Becoming an author...

Started up as a musician. Performing musician and a teacher of thousands of students. Sometimes I wonder if all the people I have ever taught and ever conducted or sang with would all come together...
Just the other day a few ex-students of mine were tagging the names on a photo of our children's choir called Gradus that had more than 120 singers in it and I used to conduct, perform and tour with back in Hungary. Those 'kids' are now adults, with families and children of their own holding serious jobs. Facebook notifies friends about their birthdays and I can't believe that those kids are now 40...Unbelievable. It was nice to read some of the comments that those times, singing in the choir and performing, were their nicest memories they have. I feel the same. Gradus was a very special choir in my professional life as well. We were close. Musically and personally.
Not only their lives have changed but mine as well. It is fabulous to have the opportunity to test ourselves in other territory as well. Writing a book and publishing something sounded so unachievable as a child. Only exceptional people write books and get published. My Dad, who was an engineer used to write poems and Sci-Fi novels. I thought that was fabulous and very exciting! Now I regret I don't have Dad's manuscript books.  I could get to know him. However, strangely, I am following his footsteps. A few years ago I started to think about putting my stories on paper. If nothing else, my biography, the highlight of my music career and my travels. Although I have started it, it is harder than I thought...The closer it is in time, the harder it is to write about it.  Fortunately, there are many things that interest me and I want to write about. That allowed me to get started, learn self-publishing and experience how things work once one has a few books out.
Honestly, it blows my mind that someone wants to read what I write. When I look at my stats and see that from week one the books are selling and just six month after publishing the first book, I have regular sales and downloads that are gradually increasing. It motivates me to keep writing and get better at it. It is much more exciting than I have ever thought it would be, to become a songwriter and an 'author'!
Please check out my author's page and if you like music, my albums!

Good Memories Jar

We all have tough days... for those days I highly recommend this great idea! Whenever something good happens, write it down on a piece of paper and collect them in a nice jar. At the end of year or on difficult days re-read those notes! It will make you smile! It helps you preserve your health and avoid serious illness. 

In Hungarian:
KÉSZÍTS EMLÉKÜVEGET
Ha sikerül megőrizni lelki egészségünket, azzal elkerülhetjük a komoly betegségek kialakulását. Íme egy remek ötlet, ami kreatív, nem kerül sokba és az év valamennyi napján mosolyra derít! ♥

Singing Medicine

The power of music, especially singing, goes back for centuries. There are many legends, stories about animals and humans changing, transforming even healing from the power of music. We still ignore this simple, non-expensive and available therapy. Those who sing regularly experience the incredible benefit of singing. This video introduces us to a project that is changing children's lives. Once you watch it, please spread this link all over the world. Projects like this we would need everywhere in hospitals and should be in every aged care. Music should be taught by singing primarily in schools, just like the way we approach music in Hungary, singing. We are all missing out on the most natural way to connect, spent time with each other, entertain, celebrate and make people feel good! Sing!
Watch and enjoy the Singing Medicine project video.

To tip or not to tip?

I had a coffee with friends at one of my favourite places today. I know the owner and I know most of the staff. They are great and the coffee is good. The most popular are the delicious, home made cakes that are made according to the secret recipes of the owner's Italian mum prepared by her own dear hands. I appreciate good service and good food so when I get them I like to leave a tip. Today we sat around longer than usual after finishing our cake and drink, chatting. We paid for our bill and left a tip on the table. After saying good-bye to each other with my friends, I was just about to drive away when I saw the waitress cleaning our table but not seeing and taking the tip we left for her as a thank you. Our table was on a busy pathway and we were worried that by-passers would just take the money so visible. We decided to give the cafe a quick call. Soon the waitress came out to check the money but for the time she got there a few people sat down at the table. The waitress picked up the money and left.
This situation made me think about how many times after giving tips to people I hear no thank you or see any form of sign of gratitude. What does that encourage? Not leaving a tip! It is a very simple example of how important it is to be grateful for everything we get!
What are you grateful today?

