Thread by @violincase

#100daysofpractice Day 100.

(2) When I do 100 days — as I have now 4 times🎉🎉🎉🎉 — it’s a commitment to practice for 100 days, post it, think about it, and see what happens.

(3) I’m supposed to be practicing every day anyway. The way I notice my playing, and the way I don’t let myself off the hook when it feels easier to not practice, is what’s different for me within the 100-day project.

(4) This time around, I had a unique goal: to build back to touring shape from a starting point that was far from it. I didn’t know if I would travel anywhere within these 100 days, especially as concerts continued to evaporate. (Not complaining! We need to protect each other!)

(5) There’s something I didn’t mention at the beginning, because I didn’t want it to be analyzed without context or put pressure on my practice experience. But I’ll tell you now, because it’ll be illuminating in retrospect.

(6) Between September 2019 and December 2020, I took a total of a year off from practicing. Didn’t touch the violin, for lots of different reasons, all of them valid.

(7) At 41, I’ve spent enough years practicing thousands of hours per year that playing the violin is sort of like riding a bike.

(8) On the flip side, I’ve taken enough time away from the violin during planned and unplanned breaks, with therapeutic supervision during my rebuilding phases, that I know exactly how to restart without injuring myself.

(9) I don’t advise taking long periods of time away from the instrument without a very good reason and a solid plan for returning; it’s really risky.

(10) This past fall, I kept trying to get into a practice routine, but it didn’t stick. I decided to do #100daysofpractice to start 2021, because it was time and I was ready and I wanted to really think about my practicing again.

(11) Connecting with the community of all of you was a big plus that I knew would bring extra meaning and positivity to the experience. I can’t thank you enough.

(12) Because it’s 2021, I realized that a lot of people would probably be feeling similar to me, so in these 100 days, I shared more about how I work when practicing. That in return helped me clarify my thoughts about practice.

(13) I’m finishing my 100 days on a rainy Saturday evening in Paris after the 7pm curfew. It’s a great place and time for contemplation. I’m glad and grateful that I finally did travel somewhere.

(14) It looks like you’ll get to see (or at least hear) me play Dvořák in the next couple of weeks, governments and regulations willing! I’ll keep you posted as I know more.

(15) The final step towards getting my playing into touring shape is to feel completely comfortable with not being careful. If you hide, doubt, or avoid risk onstage, it’s palpable. If you throw caution to the wind, it’s audible — for better or for worse.

(16) So I’m pushing myself to follow my instincts without reservation and then work on the extremes that arise so that I’m ready to indulge them onstage.

(17) And now? What do I do after 100 days? Keep practicing, of course! If you are also completing your 100 days today, congrats!! If you are midway, you can do it! If you’d like to start, there’s no bad time to begin. Go for it.

(18) Feel free to mention what you found most useful during this 100 days, and I’ll keep it in mind for the future. If you’re stumped in your practicing or are looking for camaraderie, please revisit the past 100 days. And look up other musicians’ tweets under #100daysofpractice!

(19) Thank you so much for joining, and see you around!