In this episode, Jose Francisco shares his incredible story of starting the violin at 17 in the Dominican Republic, overcoming lack of resources, and rising to perform internationally. He discusses his early inspirations, the importance of finding one's own voice in music, and the challenges he faced along the way. This conversation also touches on cultural differences in musical experiences, particularly in church settings, and how these shaped his musical journey. Additionally, Jose emphasizes the significance of self-discovery and personal authenticity in artistic expression. You can reach out to Jose Francisco at his social media: https://www.instagram.com/jfstrings_/

Chris talks with a classical violinist and PhD researcher, about the emotional toll of traditional training and how improvisation supports well-being. She explores nervous system regulation, perfectionism, and mindfulness techniques that help musicians feel more confident, expressive, and whole. This conversation offers practical tools and mindset shifts for any musician, parent, or educator seeking a more balanced and emotionally intelligent musical path.CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:33 Anne Marie's Background and Research Motivation01:42 Challenges in Classical Music Training03:01 Improvisation and Emotional Health05:38 Mindfulness in Music Practice09:59 Chris's Personal Musical Journey12:32 Global Perspective on Classical Training18:19 Integrating Improvisation in Classical Pedagogy23:14 Practical Steps for Teachers and Parents33:42 Encouragement and Final Thoughts

Discover the joys and challenges of parenting musicians in this heartfelt episode of the Creative Strings Podcast. Christian Howes sits down with 15-year-old songwriter Sun Jackson and her father, Grammy-nominated pianist and composer D.D. Jackson, explores their inspiring father-daughter bond through music.This episode dives into:🎶 The emotional story behind Sun’s song Fair Friend, written at age 12 during a snowy afternoon.🎸 How Sun’s songwriting process combines raw emotion, chords, and storytelling.🎹 D.D.’s insights on balancing encouragement with creative freedom as a parent.From building a home studio to recording Sun’s debut album September Friday, this dynamic duo shares how music became their shared language—strengthening their relationship and sparking artistic growth.Whether you’re a parent, musician, or creative, this episode will inspire you to embrace the connections that fuel creativity.📀 Stream Sun’s album September Friday: https://open.spotify.com/album/4bSNOE3SFu8uwIOsY4iHfx📀 Explore D.D.’s work: https://www.ddjackson.com/🔗 Special thanks to our sponsor Electric Violin Shop. If you have questions about electric violins, pedals, amplifiers, and all kinds of gear, visit www.electricviolinshop.com or call 1-866-900-8400 during business hours. A human will speak to you.

Break free from the “never good enough” mindset. Chris interviews clinical psychologist and author Dr. Ellen Hendriksen to explore how to overcome perfectionism as musicians. Whether you're a performer, teacher, or creative entrepreneur, this conversation is packed with actionable insights to help you: . Understand the roots of perfectionism in musicians. . Differentiate healthy striving from destructive self-criticism. . Navigate the pressure to link self-worth to performance. . Cultivate self-acceptance while maintaining high standards. Dr. Hendriksen, author of How to Be Enough: Self-Acceptance for Self-Critics and Perfectionists, shares powerful strategies for breaking free from the "never good enough" mindset. Learn how perfectionism affects musicians, teachers, and creatives alike, and how to balance excellence with self-compassion. You can get to know more about Dr. Hendriksen and her work on her website: https://www.ellenhendriksen.com/ 🔗 Special thanks to our sponsor Electric Violin Shop. If you have questions about electric violins, pedals, amplifiers, and all kinds of gear, visit www.electricviolinshop.com/ or call their phone number during business hours: 1-866-900-8400. A human will speak to you. 🎧 Subscribe to the Creative Strings Podcast for more episodes like this: https://open.spotify.com/show/3b55vHA0NyQqXgp0Nk7Y6h 🔥 Let’s Connect: 🌐 Website: christianhowes.com 📺 YouTube Channel: @ChristianHowesViolin 📩 Join the Creative Strings Academy: https://www.christianhowes.com/csa/

