Fight seasonal carbs/sugar cravings

A friend approached me last week with a request. She noticed she’s craving more carbs and sweets during this time of year. She asked why does this happen now, and most importantly, what can we do to fight it?!

First of all, noticing it is already huge.  

When we get closer to winter, we might feel that even if we eat regular and healthy meals, we crave sweets and foods that are loaded with carbs. In a way, it makes sense! The days are colder, and shorter and our body wants more energy (quick carbs) to maintain a good mood. Carbs supply quick energy and also promote the increased production of serotonin, a hormone that is related to good mood and is also boosted when taking anti-depressants.

Ok, so it makes sense. We crave more carbs and sweets.... what can we do about it?

First of all, there are certain carbs you should try to avoid altogether: "simple carbs" such as white flour, doughnuts, pasta, and white rice.
Why? While we think they help us boost our energy levels, this is only temporary because they also make our energy come and go in waves. These simple carbs tend to raise our blood sugar levels quickly, which usually results in a quick drop of energy that might cause fatigue, headaches, and irritability (aka a "sugar crash").

So... what should we eat?

1. Switch to whole wheat carbs whenever possible

I find it amazing that you can substitute whole wheat flour instead of white flour in any recipe; from pancakes and muffins to bread and pasta. This switch helps us eat more fiber and stay full for longer.

2. Eat more protein!
Similarly to whole wheat options, food rich in protein also helps us stay full and stabilizes our sugar levels. Notice you are eating enough protein with your meals (eggs, beans, cheese, lean meats), and not just a plate of pasta. You can add beans to you salad, snack on veggies and hummus, and always have a yogurt handy for hungry moments.

3. Accommodate your craving strategically

Notice when you crave certain things. Embrace it and plan accordingly. If you notice you crave more sweets at night, eat more healthy during breakfast and lunch. Also try to have healthy snacks mid-day so you are not super hungry during the evening.

4. Follow your cravings down to the basics

Craving peanut butter? Maybe you are low on magnesium.

Craving chocolate? Maybe you need a boost to your mood as chocolate boosts serotonin and dopamine. 

Craving cheese? Maybe you don't eat enough protein or calcium.

Usually our cravings mean something about what our body NEEDS. Try to listen to it, and not just supply it with the immediate and easy solution. See how you can bring relief in the long run.

5. Eat "slow foods"

Make soups and drink tea and coffee. Find recipes for food that takes longer to eat, and is also hot and comforting during colder seasons.

6. Cook whole grain and veggie dishes

You can use warm whole grain dishes to bring satisfaction and comfort to your stomach and soul. Look for recipes that include potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, and grains such as farro, quinoa, barely, and wild rice.

7. Most importantly: make it fun!
Use colorful foods such as purple sweet potatoes and cauliflower, heirloom tomatoes, beets, carrots. All these foods bring nice colors to your plate! Make cooking, and eating fun. Try new recipes that follow your cravings, but also are healthier choices!

Up close and personal with Anthony Parce (viola): a conversation about audition nerves and beta blockers

When did you first hear about beta blockers and what they do?

I probably first heard about them in high school. I was definitely aware of other people using them both at Rice and NEC but I never personally had access to them and didn’t really mind. I did, however, have major struggles with nerves and energy regulation while I was in school, at some points becoming debilitating. I remember working diligently on a Brahms Sonata for many weeks while at Domaine Forget; I was proud of the progress I had made and what seemed like breakthroughs in my technique. A chance to show the progress I was so proud of came as I got to play a masterclass for James Dunham (my teacher at Rice, who hadn’t heard me all summer). When it was my turn I had built that moment up so much in my head, I got thoroughly excited and ended up having so much energy that the auto-vibrato shakes kicked in, my bow control was a joke, and I probably sounded like I hadn’t practiced all summer. I felt utterly defeated, if practicing to the peak of my abilities wasn’t enough to give me the confidence to be able to execute as I wanted to, then I clearly had no business being a musician.