I am grateful that I woke up this morning, that I am healthy, that my music teaching business goes well, that a friend thought me worthy of asking me to work with her and promote new products in Australia that is a huge business opportunity, that I have lovely students and parents to work with, I am grateful that my brother is healthy and happy and that we are working pour business together, grateful that I have great friends.... and that I am doing what I love doing!

'Innercise' to reach your goals!

If you are serious about your goals and the future, take 30 minutes a day early every morning to focus on and reading your goals. In addition to affirmations, visualizations and role playing, run your fingers across your written goals to send another message through your fingers to your brain. In essence, program your own mind.

Today, technology is so advanced it's so much easier and there are many more evidence based methodologies to re train your brain. You may call it "Innercise".

Man walking on water

How many times have we heard that our only limitation is our own imagination?
At the time of the Paralympics watching the incredible human achievements of those athletes or meeting Nick Vujicic, the inspirational man with no limbs who just got married we have to stop and think.
I really wonder how pathetic we, humans, can be! The better lives we have, the more pathetic we become. However, the human spirit truly strives under pressure and adversity. There are plenty of examples of people, who in the darkest moments of their lives showed the greatest spirit. Their achievements inspire everyone who think their life is hard.

There are certain stories that we don't really know if true. Just tonight I saw Dynamo, the magician who can walk on water. According to my knowledge, there is only one story of a person who walked on water. His legend has been around for thousand years. Tonight, when I saw this young man walking on the Thames, I realized that truly only our imagination limits us.

What destroyed my spirit seeing him walking was the police. While I do understand that they have a duty, my heart sank and could not help thinking that there are people who just can't help and step back for a moment and be one with the magic. They just have to break and destroy the moment. Destroy the moment for all involved. For the person who creates the magic and for those who enjoy the magic and believe in it.  Like they don't want us to believe. I even risk this sentence. The destroyers are the non-believers.

During Dynamo's walk there was this moment when he was in the middle of the water. I might be not the only one to put his act in parallel with the legend. In that moment we all believed in miracles. It was one of those life changing moments we carry in ourselves for a life time. How sad that some people just had to ruin in it. Ruin it for everyone. No miracles. No magic. However, we saw it. We know it exists. We know, it's possible.
Dynamo's walk on water.

The future of Music

Hi, I hope you are having a great weekend. I am just working on my new book The Road to a Simple and Good Life. Checking my Facebook news, a dear colleague of mine has posted this article you will see below. I so agree with the writer's thoughts on music and education. My experience working at universities was that they are like a glass house, totally isolated from real life. Most of the lecturers hold on to positions throughout their whole life and die out from that position. On a national level it's like a musical chair, one moves and everyone shifts chair. 
I clearly recognized many years ago that to stay up to date and a real musician, I will need to leave the university and work for myself. I did not want to end up rigid, dogmatic and as an administrator instead of a musician and live in a ivory tower. It was a huge risk but it was worth it. I see a clear pattern emerging in my life that shows that my own personal and professional development and growth takes number one place instead of chasing jobs for money. Now, a few years later this clearly pays back in professional growth, productivity, creativity, happiness, lifestyle and in finances. I absolutely have no regrets. I wish, I had done this earlier!
The concerns mentioned in this article you will read have been my concerns for more than a decade and I have done myself what the author suggests. That's why with great passion and happiness I post her blog article here for others to read and share. The present crisis in our education system closely relates to these thoughts in the article.
Schools and educational institutions must keep up with technology and reform their teaching style to keep students interested. How irresponsible it is for music institutions to produce musicians who won't be able to make a living? Similarly, how many The Voice and XFactor shows should the TV run to make the impression that these young people will be stars and make a living as a performer? 

Please enjoy the article!
The End of the Symphony and How Today's Music Students Should Adapt