polices

You are getting so much right.

I was desperately late to pick up my 1-year old from his nursery.  Alice, his caregiver,  had been waiting for me to arrive for quite a while now —and in doing so I was breaking their Main Rule— the one that I even had to sign a form about—Avoid Being Late to Pick Up Your Child!!! […]

Continue Reading 0

“Help, I am sooo flippin’ busy!!! How can I possibly find time to practice?”

Life is short, so I’ll hop to the point: I’m writing today to remind you that you have permission to shape your music-making to fit your lifestyle — whatever that means for you:  Between your demanding cray-cray work schedule. Your ridiculous commute. Your conference paper presentation. Your sacred family time. Taking your cat to the vet. Sweating for […]

Continue Reading 0

Behind the scenes chit-chat. Making a recording. 6 resources.

  A few weeks ago I blogged about my latest album release of Astor Piazzolla’s 6 Tango-etudes for Solo Flute, here. But don’t be fooled by the perfect packaging—-> I want to tell you a little behind-the-scenes story of this recording. Including the big flute competition I didn’t win, how these tracks got me out of burnout city and the magical UK […]

Continue Reading 0

“Jessica, fix my high notes!”[10 minute video inside]

Struggling with your upper register? Does just the thought of playing high notes make you feel tense? Secretly want to avoid them altogether? If so, this 10 minute video is for you. In this chat, I talk about a more holistic* approach to playing that moves away from solely ‘fixing’ the technical side of things. Why? Because your musicality is waaaay more […]

Continue Reading 0

The easiest, simplest, happiest way to be a musician is this…

In her lesson recently, Jane said with an apologetic voice, “I’m so sorry, Jessica. I didn’t really get to practice much. My work has been manic lately. I think I only got 4 sessions in since I last saw you. Lately I am choosing to spend my free time in the evenings with my teenage kids, it’s really […]

Continue Reading 1

15 unexpected things that happened when I said “buh-bye” to my flute career

A letter landed in my inbox last week… Hi Dr. Quiñones, I am currently a graduate student in flute performance. I have always had a drive & joy about choosing this career path. It’s always felt relatively easy to connect with why I want to be a musician or an educator. Lately, though, I’ve felt […]

Continue Reading 2

Rough times happening? Oh look, there you are making gold out of it. Here’s 3 heartfelt observations about your playing to get you through the storm

As I’ve eased back into my teaching again after my maternity leave, you’ve caught me at a really nostalgic place. Now in my 20th year of giving flute lessons, I’ve been reminiscing about the hundreds and hundreds of students I’ve taught over these past two decades–it must be thousands of flute lessons that I’ve given […]

Continue Reading 1

Don’t think it’s only a cliché. THIS is what’s possible. THIS is what could happen

Lately, I‘ve been pondering the thought what’s in store for my new baby boy over the next century and all the ‘what ifs’ that come with it. I know I’ve written about it in past blog posts before, but world events happen that bring me tears of deep frustration because I just don’t know what […]

Continue Reading 0