Crushing Classical

Babatunde and I sit down to talk about creating a really unique career in the opera world, the story of how a casually posted video on Facebook went viral in a matter of days (and what he did next) and what the opera world thinks of him combining hip hop beats with opera. Follow Babatunde on social media: Facebook Instagram @babatunde_hiphopera YouTube   Join Babatunde's mailing list here CC...

What you'll hear: The place of opera in today’s world - where does it fit in? The treatment of women in traditional opera: how Jennifer feels about this and how she directs to deal with this The artistry that is possible in directing and how you can alter the story - she’s got one coming up for opera’s most popular piece How she makes opera more modern with the use of technology The LENGTH of...

What you'll hear: The concept of “failing UP” - what that means “Don’t quit your day job” - WHAT? Chris’ advice on how to make your dream of getting an orchestra job come true as a musician The best advice about managing your day for your work - and what Chris suggests you consider when managing a freelance career AND preparing for an audition The concept of a Practice Buddy - and how to find...

What you'll hear: The benefit of being an *early adopter* Audience research… how Nathan adjusted to suit what he discovered while growing his audience What it looks like to be CHOOSY in your career - the fear most people feel and how it really works The power of getting a coach for your business - something that’s *really* different from having a private teacher for your instrument Zeroing on...

What you'll hear: Getting an internship… the gutsy way Joe did it The embarrassing thing Joe and I both admit… but it’s a smart move after college! Getting started as a commercial composer - what that looks like The value of getting a “real” job after undergrad The self-employment conundrum… how do you get clients? Joe shares his secret (hint: it’s connected to visibility!) Self employment an...

What you'll hear: The incredible, daring project of taking a 9’ Steinway OUTSIDE to play concerts in nature… THE logistics around THAT! Sharing your new ideas with friends and colleagues… the advice you need to hear How to make your vision for what you’re creating super CLEAR Why Hunter loves grants - and his advice on doing better at applying for them… this one is SO important! One way to te...

Thank you for joining me on my first SOLO podcast episode, a follow up to the free training, Find Your Boss Self - where I explore the reasons why people are resisting becoming visible and growing their audience. What you'll hear: Does audience building have to take up all of your time? My philosophy on this What about what your colleagues think? I share the reason you feel this pressure, wha...

What you'll hear: The one thing you need to know about musicians’ hearing health How to find the RIGHT audiologist as a musician - specific for musicians’ needs Things you NEED to tell an audiologist when you go to an appointment - I never would have known this! What to do if you get a negative hearing diagnosis - first step, don’t freak out! Hear what to do after that! Things you can do in y...

What you'll hear: The conundrum Jeffrey found himself in when he started his new job as a horn teacher in a university, and how he solved it The story behind his unique way of teaching the horn What improvisation REALLY is… this was my favorite description of it I’ve ever heard An amazing distinction between playing and listening…  A toxic part of the teaching paradigm, something I believed u...

What you'll hear: The devastating relationship in orchestras between the musicians and the management: what is behind this? The most valuable actions that musicians can do in partnership with the management The actual key to breaking down the barrier between the two sides Redefining the qualifications of a professional musician *outside* of just the valuable playing ability and musicianship:...

What you'll hear: Being a child prodigy and his very advanced view on how to deal with success at an early age How Conrad figured out his NICHE - great advice for EVERY musician The question every music org should ask themselves about programming - this one is so spot on! The audience-building misunderstandings currently in the classical music marketplace - a new way of looking at it What pre...

What you'll hear: The delicate dance of raising money and writing grants -  The income story - what everyone wants to know about self-founded ensembles Band Mindset vs. Business Mindset: Navigating the transition to making the ensemble a business The surprising things about grant writing and the learning curves involved Managing their own finances… and what they learned from their mistakes To...

