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Finding Inspiration with Melanie Davis

A resource for all looking for help in changing habits and finding solutions for performance and life.

I offer this blog to you as a place for curiosity and exploration for learners and educators from all backgrounds.

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Grounding to Free Yourself

As one of my trombone students was playing warm-ups recently I saw a tree in my mind but it wasn't rooted, grounded into the soil. It was...

Self-love

One of my music students changed my life recently. He wrote me a thank you letter for the many years I've been his teacher. That may seem...

Adventures in Hypermobility

I'm a side sleeper. But for the past ten years it's been extremely painful for me to sleep on my right side because my shoulders are...

Gratitude

At the beginning of August, I had the privilege of presenting an Alexander Technique professional development to the Alvin ISD Fine Arts...

My Time at Interlochen

I recently got back from sharing the Alexander Technique at the Interlochen Arts Camp in Interlochen, Michigan. What an honor and...

Sustaining Motivation

I've been struggling with sustaining motivation for some of my long term goals. I'm realizing it's present day hardships that, at least...

Instilling Courage to Fail/Learn

From 6th grade until my sophomore year in undergrad, failing didn't feel like failing. It felt like learning... Learning with sounds,...

Diagnosing Hypermobility In Your Students

I'm hypermobile....meaning REALLY flexible. People tend to call this "double-jointed". Hypermobile people are born this way. It's a...

How Much Time Do We Have?

One of my coaching clients recently reminded me of the different ways time can be experienced. Engrossed in a thrilling book, game, or...

Mouth-breathing/Nostril-Breathing

Think about the kids who struggle the most in your bands, choirs, orchestras, athletic programs, dance teams, etc. So many of my students...

Choosing Discomfort

Think of the thing you don't want to do but you KNOW it's going help you grow and eventually be successful. Did you have a physical or...

Making Space for an Emotional Student

What can you do when one of your students gets so angry and frustrated that they begin crying uncontrollably? What if it's just...

Becoming Someone Else

At the end of my time as a band director, it became obvious that a change was needed in my life. I knew I wanted to get my masters in...

Motivation to Practice

I used to see students who didn’t practice or didn’t practice enough as lazy. Not caring enough, not motivated enough. Now with more...

Understanding the Nature of Change

I have a lovely and hard-working student who I’ve been teaching for four years now and he’s becoming such a sensitive, astute, strong...

Choosing and Changing the Right Habit

What is the one habit that you can create or change to get the most positive results in performance or life? Think of it as a...

Mental Toughness and Self-Worth

I divide my musical life in terms of before the first embouchure change that ended up being harmful, then the roughly ten years of...

Celebrating the Small Wins

Celebrating the big wins is always easy to me. You get the chair, win the audition, get the medal or trophy. You immediately physically...

Problems with Articulation Part 2

I have been either not using my tongue (air attacks) or tonguing through my teeth since sixth grade. I somehow learned how to tongue...

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