But what was I practicing? Sure, I was working on technique, accuracy, and musicality, but at what point in my process did I practice performance, energy regulation, and all of the mental aspects of being able to control myself? I was lucky enough to attend a bass masterclass taught by Francois Rabbath right after my own disappointing performance earlier that day. At one point in the class a student was noticeably nervous and made some bloopers. When Rabbath later asked him about that particular section of the piece, the student said something to the effect of “I know when I work on this section that it’s the hardest for me, it makes me uncomfortable, and I get nervous whenever I play it for anyone.” Rabbath’s stunning answer was “Well that sucks…. You have told yourself repeatedly that this section will go poorly, that you will get nervous. Why should it go any differently when you have essentially practiced getting nervous? That sucks.”

Talking with some of the other bass faculty after this class, they explained to me that what Rabbath was really referring to is what psychologists call Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP). It is essentially the idea that you are in control of your mental responses to any situation and there are active exercises and practices you can adopt to “program” your brain as it will serve you best. This began a many year journey of me working through these issues in a targeted, intentional way.

When did you first use them? What brought you to you them? 

By the time I was at the New World Symphony I had made great strides through NLP in controlling my energy in performance. I had an experience where I was principal for a big piece (Esa Pekka Salonen was conducting!) and I had a very exposed solo that immediately followed a very fast and physically taxing passage. I did all the NLP exercises I knew to make sure I was controlled, collected, and confident in rehearsals, and I genuinely felt good in those respects (I wasn’t nervous), however this was a different kind of challenge. The physical exertion of the previous passage was enough to get my heart rate racing as any heavy activity should, deep breathing and confidence couldn’t slow my pulse quickly enough. I complained to my stand partner and she recommended that I take one of her beta blockers, explaining that after all the function of a beta blocker was simply to cause your heart to beat more slowly and with less force. This targeted the precise issue I was having, and I used them in the performance successfully. 

There's a variety ways to use beta blockers. How do you use them currently? 

Knowing that beta blockers only targeted a very small response of the overall energy regulation picture, I treat them as icing on the cake. The truth is through my NLP work I am able to control the majority of energy regulation issues I would normally experience in an average chamber music or orchestral performance, so I don’t find beta blockers necessary for these. For the occasional orchestral solo, very difficult chamber piece, or audition that takes the utmost of my physical energy, a small dosage of a beta blocker helps me complete the picture. I would generally use one 5 mg pill 45 mins before the performance and I don’t take a second dose in a day (for example if there are multiple rounds of an audition in a day). In the last two years the only occasions I used beta blockers were major auditions.

You just won a position with Nashville!! That's incredible. What did you do this time?! How did you feel? How did you use the Beta Blocker in a way that help you?

Nashville was interesting for me because I chose not to use a beta blocker for the prelims. I decided to do this because I was feeling very confident in my preparation, I just didn’t think I needed them anymore. During the prelim round I didn’t get nervous per se, my NLP training was working for me, however, I was having to spend a lot of time and mental bandwidth centering, controlling breathing, and consciously relaxing my abdomen and deltoids (responses I have programmed to keep my energy in check). It wasn’t the best round I’ve played and was expecting to be cut. Fortunately I advanced (perhaps confirming a totally unrelated theory of mine that the majority of the time we feel good or bad about a round of an audition it’s actually just marginally better or worse than what we are normally capable of, the quality of your preparation shows through even when you think you’ve bombed). I decided to use the betas again for semis for two reasons:
1. I didn’t want to be using so much mental bandwidth on controlling my energy (would rather refocus that on the musicality of the excerpts).
 2. I broke one of my biggest rules for auditions: nothing new on race day. This is the idea that you shouldn’t try to do anything drastically different on the day of (or day preceding) an important performance, even if you think it will help you. For example, I tend to have a beer most nights before I go to bed. If I chose not to do that the night before an audition I might be changing the chemicals in my system, which might cause me to be to be more alert going to bed, I might have trouble sleeping…etc. This was my 31st professional audition and I had used betas for the last 26 of them, they were part of my routine and a variable I had accounted for. Fortunately, the semis and finals went well for me and I was lucky enough to win the gig.