Thank you for joining me on the season finale episode of Crushing Classical! Stay tuned for Season 4, launching at the beginning of September. What you'll hear: The VALUE of building your audience online - the WHY from Lucas How a karaoke night fast-tracked his career in the US The importance of being in the right place at the right time… and being PREPARED for when you are Some solid advice...

What you'll hear: How learning how to tell better stories is crucial for musicians In today’s world with so much going on - what draws people to concerts? We discuss On being a freelancer: the mindset and strategy that keeps you fulfilled and energized The fringe benefits of your jobs outside of the repertoire and playing experience; this one is valuable and often forgotten about The deeper w...

Today on the show I have Aubrey Bergauer, Executive Director of the California Symphony. What you'll hear: Allowing concert goers to use their PHONES ON SILENT… the reaction from people inside the orchestra business and how people handle it in real life The shocking marketing figure about social media… and what orchestras are MISSING when it comes to marketing. This one surprised me! The phen...

What you'll hear: How Amy Beth grew hers/her daughter’s Instagram account to over 28,000 followers How she self-created her own career as a soloist How she navigated an extremely difficult time in her life that put her solo career on hold - and how she jump-started it again How being TRUE to YOURSELF, while sometimes scary - WORKS in creating a career you love Some great ideas for creating MO...

What you'll hear: The realization that Kate had about her career that caused her to immediately begin pursuing a solo concert career The actual steps she did to start The game-changer that people don’t realize makes this career path much more palatable Management: the pros and cons Keeping it all organized… her solid and do-able method The key to managing yourself and your organization Great...

What you'll hear: Choosing a college to support YOU, who you are and putting your unique self and needs first in that choice How doing a different major led Ingrid back to music The importance of independence in creating your own career How she found a full-ride to music - something to consider! The benefits of *not* going to a big name conservatory How Ingrid realized she *could* make singin...

What you'll hear: What his first job in the record industry taught him How the dark period after Tower Records closed led him to creating his own business The biggest mistakes people make in PR How much does it cost? Real talk about WHEN you need a PR firm The importance of STORYTELLING and how you do it The best time to hire a publicist To find out more about Andrew, Unison Media, Crypt and...

How a hobby can become a big part of what you do… and a potential career facet and income stream How Sarah grew her Instagram following from a personal page with some posts about violin to a 13,000 following connected to her food blog How her large following on Instagram led to *delicious* brand partnerships A look outside the box on this podcast showed Sarah some other options for her food facet...

What you'll hear: The benefits and challenges of being in a category on ONE How to navigate a music education when you have more than one musical interest and focus How to forge relationships for collaboration The project he did which showed him a whole world with regards for what creating your own musical business can look like To hear Jodie with WildUP Friday, 2/8 at 8:00 https://www.caroli...

What you'll hear: The UNIQUE programs Cory found that led him to finding his voice The benefits of repeat performances - how doing something a lot transforms what you’re doing The benefactor who changed Cory’s path - and led him to creating the business model he has today How Cory found his true audience - the gut feeling and the actions he took to follow that knowingness How the happenstance...

What you'll hear: Coming of age with streaming - how Spotify influenced his entrepreneurial venture The true mindset needed for *actual* entrepreneurship (hint: it’s likely not taught in any class) The reactions from the publishing industry - this answer surprised me How a digital music app can actually help the paper music publishing companies - something I hadn’t thought of The most importa...

What you'll hear: Negotiating a job for yourself that may not be offered - the things Suzanne noticed that made it a “win-win” for everyone How her job gave her a *new* way of performing in addition to playing flute Unusual performing opportunities through radio stations that you may not have thought of yourself The enthusiasm that inherently exists in the public radio audience - and ways she...

What you'll hear: Real talk on how difficult AND JOYFUL it can be to start your own ensemble The classical musician dilemma: JOB SECURITY and how Patrick redefines it The importance in finding prestige and status through partnering with an established, well-known organization The importance of MATH (and the trade-offs) in figuring out when to say YES to gigs The key to developing an audience…...