Kristy M. Morrell's Musician, Heal Thyself: A Self-Help Guide for Hornists is an 80-page practice-room reference that combines exercises with strategies for identifying and working through playing problems. Rather than prescribing the same daily plan for every hornist, it encourages players to make informed choices about warmups, practice sessions, and audition preparation.
Morrell emphasizes thinking through a difficulty before repeating it: identify the task, break it into manageable steps, and develop it through consistent, incremental work. The book also addresses performance anxiety, injury prevention, and musical wellness, with photographs and illustrations supporting the discussion.
Its practical focus makes it useful to students learning to practice independently and to teachers helping them build those habits. This is not a collection of recital solos, but a resource to consult alongside the music already on the stand. Published by Balquhidder Music as BQ186, it treats physical wellbeing as part of musical preparation rather than promising a quick technical cure.
Dr. Morrell is Instructor of Horn at the USC Thornton School of Music and member of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.
Kristy M. Morrell's Musician, Heal Thyself: A Self-Help Guide for Hornists is an 80-page practice-room reference that combines exercises with strategies for identifying and working through playing problems. Rather than prescribing the same daily plan for every hornist, it encourages players to make informed choices about warmups, practice sessions, and audition preparation.
Morrell emphasizes thinking through a difficulty before repeating it: identify the task, break it into manageable steps, and develop it through consistent, incremental work. The book also addresses performance anxiety, injury prevention, and musical wellness, with photographs and illustrations supporting the discussion.
Its practical focus makes it useful to students learning to practice independently and to teachers helping them build those habits. This is not a collection of recital solos, but a resource to consult alongside the music already on the stand. Published by Balquhidder Music as BQ186, it treats physical wellbeing as part of musical preparation rather than promising a quick technical cure.
Dr. Morrell is Instructor of Horn at the USC Thornton School of Music and member of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.