An Interview with Author Dr. Kristy M. Morrell by Katie Upton

In October 2014, Glen Lyon Books released “Musician, Heal Thyself,” a book by Dr. Kristy M. Morrell of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and professor at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. Tagged as a “self-help guide for hornists”, this book is written to empower the horn player, help them reevaluate the way they approach the horn, and identify potential issues holding them back. Many of us spent our college years looking for the hypothetical “golden teacher,” the one that would lead us to success, but this book affirms that you are your most important teacher and shows you how to make every practice session the best lesson you will ever have. On Oct. 24, Katie Upton met with Dr. Morrell outside of her office on the USC campus for the following interview.

Many people are content sharing their ideas by teaching lessons or masterclasses. What was your driving force for taking on such a large project as writing a book?

I have been planning to write a book for several years; it has been a long-term goal of mine. I finally decided it was time and I just sat down and did it. I had to keep regular hours of writing and give myself goals to finally finish it.

I imagine that students can take this book into the practice room and use it to help them figure out how to solve problems. I was going for convenient and concise because when I’m practicing, that’s what I want. Here’s the problem, what am I going to do about it? Continue reading →