It's time. I'm doing my happy, nervous dance as I admit my goals and aspirations for the coming year. If you know me, you know I LOVE setting resolutions every year, whether I'm successful or not. The first year, I shared my unabashed commitment to accomplishing "Hanumanasana," also known as the splits. I was not successful, BUT I would argue that my incessant attempts and quest for this pose sent me down the human anatomy rabbit hole. It was the first time I pondered how the body works. And it was not the last. So was I successful that year? No. Was it so important to explore and commit to a goal? Yes, absolutely. This mindset propels me forward every year. Plus, the accountability of putting it out into the world means I'm much more likely to follow through on at least some of these goals.

This year I have a big list. Some are more achievable, and some will require taking smaller steps within the resolution to find success. Hopefully, I can do it. I might need some help and encouragement along the way.

Without further ado, here is my list of goals and resolutions for 2021:

Read 60 books

This was my reading goal last year, too, and I nailed it. Usually, if I make my reading goal (or crush it), I increase the number of books, but last year was a whacky year, and I want 60 to feel like a habit, not a stretch goal. My nana and I agree that 60 is a healthy and respectable goal that deserves another year of commitment. You can follow me on Goodreads to watch my progress and set your own goals as well.

Improve my Spanish

This should (jokingly) be relatively easy because I speak almost zero Spanish right now, so learning even the tiniest bit will be such a win for me. All jokes aside, I've been teaching bilingual students for 5 years now and am pretty embarrassed that I can't communicate with their parents confidently due to the language barrier. I realize I won't be fluent by the end of the year, but I want to improve my Spanish comprehension and meet my students and their parents in the middle to help each other learn and grow.

Learn all of the Bach Solo Sonatas and Partitas

These pieces are like the Golden Fleece of violin repertoire. They are so revered and demanding, and we spend our entire lives learning and relearning them. I know most of these and have performed probably 60% of them. However, I carry so much trauma around my experience with this music, particularly the Fugues, and I just don't want to live like this anymore. I have avoided playing Bach for many reasons, namely that these pieces just make me feel bad about myself. Still, COVID has been the true harbinger of a "why not?" attitude, and I've been making music for my enjoyment, so I think this is a worthy artistic endeavor that will lead to immense growth. It also relates to a few East German Violin Music recital program ideas I have up my sleeve for the future (see below).

Study the Dounis Technique Book – the whole thing.

I've dipped a toe in Dounis exercises before but have always set them aside and picked up my Flesch and Galamian books again. Finally, I'm just so dang intrigued, and thanks to Nancy Zhou on Instagram, I am fascinated with these exercises. They’re based on finger independence and ask violinists to do very specific and different tasks with each finger, often at the same time. It sounds like I'm killing cats when I practice them right now, but they are pretty enlightening and make me ponder and implement my Timani training in a way that is not blinded by old habits.

Start a Daily Journal Habit

I read Theft By Finding by David Sedaris last year and laughed so hard but also really marveled at what seemingly mundane details from his daily life he noted. He probably cringes when he reads his early entries, but I found it so delightful and compelling to read a celebrity writer keep track of his wins and struggles in real-time. Plus, it seems like the consistent advice out there for success involves journaling and a regular reflection and writing habit. Artists, musicians, and creators, that I admire regularly speak about their journaling habit and how much clarity it brings, and how it is now an essential component of their creative process. I can't guarantee I'll be journaling every day (or be more creative), but this is a regular habit I want to cultivate.

Complete my Timani Level 2 certification

If all goes according to plan, this should be reasonably straightforward. I just had the first class for level 2 this week, and if I don't slack off and do my studying, this should be accomplishable. You can read more about Timani in some of my older blog posts. I also share my own experience and insight on my Patreon page if you’re interested in learning more about how this training is playing out in my life and music-making.

corpSonore growth

Last year, I committed to talking more about corpSonore, and this year, I’m upping my goals on this one. 2021 is going to be a big year for corpSonore. I can already tell. Madeline and I laid so much groundwork in 2020 and are planning on significant progress this coming year. Don't tell, but we are working towards a fully functioning subscription platform dedicated to musicians' health and wellness, including classes, courses, lectures, articles, and much more. We are also prepping workshop content and topics for music organizations at every level. It will be a big year, and I can't wait to report back on how much progress we make and what we accomplish.

East German Violin Music Recitals

Last year, I made some huge strides finding music for this project, and am now ready to start preparing recital programs and performing them for the public. I'll be blogging about the composers and music as I move ahead with this one, but this year one of my big goals is to share the music with the world. Would you be interested in hearing some of this music?

You can hear part of a violin trio by Ottmar Gerster here:

Streamline my Work Process and Reduce Clutter

I am that person with a messy desk and a slow process. I get that. I own that. However, I think I could probably use technology a little more efficiently in my life to waste less time and have more straightforward, elegant solutions (with fewer meltdowns). For instance, I'm good at tracking rough sales figures and numbers, but I'm not great at knowing specifics. I need a better way to record my data and track it that is time and cost-effective. Open to suggestions. I do need help with this one.

Use Block Scheduling

I am terrific about writing to-do lists for the day, week, and month. I am not good at breaking up tasks and organizing my time. So far this year, and granted, I haven't started teaching again, I section off my day into 2 or 3-hour windows. When that time frame is over, I take a break and then move on to the next scheduled item. I have to be strict with myself. Otherwise, my practice sessions turn into marathons, or my yoga practice bleeds into my computer work time, but it has so far proved very motivating to know when the STOP time is.

Restructure my Teaching to incorporate Yoga and Timani

I have grown out of the traditional violin teacher role. I know how to develop a studio and teach a wide range of students with varying needs and abilities. I want to restructure my teaching in a way that goes beyond a weekly private lesson and starts to train the whole musician, at whatever stage they are at, and incorporate my research, training, and experience. I'm not entirely sure how this will happen yet, but I'm ready for the transition. I have a long-term dream of creating a music school (preferably at a country estate in England) that I want to start working towards, and I need to start building the curriculum and identity now. I also just want to share my knowledge and experience with a wider audience. If you ONLY want a Suzuki teacher, I am no longer your girl.

Contribute to the Conversation about Musicians Health and Wellness

This resolution is a holdover from last year, but I like it, so I’m rolling it into 2021. Theoretically, if all goes according to plan with corpSonore, it should be easy. I want to contribute writings to other publications and speak at more seminars and events/conventions besides the ones I organize myself.

That’s it!

I have a big list this year. I've been working hard to clarify my vision of the future, and many of these resolutions fall in step with larger long-term goals. My dad would be so proud; I finally have a 5-year plan. 15 years after he first started telling me I should have one. Better late than never, right?

What are your resolutions? Let's help each other find success and crush our goals.

The Goals and Resolutions Post: 2021