Discover the transformative journey of Rebecca Clare Douglas in this episode of the Creative Strings Podcast, where musical diversity takes center stage. From earning a music degree at Oxford to becoming a multifaceted folk musician, educator, and author, Rebecca shares how embracing diversity in her music brought freedom and joy. 🎻 Learn how she transitioned from classical to folk music, finding freedom that classical training didn’t offer. 🎼 Explore her work with the Highland Fiddle Band, her original fiddle duo, and the inspiration behind her book of fiddle tunes. 💡 Hear her philosophy on balancing teaching, performing, and parenting—and why community and being "your own patron" are essential to her approach. Rebecca's story is a testament to the power of musical diversity to transform rejection into freedom and inspire creativity. If you’ve ever felt “not good enough” as a musician, this episode will reignite your passion for playing and remind you why you started making music in the first place. You can get to know more about Rebecca and her work on her website: https://www.rebeccaclaredouglas.com/ 🔗 Special thanks to our sponsor Electric Violin Shop. If you have questions about electric violins, pedals, amplifiers, and all kinds of gear, visit www.electricviolinshop.com/ or call their phone number during business hours: 1-866-900-8400. A human will speak to you.

Discover 21 daily habits for musicians to grow and enjoy their practice, teaching, or careers more. In this video, Christian Howes shares practical tips to optimize routines, set goals, and find happiness in your musical journey. Designed for teachers, players, and music entrepreneurs, these habits help you improve performance and well-being. Learn specialized tips for music teachers, let go of unhelpful habits, and join Christian's community for support and accountability. Watch now to transform your habits as a musician Join Creative Strings Academy: www.christianhowes.com/csa/ Explore the upcoming events: https://christianhowes.com/live-events-page/

🔗 Special thanks to our sponsor Electric Violin Shop. If you have questions about electric violins, pedals, amplifiers, and all kinds of gear, visit www.electricviolinshop.com/ or call their phone number during business hours: 1-866-900-8400. A human will speak to you.

To watch this episode as a video go to: https://youtu.be/Wtg32uHwnoo

Learn three powerful changes you can make to your practice routine to become a more functional musician. Instead of playing classical etudes, you can do improvised scales/exercises. Try to improvise over "elemental music forms" instead of playing over hard songs/grooves/progressions. Devote 15-30 min to internalize a small amount of harmonic or rhythmic material. To learn more about this go to our dedicated blogpost: https://christianhowes.com/2023/06/14/better-practice/

How to amplify the violin and get a good sound. Electric violin vs acoustic violin.  Pickups vs amplifiers.  Electric Violin Effects, how to use loops for violin, and related gear for violin, viola, and cello, are answered in this interview with Matt Bell of Electric Violin Shop #electricviolin #electricviolinshop 

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/bo4Y2gGGBJ8

Thanks to Electric Violin Shop for supporting CreativeStrings Podcast  

Thanks also to Yamaha for supporting us. I recommend Yamaha electric violins, violas, cellos, and basses.

For Transcriptions, Lessons & Proven Strategies to Grow Your Musicianship, subscribe to my free newsletter. It’s actionable and loved by 10,000 subscribers. Subscribe here: https://swiy.co/Subscribe_CH

(0:00) Intro

(2:13) Welcome Matt Bell of Electric Violin Shop

(4:37) Gear questions for electric violins and violins with pickups

(10:54) Violin pick-ups vs solid body violin

(14:47) TwoSet Violin (a friendly debate )

(23:29) Amplified Violin Gear Audit

(33:13) Amplified violin Tone audit

(36:59) Living as a working musician

In this episode of the Creative Strings Podcast, Chris talks to educator and violinist, Dr. Quinton Morris about his non-profit work, Key to Change, entrepreneurship, and combating racism in classical music.

https://www.keytochangestudio.org/

(01:15) Teaching students to be entrepreneurs

(3:24) Harvard business school

(5:28) Key to change

(9:19) Why do so many people fail at doing what you've been able to succeed at?

(12:27) Understand the business

(15:25) Barriers to being able to serve underserved youth

(19:29) Talk to the community and always show up

(25:10) Being more human in our interactions

(29:39) Classical music’s defensiveness

(33:14) Raising money for your non-profit

(39:35) What can teachers without a non-profit do to help?

(44:38) Relational vs Transactional

(50:33) Combating racism in classical music

(55:20) Unmute the Voices

(1:00:07) Wrap up