeper into the all-important topic of “listening” and ask questions like: What does it mean to have a good “ear?” What do great musicians hear that others don’t? How can we improve our ability to listen purely without judgment?
Week 4: Self-Care
At the mid-point of the program, we'll take a deeper look into what it means to practice self-care, both when we're doing our artistic work and in the rest of our lives.
Week 5: Elements of Music
In Week 5, we’ll look at how each of the 7 elements of music – sound, melody, rhythm, harmony, texture, form, expression – can inform and inspire our artistic work.
Week 6: Fear-Based Work
Inspired by the work of Kenny Werner in his seminal book Effortless Mastery, we’ll explore the role that ego, fear, shame and perfectionism play in our artistic process.
Week 7: Play
We'll end the program by exploring the theme of "play" by asking: What does it mean to “play” our instrument (or voice)? How we can encourage more play in our practice and everyday lives?
What The Program Includes
• 8 Weekly Zoom Meetings –These weekly meetings are a time and space to share your successes, receive support, build relationships with other musicians, be inspired and go deeper into the 7 weekly themes.
• 50 Daily Messages – Every day, you will receive a short inspirational message from me related to the weekly theme. These messages are designed to give you fresh ideas that support your daily work.
• An Inspiring Community – The opportunity to be part of a supportive group of musicians committed to the same goal. Powerful! Participants also have the option of being paired with an accountability partner.
Program Details
When It Happens: 50 Days from Wednesday, April 5th to Wednesday, May 25th, 2023. We will have 8 weekly meetings every Wednesday at either 12-1pm CST or 7-8pm CST (choose one or attend both).
Who It's For: Any musician (vocal or instrumental) who has a deep desire to put their own music-making first.
Time and Energy Investment: 50 consecutive days of deepening into your artistic work in whatever form that takes (practicing, writing, composing, arranging, producing, etc.) for a minimum of 30 minutes per day. It is strongly suggested that you do this work in the morning, though this is not a requirement to participate in the program.
Program Tuition: $375 – Paid in 3 monthly payments of $125. A 20% discount ($297 or $99/mo for 3 months) is available to anyone who is either registered for our summer retreat and/or is a current student (Academy, IMCP, Pro).
How to Join: Participation in this program is by application only. The application process ensures that you are good fit for the program and the program is a good fit for you. Application deadline has been extended to Monday, April 3rd @ 5pm US central time.
