Crushing Classical

Have you ever struggled with Imposter Syndrome, with Perfectionism, with being bored and stifled as a musician or as a human? You will love hearing from Cory Barger!   Cory Barger is the principal bassoonist in the Filarmónica de Boca del Río, and the founder of Practice Happier, a coaching practice dedicated to helping musicians get the most out of their practice sessions without sacrificing thei...

Have you considered adding a group offering to your studio - but weren't sure WHAT or HOW to teach? Have you wished for a more efficient way of helping your students to learn, and a way to take back some of YOUR precious time?  I recently gave this talk to a group of music teachers through Muzie.live, and wanted to share it with you.  I'd love to hear from you! How are you teaching now?...

I have wondered, in my darker days, whether this portfolio career I love is truly sustainable. Whether I can really keep tweaking and evolving all the way until I stop. This interview gave me an inspiring YES!   Hailed by Fanfare Magazine as "one of the great cellists of our time", Nancy Green is an internationally recognized recording artist, known for her highly acclaimed CDs of previo...

Have you ever felt like your content, your social media sharing, even your practice schedule is the BOSS of you?  Consistency is important, and also you are a human being with reasonable human needs.  I'd love to hear from you. You can DM me on  instagram  or  email me  with your thoughts on this episode or a question I could answer on a future one!    Thanks for joining me on Crushing Classi...

Miriam Schulman is an artist, author, and host of The Inspiration Place podcast. She’s helped thousands of creatives around the world develop their skill sets and create more time and freedom to do what they love. Her signature coaching program, The Artist Incubator, teaches artists go from “so-so” sales to “sold-out” collections.   After witnessing 9/11, she abandoned a lucrative hedge fund to be...

I had an AHA during a FLOW class I was leading last week. You can choose what you pay attention to!  This had such a wide resonance for me that I couldn't wait to share it with you.  What do you want to pay attention to? What focus might help you to move forward?  I'd love to hear from you. You can DM me on instagram or email me with your thoughts on this episode or a question I could an...

I just loved this conversation with Dr. Jonathan Gregoire. From the first moment we met I could tell we were aligned in how we saw the world, how we saw our musical careers, and how we sought to help others.  His journey from full-time, salaried performing work to the entrepreneurial world of coaching is an inspiration!  Dr. Gregoire is a multi-talented creative coach and performing artist. With e...

I'm releasing a new pre-recorded course this week for oboists! And I'm pulling back the curtains of my business to talk about how I created it.  If you've been curious about bolstering your own online presence with educational offerings, and if you've been stymied by the tech, or the marketing, or by the fear of putting yourself out there, you might find this interesting and he...

Michael Cooke is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and composer, seamlessly blending the worlds of jazz and classical music. A two Emmy Awards and the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award, Cooke’s versatility shines through in his mastery of soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones, flute, soprano and bass clarinets, bassoon, and percussion. A cum laude graduate in composition from the University of North Te...

What I learned on my summer vacation... about hiking up a mountain, playing the oboe, and crafting my career! Perhaps you too will enjoy this minisode about choosing your own path.    Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to Crushing Classical, and maybe even leave a nice review!  Thanks for joining me on Crushing Classical!  Theme music by DreamVance . You can join my email list  HERE , so you never miss an ep...

Stepping into today’s conversation with Chad Lawson, I had a loose idea of what we’d be talking about, but the actual conversation was surprising - genuine, soulful, and simultaneously grounded in the practicality of making money as a performer and recording artist.  We explored the tension between what you COULD do, and what you maybe WANT to do, and what your audience loves you for.  Where is th...

In today's minisode I discuss my FLOW program. This might be interesting: For private music teachers who wonder what might be possible For online program creators who want to improve retention For oboists who wish it could be EASIER and more fun   Thanks for joining me on Crushing Classical!  I would love to talk with you! This month, my calendar is especially open for adult oboists seeking s...

I had always assumed that piano keyboards were standardized and unchangeable. That it was our job as musicians to adapt to the instrument, rather than making it adapt to us. I'm delighted to find that I was mistaken!  Pianist, vocalist, composer, singer-songwriter, actor, and entrepreneur, Hannah Reimann began her career as a concert pianist with a pedagogical lineage that traces back through...

