Practice Magazine is a publication of the Common Tone Arts Institute for Creativity. This open-access and peer-reviewed online magazine and podcast devoted to the practical application of ideas and concepts for stimulating and nurturing creativity. We define creativity very broadly, and believe in its value across a wide range of pursuits, from the arts to design to sports to activism to problem-solving in any conceivable context. Our ultimate goal is to reposition artistic practice as less of a means to an end and more of a way of being in the world.
Ecology of Wonder
Part 2 of Karin Stevens’s exploration of movement with inner and outer nature.
The Illusion Of One Hand
Composer and pianist Robert Mitchell delves into an exploration of left-hand-only piano.
Sky, Lava Rock, Palms, Sand, Woods, Ocean
Karin Stevens shares an experience with movement and nature.
Elements of Craft: The Semi-Philosophical Musings of an Architect-Musician
Gustavo Alonso López offers thoughts on the elements of craft from his perspective as an architect and musician.
Music next
Marty Khan writes about the opportunity that exists within our current Covid reality to create a more effective way of thinking about music-making.
Hit the reset button: Rethinking how we teach music technology
Kaley Lane Eaton proposes changes that need to be made in the way we teach music technology in order to improve accessibility.
Awakening the Senses as Pathway to Creative Surprise
Candace Vance presents a daily practice for opening the mind to creativity.
Performing “Outside” the Box during COVID-19 School Closures
Jake Bergevin shares how he has kept music alive and drawn his community closer together during COVID.
Music Theory, Professional Conferences, and Community Engagement
Anna Gawboy and Danny Jenkins interview music theorists Rachel Short and Larry Zbikowski about their experience with public scholarship.
Things I Wish I Had Known When I Thought I Couldn't Be A Composer
Kaley Lane Eaton offers her advice to young composers who feel intimidated by the world of composing.
Yes, and...
Catherine Cabeen writes about her experience as an artist teaching at a prison.
Grow your own creativity
Sarah Mosher explores what it meant for her to enter a new creative space and allow her creativity to flourish.
Addicted to the Present Tense: Reframing Practice
Steve Treseler makes a case for changing our mindset when it comes to practicing.
Music theory teaches us how to hear. Can it help us hear each other?
Chris Stover delves into the connections between music theory and human communication.
The Homunculus
Tanya Kalmanovitch shares her journey as a musician and her battle for the “why.”
Contributions to Practice Magazine draw upon cutting-edge research in education theory, artistic research, design theory, game theory, brain research, and more. Articles are written with a broad readership in mind: ideas are presented clearly, and every contribution has a specific practical orientation as well as potential applicability far beyond its particular subject matter.
We believe that creativity is not simply innate; it is something that can be acquired, and can be built upon across a lifetime of learning. The nurturing of creativity involves hard work over a long period of time, but we contend that this work is both rewarding and invigorating: that the very process of developing one’s own creative self can be endlessly fulfilling. We intend to inspire our reader and viewership to take a bold look at their daily practice, to continue to nurture their talents, and to build courage to fearlessly create. By drawing lessons from creatives in a wide diversity of areas, we believe that the work of Practice Magazine and the Common Tone Arts Institute for Creativity can make a positive impact on our humanity. We view our demographic as wide enough to encompass teachers, aspiring young artists, and master professionals alike.
WE ARE ACCEPTING SKETCHES OF IDEAS, FULLY-FORMED CONTRIBUTIONS, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN FROM ARTISTS OF ALL STRIPES.
SEND US AN EMAIL WITH YOUR IDEAS AND WE WILL CONNECT WITH YOU SOON!