While it might sound like beta blockers made the difference, I would contend that difference was nothing compared to having a  rare full month before the audition to practice without regular work obligations, ample time to record and analyze my excerpts, a decade of arduous intentional practice focused on auditions, and being back on the instrument that I had advanced on in the last 11 auditions I took. That being said, they helped and I couldn’t be more grateful to have finally accomplished what has been one of my biggest life goals!

What tools do you use?

There are a lot of resources in the realm of NLP that the modern musician has at their disposal, ranging for the self-help section to sports psychology to actual hypnosis. It’s important to find the methods that feel genuine to you, some things that work for me might feel hokey to others. There are many simple ticks that can have far reaching effects, such as cutting out ever saying you will get or do get nervous and replacing those statements with something like “this will be hard but I am going to prepare in such a way that I will be able to rely on my preparation and expect confidence." My first exposure was through Michael Colgrass’ book My lessons with Kumi, a collection of exercises written with a fictional narrative. This opened up my eyes to guided meditation and visualization, two essential skills of NLP. From here I moved on to Don Greene’s Performance Success, and Inner Game of Music. I have gotten so much out of Noa Kageyama’s Bulletproof Musician online course and working with him in Miami. I find his blog to be a great wealth of knowledge, especially as it relates to getting more out of your practice. The single tool that I’ve gotten the most benefit from is an app called “Musician’s Hypnosis” which I swear by for audition preparation. While I wouldn’t really call it hypnosis as much as guided visualization, this app allows me to practice every aspect of the audition experience, from unpacking in the warm up room to imagining the reaction of the committee members on the other side of the panel, all the while injecting these images with confidence and the expectation of success. I even visualize myself practicing the way I would ideally like to, I would highly recommend it! 

As we wrap up this conversation, I remember you mentioned you had an interesting story about bananas…

I routinely am filled with joy and confidence walking out onto an audition stage because I have programmed my subconscious to elicit this reaction. This subconscious work is always at play in our lives, and it can backfire quite spectacularly when it goes unchecked. An example would be that when I was in college I knew bananas had naturally occurring beta blockers so whenever I had to perform for something important I would go to the smoothie king and get an all-banana smoothie. This obviously wasn’t a cure-all for nerves (and the sugar probably just got me way over energized) so I would still have energy problems and since the common denominator was the banana smoothie I classically-conditioned myself to associate bananas with being nervous. It took me years to enjoy bananas again without feeling a bit flighty!

Nutrition tips for musicians

Meet Cara Mia Scinto! Cara is a personal trainer and Registered Dietitian, who is quite familiar with the lifestyle of musicians (she’s married to one!). Here are a few tips from her:

If you haven’t heard already nutrition plays an important part of any persons balanced lifestyle. Especially those that perform as a career like athletes and musicians. If you’re going to be playing for a long period of time you need to have energy to keep up your stamina and precision. If you don’t believe the foods you eat are instrumental to your performance, try playing on an empty stomach versus after a delicious meal. If you’re ready to take your self to the next level here are some tips I have:

1. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. You probably heard this before and it’s key to preventing dehydration and fatigue. Aim for 2 Liters or more of filtered water each day.

2. Eat breakfast. Even if you’re not hungry in the morning have some fruit and nuts to get your blood sugar in balance and kickstart your metabolism. Smoothies can be great if you are on the go, eggs and bacon, avocado toast or oatmeal are great choices too.

3. Eat meals that are mostly vegetables and then add in a healthy portion of lean proteins, healthy fats and whole grains.

4. Make sure to balance out your meals with exercise and sleep.

5. Listen to your body. Customize your balance lifestyle in however way it fits for you. If you are interested in working with a personal trainer and nutritionist please reach out to me you can read more on my website thebalancedbod.com

Wellness profile with oboist, Paul Lueders!

Q: How would you describe your lifestyle (student/traveling performer/9-5 job/etc.)?
A: I am a full time orchestral musician. I play Principal Oboe in the San Antonio Symphony.

Q: What keeps you motivated?
A: Two things. The short term goal is to maintain the quality of my product as a musician. My long term drive for improvement is to win a job in a major orchestra.

Q: What inspires you to do what you do?
A: I am inspired by great colleagues and other musicians. I try to come hear the Boston Symphony Orchestra play as much as possible. The quality of music making is outstanding.

Q: Do you exercise regularly? If yes, what do you do and how often?
A: I exercise 5-6 days a week: a mixture of weight lifting and cardio. Usually I try to keep my workouts under an hour but never more than 90 minutes.

Q: How to you manage your anxiety or daily stress?
A: When my plate gets full and I become overwhelmed it's very tempting to cut out the things in my life that keep me healthy (cooking fresh meals, exercising, sleeping 8-9 hours). I've found over time that by instead prioritizing these activities I am more efficient in my work, less likely to get sick, and happier overall.

Q: How do you deal with rejection? Can you share an example?
A: Each rejection is an opportunity for improvement. I've taken four auditions this year and didn't advance out of the preliminary round in any of them. That said, I don't think I've seen a quicker improvement in my skills in auditioning at any other point in my life. After each audition I make sure to follow up with my teachers and get as many comments as I can from the audition panel. Rejection is difficult, but with thick skin and enough drive it can be a major catalyst for improvement. Thus, a "failed" audition is never a waste of time.

Q: What helps you focus?
A: A deadline. A big performance. An audition. A lesson. Whatever I can do to have a concrete date to prepare for. I'd like to think I can self-motivate but nothing lights a fire like a looming deadline.

Q: How do your splurge yourself?
A: Don't listen to people who say you should never take days off of practicing. On rare occasions I'll go on a trip and leave my oboe at home. It's nice to remember who I am outside of being a musician, and it's also nice to feel a desire to get back to it after a few days.

Wellness profile with Tuba player, Nimrod Ron!

Q: How would you describe your lifestyle (student/traveling performer/9-5 job/etc.)?
A: I am an orchestral player (for the last six years), playing with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra based in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Also, since 2016 I also play with the West Eastern Divan Orchestra, a project that brings musicians from the Middle East to experiment with coexistence and play together under the baton of Maestro Barenboim.

Q: What keeps you motivated?
A: Crossing boundaries and creating something new.
In the beginning of my musical studies I was very motivated to prove to myself that I can play very loud, or very fast, and each day pushing the metronome up one click proved very motivating.
Today, I am more focused on pushing the tuba repertoire forward. I’ve been talking to many composers on writing new music for the tuba, with different sets of accompanying ensembles. The tuba is a relative young instrument and introducing it to young composers and seeing their reactions is priceless.

I have recently recorded an album which I am very proud of for two tubas solo and brass ensemble with my dear friends Sergio Carolino and Hugo Assunção as musical director.
I am now working on commissioning composers and recording music for tuba and string ensemble, about half of the album is already recorded and the rest should follow shortly!

Q: Describe a daily routine that makes you feel great.
A: As a child I was super ADHD, and was very unorganized. Through growing up I discover that when I make a schedule for myself, I tend to follow it and everything gets done!
6:30 Wake up and eat a fruit
7:30 – 9:15 Practice fundamentals
9:30 – 12:30 Orchestra rehearsal
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Exercise
16:00 Short nap
18-19:30 Practicing music for upcoming projects
19:30-20:00 relaxed walk in the neighborhood
20:00 TV/Book
22:30 Bed time
This is how most days look for me, of course there are some changes whether I have to teach during the day or whether I have some other interesting projects but I try to keep a regular schedule.

Q: What is one habit would you like to change?
A: I managed to reduce my TV time drastically in the last couple of months. Now, the next item on the agenda is to reduce the time I spend using my phone.

Q: What is your practicing routine, if you have one?
A: I try to keep the most basic fundamental routine, but stretching it to the max. For example:
Every day I will begin my practice session with thinking about what I want to achieve today and planning the session in my head.

I will then start with a couple of minutes of breathing and buzzing exercise while I move around the room, to really wake up the body.
Then I play all the scales, each day alternating between slow/fast tempi, different types of articulation/legato and number of octaves, each day pushing the limits by playing longer, faster, lower, higher and with a more comfortable feeling.

I try to take a 5 minute break every 25 minutes and this helps me stay focused and mentally prepare for the next part of my routine. I then read some music that is not written for the tuba and try to imitate the music making of some great artists.

Q: Describe a habit or a ritual you do every day and you "swear by".
A: I try to read as much as I can and make notes to learn from other people experiences. At the moment I am reading “Arnold Jacobs: Song and Wind” and it really feels like I arrived home and I am really inspired by every word.

Q: Do you exercise regularly? If yes, what do you do and how often?
A: I do! I try to be active everyday, although living in Iceland this can prove a bit difficult at times. I swim 3-4 times a week and if there is especially nice weather I go hiking, which normally happens once a week. Besides that, I just try to walk outside for 30 minutes every evening before I go to bed.

Q: What's the best piece of advice you've been given?
A: BE CURIOUS!
I try to learn something from everyone I meet. Whether it is regarding their practice routine, exercise, nutrition, if we are curious, we can always learn more.

Q: Before going to bed, what do you do to wind down?
A: I take a nice walk outside where there is a nice path that goes through a lava field. I am very fortunate to have this beautiful area just outside my apartment.

Q: How do you deal with rejection? Can you share an example?
A: For me, there is nothing better than rejection as a catalyst for motivation.
I have taken an audition some years ago where I wasn’t offered the job. It brought up a lot of self doubt which was a great tool to reflect on my musical choices, ideas, and path.
Since then, I have again become much more curious about the music that I play, how I investigate different styles and study score, it has proven extremely valuable to my practice sessions.

Q: What helps you focus?
A: I am a big fan of schedules and goal making.
Set a goal, make a plan, and make it happen.

Q: How do your splurge yourself?
A: A nice long hike!

Wellness profile with conductor Joshua Weilerstein

Meet Joshua Weilerstein: a full-time conductor who balances performances, traveling, and a new podcast called Sticky Notes. I was especially intrigued to hear how he does it ALL while not compromising the performance level and his attitude. 

How would you describe your lifestyle?
I’m a traveling orchestral conductor.  I’m away from home approximately 26 weeks a year, traveling all over the world, both guest conducting, and working with the orchestra that I am Artistic Director of in Switzerland.  When I’m at home, I study scores for upcoming concerts and write and record my own podcast about classical music.

Describe a daily routine that makes you feel great.
I make a list every morning of the things I would like to accomplish during the day.  It’s incredibly satisfying to cross things off!  

What is one habit you would like to change?
I would like to not have the inevitable low period in the middle of the afternoon where I feel very unmotivated to keep working.

Do you exercise regularly?
Yes!  I have found an amazing program on Youtube called HASFIT.  I workout 5 times a week with it and it has truly changed my life since I started doing it almost two years ago.

What do you eat before performances?
I eat a pretty large meal, since conducting is such a physically draining form of activity.  I also eat a protein bar of some kind during intermission to make sure I have energy for the end of the concert.

How to you manage your anxiety or daily stress?
I try to meditate as much as possible and also unwind by taking walks and getting away from the news and from my work.

How do you deal with rejection? Can you share an example?
It’s tough - I try to let it motivate me as best I can.  Its a nice feeling to prove to yourself that someone made a mistake to reject you.

Wellness profile with Erika Boysen!

Q. How would you describe your lifestyle (student/traveling performer/9-5 job/etc.)?
A. Formally, I am Dr. Erika Boysen, Flute Professor at UNCG.  Informally, I am an artist who enjoys collaboration and cultivating human connection.  Originally from the Midwest, I grew up enjoying performance in all of its creative capacities; acting, singing, dancing and playing an instrument.  This background manifested in a vocation that involves performing in solo, chamber and orchestral capacities, teaching and pursuing creative projects and conducting research related to the aforementioned.