Ask Me Anything! This live zoom event with two musical entrepreneurs took place on May 9, 2024.  We discussed: Creating online content, including video and podcasts, with tips on basic equipment needed Preparing students for performances and educating parents Finding a niche audience through visibility and outreach Time management and prioritization for musicians preparing for auditions Teaching p...

Intrigued?  This is a topic that's come up recently with my clients and in our live zoom event - and while I'm not offering productivity hacks this week, this idea might be something even better! The book I reference is Essentialism, by Greg McKeown   Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to Crushing Classical, and maybe even leave a nice review!  Thanks for joining me on Crushing Classical!  Theme mu...

T.D. Ellis is the owner of Trevco Music, Trevco Music Publishing, The Music Source, and T.D. Ellis Music Publishing.  He is also a professional bassoonist and contractor. T.D. plays principal bassoon and is the personnel manager with the Ridgefield Symphony, Greater Bridgeport Symphony and Wallingford Symphony. He is the contractor for the Palace Theater in Waterbury, where many touring Broadway s...

When does it make sense to spend beyond your immediate means? I think that too many musicians - and arts organizations! - are living in unnecessary austerity.  What if instead of doing less, you did MORE?    My next free event, an Ask Me Anything session with Ashley Danyew, is coming up on May 9. You can register here , and enjoy an hour with two seasoned musical entrepreneurs!   Make sure you SUB...

In this fascinating episode, my guest Gabe Bolkosky and I discuss: Childhood development How music education can promote personal growth Creating an online platform for musicians to practice and improve with a nurturing community and personalized guidance Practicing music without self-criticism Parallel growth in music and entrepreneurship Violinist and violist Gabe Bolkosky has been praised for t...

Ask Me Anything! This live zoom event with two musical entrepreneurs took place on April 11, 2024.  We discussed websites, getting STARTED, musical income streams, pricing strategies and money mindset.  Khara Wolf is at  https://www.websitesbykhara.com   You can sign up for my NEXT AMA event, with Ashley Danyew!   Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to Crushing Classical, and maybe even leave a nice review! ...

I've had conversations in the past two weeks with no fewer than four people who claim a good reason for undercharging, or avoiding price increases, or even declining to look at the money at all in their creative lives!  And I celebrate you if you are in that fortunate position! If you aren't in a space of urgency around money, that's wonderful.  But it DOESN'T mean you shouldn&...

Enrollment is open NOW for my Happiest Musician Accelerator , a three month program that helps musicians to uncap their income and thrive in their creative careers!  I'd love to help you to create income and authority for yourself.    Ashley Danyew, Ph. D. is a musician, educator, writer, and entrepreneur. She is the Founder and Editor of Musician & Co., equipping classical musicians with...

Thanks for sticking with me through this 5 day challenge! Today, we recapped a bit about the three pillars of Time, Money, and Joy that are available for us to adjust all the time, within our portfolio careers. I hope you've been able to take a little bit of agency around these pillars this week! Here’s my question - NOW WHAT? What are you going to do with the time you’ve created, the income...

I'm sharing my live challenge with you this week! Listen along to snippets of our daily live sessions: Seeking Work Life Balance for the Working Living Musician! Today we talked about JOY. What are the things you love the most to do or experience, and how can you tweak your portfolio to do MORE of the things you love and FEWER of the things you don't?  If you'd like to join us in th...

I'm sharing my live challenge with you this week! Listen along to snippets of our daily live sessions: Seeking Work Life Balance for the Working Living Musician! Today we talked about TIME. How every YES has a NO in it, how to prioritize YOURSELF, how to take control of your time so you can do what YOU want.  If you'd like to join us in the room for the rest of the week, or enjoy the ful...

I'm sharing my live challenge with you this week! Listen along to snippets of our daily live sessions: Seeking Work Life Balance for the Working Living Musician! Today we talked about the money. How to get clear on the outflows, how to stop playing games with the money - and how to optimize your income portfolio to bring you what you want!  If you'd like to join us in the room for the re...