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Curious to know some of the financial details behind a small, successful chamber music group? Adam Schumaker over at NewMusicBox recently published a piece that takes a inside look at the ensemble loadbang. Included is an interview with loadbang’s Executive Director and trumpeter Andy Kozar. The overview of the ensemble’s finances reveals some interesting information […]

Chamber Music America recently announced a new grant program titled “Ensemble Forward” that provides funding for NYC-based “young ensembles” to work with a chamber music coach. Read more about the program here. Quick facts: DEADLINE to apply: September 27, 2019 Grant provides funding for 4 sessions with a chamber music coach (of the ensemble’s choice). […]

This is the second in our series of “Pro Tips” articles that feature the input of many professional musicians, all answering the same question. Check out the first article in the series here.  This week’s question: What is one skill that you use today that you DIDN’T learn in music school?    Without a doubt […]

For the next two weeks, we are sharing a series of “Pro Tips” articles that feature the input of many professional musicians, all answering the same question. This week’s question: What is one tool / resource / app that you use frequently and find really useful?   Basic HTML, oddly. It allows me to make simple […]

Though it’s summertime and we are thinking more about beaches and BBQs than fall foliage, it’s not too early to start preparing for the October 1st PRJC grant deadline! The Paul R. Judy Center for Innovation and Research is excited to be accepting proposals for another cycle of grants focused on innovative ensembles. The Center […]

Last week, we shared thoughts from Yo-Yo Ma; he said in a recent Harvard interview that he plans to spend the rest of his career thinking about the social impact of music. This week, let’s consider if music can help bridge the sharp political divide of 21st century America. As Michael Alan Anderson points out […]

In a recent conversation at Harvard University, Yo-Yo Ma said he is devoting the rest of his life to thinking about the social impact of music. It’s a bold statement, but one that fits within the music ambassador’s mission of bringing people together through music. After we just talked here a couple of weeks ago […]

Below is a recent conversation with composer and writer Dale Trumbore, whose book “Staying Composed: Overcoming Anxiety and Self-Doubt Within a Creative Life” was just released (find out more on Amazon). Dale graciously shared her time providing some insight into issues related to anxiety and musicians. Your book, “Staying Composed: Overcoming Anxiety and Self-Doubt Within […]

(Spoiler alert: I don’t have an answer to this question, just more questions! But I think it is worth exploring…)  We live in a tumultuous time when the Chicago Symphony goes on strike for 7 weeks over salary and pension benefits, and at the same time the California Symphony has doubled its ticket sales over […]

Have you heard about the concept that a task will take as much time as you allot for that task? So if you give yourself a week for a task that you could complete in two days, it will probably take…a week. This is known as Parkinson’s law. We often hear stories of musicians, organizations, […]