Q. What keeps you motivated?
A. I am most invigorated in the pursuit of challenging the “norms” of classical music and the classical musician’s training.  My love for the classical music artform and the merit of such an education is undeniable but I am frustrated by the institution’s resistance to evolution and change.  I love working with composers; commissioning new works that reflect the times in which we live. I find great meaning in working with artists and non-artists from other disciplines.  The “meeting in the middle” that occurs when individuals from differing backgrounds abandon their discipline-specific jargon is a practice that benefits all. I value engaging my students in conversations regarding new and creative projects that effectively equip them for the professional and cultural demands of our century.  

Q. What gets you out of bed in the morning?
A. The promise of coffee paired with a smoothie. (My perfected recipe: frozen bananas, spinach, grapefruit, frozen cherries, coconut water and my home brew kombucha!)

Q. What inspires you to do what you do?
A. My students are a primary inspiration in my life.  Their growth, hard work, commitment and pursuit of lofty goals inspire me.   I am amazed by their resilience when faced with personal or professional challenges and their curiosity and insatiable desire to learn. My students, past and present, have collectively brightened my life.

Q. Describe a daily routine that makes you feel great.
A. Not so long ago, the first and last task of my day was consuming newsfeeds on facebook and instagram.  I was very aware that this was unhealthy and negatively affected my sleep and approach to each day. I finally decided to remove all screens at least 45 minutes prior to bed and at least 45 minutes after waking.  I realized what was encouraging the habitual desire to check social media upon waking was my use of a phone as a timepiece. I bought a clock that uses light to simulate the sun setting at night and rising in the morning.   This way, when I go to bed, I set a light timer for 45 minutes allowing my body to naturally sense the time pass. In the morning, the clock gradually wakes me up with varying levels of intensity of light. I feel refreshed and ready for the day.

Q. What is your practicing routine?
A. There is no substitute for time in the practice room however, what is equally important to my practicing routine are the mental and physical aspects of preparation for my time with the flute. Meditation, physical activity, journaling, setting goals and objectives- these are the aspects of my practice routine that ensure productivity.

Q. Describe a habit or a ritual you do every day and you "swear by".
A. I start my day reading something that isn’t associated with email, facebook or instagram while enjoying my coffee and smoothie. I love a good memoir. By starting my day reading about another’s life story, my perspective is broadened and I am reminded of my privilege and good fortune.

Q. How do you "get back on the horse" if you get out of your routine?
A. I am a morning person.  The 6:30-7:30 AM hour holds so much promise for me.  If I have migrated from healthy habits (which happens at least once a month!), I use this “promise” hour to begin again. Each day presents a fresh start again and again… and again.

Q. Do you exercise regularly? If yes, what do you do and how often?
A. Yes.  This is a non-negotiable daily routine for me.  Exercise isn’t about burning calories. It is a practice of mindfulness and cultivating the connection between my brain and body.   If I miss a day of moving my body, I am lethargic. What I realized about daily exercise is that it is about frequency, not duration.  I hear responses to encouraged daily exercise that go somewhat like, “I don’t have time to exercise.” Wake up 15 minutes earlier than you intended or cut out 15 minutes of social media and take a walk, pull out your yoga mat, put your helmet on and take a bike ride.   Those 15 minutes will make your practicing more efficient, stave off practicing related injuries and relieve day-to-day stressors.

Q. What do you eat before concerts/performances?
A. I try not to eat a big meal prior to performing. Since I play a wind instrument, the food and drink that I consume prior to a performance can negatively or positively affect my saliva and phlegm production, contributing to factors in tone and articulation.  Protein bars and bananas are a good standard for me with the addition of lots of water.

Q. Do you have a routine before a recital?
A. In my ideal performance day (because let’s be real, not every performance day allows for such activities)  I invest in my warm-up time and mental practice. With the flute still in the case, I will “play” through the entire recital.   After my mental practice, I take a long walk or run, nothing too exhausting. I eat a protein-packed late lunch and then take a 60 minute nap in the afternoon.  Prior to the concert, I’ll do another mini warm-up and sit in meditation for at least 20 minutes.

