252 Learning to Trust Yourself as a Musician: Juliana Athayde on betting on yourself, leading with humanity, and performing without fear.
Release Date: 03/06/2026
254 Finding Your Way Back to Playing - Gabriel Radford on rebuilding after fear, injury, and loss of control
The Mind Over Finger Podcast
If you've ever felt your body work against you in a performance, if tension, fear, or a loss of control has crept into your playing and you don't know why, and if you've wondered whether it can actually get better, this episode is for you. Gabriel Radford, Third Horn of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, was diagnosed with focal dystonia at the height of his career. He came back playing better than before, and co-founded the Embouchure Project to help other musicians do the same. This conversation is honest, practical, and full of things musicians rarely hear spoken out loud. What you'll take...
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253 Your Pep Talk for When Things Feel Heavy - A reminder for musicians navigating comparison, doubt, and the ups and downs of growth
The Mind Over Finger Podcast
You walk out of a rehearsal replaying every mistake. You sit down to practice and the voice in your head says, it should be better by now. You open Instagram and somehow everyone else seems more confident, more established, further along. This episode is for that moment. Renée shares a short, honest pep talk for musicians navigating doubt and the uncomfortable gap between where they are and where they wish they were. What you'll take away: · Why accepting where you are is not the same as giving up and how that distinction changes everything...
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252 Learning to Trust Yourself as a Musician: Juliana Athayde on betting on yourself, leading with humanity, and performing without fear.
The Mind Over Finger Podcast
Concertmaster Juliana Athayde shares the mindset shifts and life choices that shaped her career, from betting on herself early on to leading an orchestra and building a full life beyond the practice room. In this conversation, we explore: • The leap of faith that led her to turn down a dream job and invest in herself • What great orchestral leadership actually looks like beyond playing well • Why “perfect or disaster” thinking traps so many musicians • The powerful idea that performance needs no rear view mirror • How audition panels are often rooting for you more than you...
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251 Your Heart Is Racing. Now What? The “Yes, And” trick that turns nerves into focus
The Mind Over Finger Podcast
When your heart is racing and your brain starts whispering “don’t mess this up,” it’s easy to think the goal is to shut the thoughts down. But that fight is often the thing that turns normal pre performance activation into full anxiety. In this short episode, I borrow the first rule of improv, “Yes, and,” and show you how to use it as a musician. Not to become fearless, but to stay in the music even when doubt is in the room. In this episode, you’ll hear: · The difference between normal activation and anxiety, and how the...
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250 Yoga for All Musicians: Brianne Borden and Claire Howard on nervous system care, the power of community, and a more humane way to make music
The Mind Over Finger Podcast
When the world feels heavy and your body is bracing, it is weirdly easy to start treating music like it has to justify itself. You practice anyway. You show up anyway. But inside, you are carrying pressure, tension, and that quiet question most musicians do not say out loud: how do I keep doing this without burning out or breaking down? In Episode 250, I sit down with Dr. Brianne Borden and Claire Howard, co-owners of Yoga for All Musicians, for a conversation that is equal parts grounding, honest, and immediately useful. · Why “just focus on...
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249 You’re Not Behind. You’re Overloaded. How Unrealistic Expectations Hijack Your Brain and What to Do Instead
The Mind Over Finger Podcast
In this episode, we unpack how unrealistic expectations quietly overload your brain, tighten your body, and slow your progress. And more importantly, how to reset them so they actually work for you. You’ll learn: • Why high standards are not the problem but misaligned expectations are • How pressure and perfectionism interfere with learning • A simple expectation audit you can use before practice or performance • How to shift from “I should” to “What can I do today?” • A powerful on stage reframe that turns anxiety into expression If you’ve been pushing hard but not...
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248 Bill Denton: Forget the Timeline - The Path Is Yours to Build - What Every Musician Needs to Hear About Age, Timing, and the Long Game
The Mind Over Finger Podcast
What if your path takes longer than you thought it would? What if you don’t win the job straight out of school. Or even straight out of your twenties? And what if that’s not failure, but just a different kind of success? In this episode, I sit down with Bill Denton, Principal Trumpet of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, to talk about what it really means to stay in the game. Bill won his job at 50. Before that? He taught high school band, drove to gigs, kept showing up, and stayed connected to his playing through real life, not a perfect timeline. This conversation is for anyone who’s ever...
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247 Tired of Forcing Yourself to Practice? The Mental Reset That Gets You Back Into Practice Gently
The Mind Over Finger Podcast
When practicing feels impossible, it’s not because you’re lazy or undisciplined. In this episode, I walk you through the simple mindset shifts and practical strategies that help you stop pushing and start showing up with more ease, clarity, and self-respect. You’ll learn: · Why waiting for motivation doesn’t work · A five-step mental reset to ease into practice · How to reduce friction and make your routine feel lighter ...
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246 Brad Stulberg: The Way of Excellence - The Secret to What It Really Takes to Thrive
The Mind Over Finger Podcast
What does it really take to grow as an artist without burning out? In this powerful conversation, I’m joined by bestselling author and performance expert Brad Stulberg to explore what excellence actually means, and how we can pursue it in a way that feels deeply fulfilling, not exhausting. Brad’s new book, , offers a grounded and practical roadmap for anyone looking to sustain high-level work over time. Whether you’re navigating auditions, refining your craft, or questioning how to stay connected to music in a chaotic world, this episode is for you. You’ll learn how to: ...
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245 Long-Term Growth vs. Short-Term Pressure: Why Trying to Master Everything Is Slowing You Down and How to Fix It
The Mind Over Finger Podcast
Are you juggling big technique goals and an upcoming performance? Struggling to fix your vibrato while also cramming notes for an audition? You’re not alone, and you’re not doing it wrong. In this episode, we unpack why chasing long-term mastery and short-term perfection at the same time can leave you overwhelmed, stuck, and second-guessing everything. You’ll learn: · How to separate growth work from prep work without sacrificing either · Why perfectionism in your “big goal” might be...
info_outlineConcertmaster Juliana Athayde shares the mindset shifts and life choices that shaped her career, from betting on herself early on to leading an orchestra and building a full life beyond the practice room.
In this conversation, we explore:
• The leap of faith that led her to turn down a dream job and invest in herself
• What great orchestral leadership actually looks like beyond playing well
• Why “perfect or disaster” thinking traps so many musicians
• The powerful idea that performance needs no rear view mirror
• How audition panels are often rooting for you more than you think
• The difference between practicing mindfully and “punching the time card” in the practice room
• Why recording yourself and actually listening can transform your progress
• How motherhood reshaped her priorities, practice efficiency, and perspective
• Why a richer life outside music ultimately deepens your artistry
• The simple but powerful question that can change everything: What if things went right?
A thoughtful conversation about leadership, performance, growth, and choosing the bigger life in music.
If you’re ready to step on stage with confidence, perform at your best, and finally feel secure in your playing, let’s talk! Book a free discovery call and let’s create a plan to get you there.
Are you ready to take your playing and career to the next level and create a life that feels purposeful and joyful? Let’s connect and explore how personalized coaching can support your journey. Click here to schedule your free consultation, and let’s start turning your goals into reality.
Book your FREE Music Mastery Experience Discovery call with Renée HERE
Book your free consultation with Renée HERE
Download the transcript from this episode HERE
JULIANA ATHAYDE
Eastman: https://www.esm.rochester.edu/directory/athayde-juliana/
Chamber Music Rochester: https://www.chambermusicrochester.org/artistic-directors
Mind Over Finger
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THANK YOU:
Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show’s musical theme: Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson.