An Exploration in Post-Concert Depression: Last month, I had the incredible experience of performing Mozart’s ONLY concerto for harp (and flute!) It was epic – musically, emotionally, everything - to finally perform this solo that I’d spent over a decade practicing, and to play it with my beloved orchestra. But the next day hit me like an emotional and energetic hangover…
Read MoreNo matter how much you absolutely love your instrument, adore the music you’re working on, or cherish the composer of your heart’s desire, every relationship (musical or otherwise) needs a creative reboot from time to time. For those of us who’ve been on the audition circuit, or in the umpteenth month of performance prep, you may be familiar with the feeling of #burnout: feeling overwhelming stress and pressure to execute that makes it almost impossible to cultivate a sense of juicy wonder and passion for truly “musical” and inspired performance. But how do you get “inspired” by your 200th run-through of Waltz of the Flowers?
Read MoreI will never forget the first time I walked into a psychiatrist’s office. “Congrats, you’re officially a crazy person now”, I told myself. I was 18 years old, about to embark on a series of national auditions for conservatories, after three months of obsessive ruminations had culminated to a point of pseudo-paralysis. Despite appearing completely normal on the outside, I was operating almost entirely on auto-pilot, stuck in a thought loop I couldn’t escape.
Read MoreI was teaching a yoga class the other day when my inner critic showed up, I had a few close friends show up to the class which was perfect fodder for the voice of “not me” to go off on a tangent of self-criticism:
“you’re talking way too much, Grace…don’t try so hard.”
Read MoreGrace Browning is a harpist and the newly appointed Principal Harpist of The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Santa Fe Opera. An equal devotee of ensemble music and solo performance, Grace Browning has been recognized for her commanding stage presence, artistic versatility, and her dedication to community engagement.