Q. What was the most important mantra/lesson/idea you learned in the last couple of years?
A. I recently happened upon this terrific sentiment regarding "important principles of music study" from the inimitable , Claire Chase:
a. To perform is to teach, to teach is to perform;
b. To learn is to be creatively engaged;
c. Nurturing new audiences is a shared responsibility of all those claiming the profession of music;
d. Artistry, engagement, and entrepreneurship are inseparable;
e. The Twentieth Century was the century of specialization; the Twenty-First Century is the century of integration and collaboration

Q. How do you find a balance between your music life and career and your personal life? (How do you keep and maintain balanced life?)
A. I have come to the conclusion that striking a balance between professional and personal life is a goal that isn’t always attainable.  This is evident in the natural flow of life. It ebbs and it flows. The tide rolls in and it rolls out. There is no controlling these universal truths.  The goal is to find perspective in the droughts as well as in the floods; to enjoy what the season presents.

Q. What helps you focus?
A. Daily meditation practice.

Q. How do your splurge yourself?
A. A massage! Manicure/Pedicure! Movie! Pizza and

"Make the accordion cool again"- Meet Cory Pesaturo

Q. How would you describe your lifestyle (student/traveling performer/9-5 job/etc.)?

A. Traveling Performer.  Sometimes I feel more a Professional Traveler than Performer.  

Q. What keeps you motivated?

A. The Goals. Both the mini ones and the Big ones. You should always have goals and be driven. I don't understand how anyone can exist and not have them. What are we doing on this planet if not!?  What are we doing otherwise, watching others achieve on social media, while sitting in a coffee shop with a pumpkin spice latte as our time ticks past?  

Q. What gets you out of bed in the morning?

A.Well again the goals, but furthermore the people who achieve greatness at the highest of levels, pretty much all of which are not in music actually.  More people (both dead and alive) in fields where Greatness is more easily quantified.  Tom Brady, Valentino Rossi, Roger Federer, Ayrton Senna, Bill Clinton, Paul Kocin, etc.; if they could do what they've done, I should be able to get at least 1/2 of their achievements if I work hard enough.  

Q. What inspires you to do what you do?

A. Moreover from the last 2, my own parents for sure, who worked their butts off to become middle class citizens from nothing.  My task is easy compared to what theirs was, so I'd Better go achieve it for goodness sakes.  And the overall goal: To make the Accordion cool again. It's a very very difficult task, and I grew to love that early on.  What is the fun in an easy task?  

Q. Describe a daily routine that makes you feel great.

A. I actually don't have one haha.  But certainly listening and analyzing / transcribing some solo I love, watching an incredible Boston sports playoff game ending in a comeback and win, playing with Top musicians who are better than me of which I can learn from, and driving a great handling old sports car through mountain roads would be a good daily routine!  

Q. What is one habit would you like to change?

A. Putting down the phone and going back to 2001.  Unfortunately for musicians, our livelihood rests in the 50 phone calls we make a day for gigs and connections (if you aren't doing that, you're not doing it right), and the e-mails we need to see and respond to ASAP.  

Q. What is your practicing routine, if you have one?

A. Oddly enough, I have never had one.  First as a kid I was trying to make sure I practiced at least Half as much as I played video games (didn't always work out!), but really the practice depends on the situation. I do try to at least play for a bit every day for sure. But the playing can be for many hours if I go to a jazz concert and want to figure out what someone did so I come home and vigorously play, or I hear a classical piece I want to learn, or I have a gig with a singer who has music I've never heard and I want to understand the entire genre and its history.  

Q. What do you do if you feel like you're in a practice rut?

A. Get your butt kicked haha. Which with YouTube, is very easy. It doesn't take but seconds to find someone who is better to way better than you at any aspect of music. That will get you back to the practice board real quick!  

