Rest Isn’t a Dirty Word
Words Worth Keeping
"With every year of playing, you want to relax one more muscle. Why? Because the more tense you are, the less you can hear."
— Yo-Yo Ma
Empty music hall. Nobody's practicing. Everybody's gone.
This Week
The LA Phil's season wrapped at Disney Hall last week. This means four weeks with nothing on the calendar. Every year I have to actively resist the urge to fill it. This year I'm letting it be empty.
The Prescription
Summer rest is legitimate. Your body needs it. Your nervous system needs it. If you've been grinding since September, you've earned a slower June.
The thing to keep your eye on isn't rest — it's drift. Rest is intentional. You put the horn down, recharge, come back. Drift is when weeks disappear and you can't account for them. When "I needed a break" quietly becomes "I'm not sure where the summer went."
The musicians who walk into September audition season ready to kick the doors down? They rested. They also kept the thread. Maybe 20 minutes instead of two hours. Maybe just staying mentally engaged with the work. But they never fully let go.
Rest when you need to. Just don't lose the thread.
Happy practicing,
Chris @ Honesty Pill Coaching
