I have kept my health issues to myself over the past year. Sure, my family, friends, employers, and people responsible for my recovery all knew what I was going through, but I never posted anything on social media or went out of my way to call attention to some larger struggles that I have experienced over recent years, and that date back to about 2008. Some of my issues threatened my life, some my livelihood. All threatened to take away my focus on my viola playing and the way I approach my art and craft. I am celebrating the one year anniversary of two procedures—one to my hand and one to my heart—that have set me on my way to a complete recovery, and a full return to normal functions of both. I guess I could feel somewhat resentful about the way some people have treated me along the way and the heavy lifting in my career that was a result of these hurdles. Instead, I choose to feel a sense of gratitude and responsibility for my outcome that has been hard fought. When I meditate on the past year, my overwhelming feeling is one of inspiration and the keen sense of how short and fragile life is. How we have a responsibility to each other to help achieve and overcome demons and obstacles in front of us. Is that not what pedagogy is all about? Whether the obstacles are physical, emotional, or situational, we all have them, they are all real to us, and we all need each other to help bring love, laughter, and the magic of music into the world to help humanity and overcome our collective obstacles. MS

Welcome to my new website. A huge thank you to Ashley Opie, my webmaster, and Cathy Strauss, my wife and editor. This site would not exist without their incredible expertise and patience.

OK, so why a blog? Music is my life and passion—something I, and many others, believe is a universal language and a key component to making the world a more unified and nurturing place. Sometimes we listen, sometimes we play, but sometimes we use words to discuss music. I also have other passions that satellite my music, and also fortify and support understanding of musical ideas. My family, cooking (eating), sports, animals, and politics are some of the current satellites orbiting my personal solar system.

I’ll be using this forum to get my voice out to anyone who cares (hi Mom!) about my thoughts on all kinds of issues that come up—either on the website itself or in the ether. And, I enjoy getting thoughts out of my mind and formulating ideas somewhere accessible to others. Now that my relatively new career path as an entrepreneurial violist (chamber musician, teacher, recitalist) has begun in earnest, I’d love to experiment with blogging as a nice way to communicate. I tend to concentrate on my family, music, students, food, sports, recipes, politics, chefs, pets, traveling—oh, and did I mention I like to cook?

Again, welcome! I look forward to hearing from you, so please feel free to email me about anything that comes to mind.