Q. Describe a habit or a ritual you do every day and you "swear by".

A. Listening. I feel, especially in the classical world, way way too much is put on physical practice.  Listening to me is everything.  Music comes to you by way of the ear, not the eye or the hand. You are what you eat, and you are what you listen to.  If you listen to Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and Justin Beiber, you are going to sound like that.  If you listen to Stravinsky, Art Tatum and Keith Jarrett, you're going to sound..... a bit different. But not just listening, but listening and analyzing. Chord changes, poly-rhythms, odd meters, etc., and then hearing your own ideas over it once analyzed.  I can only do this when I hear music, even  just n a store with pop music on.  I honestly, truly, do not even understand the idea of "enjoying music" ; to me, music is always something to be analyzed, then marveled at (like most everything you'll hear at NEC in every department!) or thrown out.  

Q. Do you exercise regularly? If yes, what do you do and how often?

A. Actually, I didn't even exercise before my Guinness World Record where I played accordion for over 32 hours haha. I'm a bad example on exercise!  

Q. What do you eat before concerts/performances?

A. Well I'm a bad example again here; probably pretzels, pizza, garlic bread and water. I don't drink or have ever touched drugs, and I would say to 110% stay away from both. I see Way way too many musicians seeing this as something to help them before a concert. I think it's pure insanity. I need 100% of my skills to be at my best, and not a tenth of a percent less.  

Q. How to you manage your anxiety or daily stress?  

A. I don't have much data to give here as I've rarely ever dealt with this.  Obviously there are many non-musical aspects that can stress us out haha! The singer always starts the song in the wrong key, the drummer is always late, the sax player doesn't practice his part, the accordionist always forgets which registers to use (oh yes), etc. ; But for the music yourself, if you're confident in your abilities, and they've been proven, there's nothing to be scared of. For daily stress, and career stress, I always always always tell people to have To Do Lists, and update them constantly, many times per day. There are too many people and situations, and we can't remember them all.  

Q. Do you have a routine before an audition?

A. I've rarely had auditions, but my World Championship competitions I'm sure are similar. I just simply run through what I'm going to do in my head. The same way Larry Bird would run the play in his head before executing it. This makes your brain believe it's fully possible. I have won competitions before where what I played had never been played full through in a practice run. It's all mind. If you've done your work to acquire the skills and tools, your brain is capable of the rest.  

Q. What was the most important mantra/lesson/idea you learned in the last couple of years?

A. These were learned very early on, but they are most important - Never be satisfied + Have very small prizes for yourself.  I could have been satisfied with a National Championship at 15, but my goals for competition achievement were far greater.  I could have been satisfied with the first ever skinned accordion, but my goals for creating a truly unique accordion were far greater. I could have been satisfied with 3 World Titles in 3 different disciplines which had never been done, but I accepted a Guinness Record would be more marketable for my career, so I went and did that.  The other is small prizes, and I feel this may be even more important. Young people today seem to need constant positive energy, constant pats on the back, and constant celebrations for achievements. I can tell you one of the only times I've had one of my favorite drinks (special ice cream one) is when I came home from my most important World Championship. That's all I gave myself for my greatest achievement. Keep yourself hungry. Be the 6th Round draft pick who was told they aren't good enough; not the 1st overall pick.  Negative energy harnesses the greatest power to achieve.  

Q. What's the best piece of advice you've been given?

A. Ask for criticism, and open it with the most welcoming arms.  I completely do not understand the modern approach of always looking for compliments, positive remarks, and the "I do things my way, and don't care what others think" movement.  It's frankly asinine to me.  My dad used to tell me that when he had open house for homes he built, he would take people out to expensive lunches Just to have them tell him what they did Not like / Hated about the house.  For how can we learn to become better if we are told we are already good?  The moment you think you're good, you’re done.  Look for those who have something negative to say, because even some uneducated negative comments of which you want to throw out, could yield a foundational element you need to fix, and one which shows up in other people's comments disguised as something else. Even if you end up listening to none of the negative comments, at least analyze them and store them in your data.  

Check out ll of Cory's latest updates on his website: http://www.corypesaturo.com/