“It’s not who you know; it’s who knows you.” –Saying When it comes to networking, I can’t imagine a more useful truism than the one above. In essence, networking is an ongoing process of community-building in which we keep people informed about our activities...
“I find my greatest pleasure, and so my reward, in the work that precedes what the world calls success.” –Thomas Edison The Musician’s Way, p. 216 If we musicians want to organize self-produced events – things such as concerts, festivals, and community projects...
“Let your community feed your creativity.” –The Musician’s Way, p. 313 When we musicians plan self-produced concerts, we set out to share our art and generate income. Problem is, although self-produced concerts bring many rewards, they’re pricey to put on – venue,...
“The road to improvement is paved with evaluations.” The Musician’s Way, p. 296 Whatever our level of artistic development, we’re always aiming to grow. And one of the primary ways that we advance is through critiques because other viewpoints alert us to our blind...
“As a member of a quartet, you come to realize that you’re responsible for other people’s reputations and livelihoods as well as your own.” –Michael Tree, violist The Musician’s Way, p. 115 Few things in life bring as much joy as collaborative music making. When we...
In this, the concluding portion of his interview with Gerald Klickstein, Joseph Robinson recalls his teacher Marcel Tabuteau, recounts some of the complexities of orchestral work, and offers sage advice to rising musicians. [Update: Joseph Robinson’s memoir,...
Joseph Robinson was Principal Oboist with the New York Philharmonic from 1978 until his retirement in 2005. In this interview with Gerald Klickstein for The Musician’s Way Blog, he speaks about music making, artistic development, and various aspects of living the...
To make music in groups, we require more than interpretive and technical know-how; we also need specific skills if we’re to work together harmoniously. Given that aspiring performers spend so much time practicing alone, are most acquiring expert collaborative skills?...
