Crushing Classical

Sometimes as musicians - heck, as PEOPLE, we hesitate to start new things. We shy away from what we are meant to do in the world because we aren't sure how it will go or what will happen or what other people will think. What if you were allowed to treat something new as an EXPERIMENT?    I want to let you know that I have a new program starting this October.   The Happiest Musician Accelerato...

I want to let you know that I have a new program starting this October.  The Happiest Musician Accelerator is a three month group program for musicians who want to have an impact in the world.  It’s to encourage musicians to step outside the narrowest version of their career, to expand the box, and to create for themselves the life they want to live from a place of alignment and love.. It’s to giv...

How could you tweak your life, and your portfolio career, for the better if you let yourself question how things are RIGHT NOW?  How much better could they become?  Join me for the Low Hanging Fruit Workshop this very week, where I'll lead you through some Curiosity and some discoveries about the Money, Time, and Joy in your career!    Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to Crushing Classical, and maybe...

I had a little windfall last week - caused by releasing a tiny oboe product that I'd been developing for over 5 months.  And it made me think about money and about income streams... And about helping others.  For pre-launch information about my upcoming program, The Happiest Musician Accelerator,  email me or book a call! Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to Crushing Classical, and maybe even leave a n...

Jonathan Kravtchenko is an exciting young composer from Canada. He is currently getting ready for the premiere of his new opera-nova, "Tango for Two", which premieres in Toronto on October 21st. It's difficult to get STARTED in a music career, and in my conversation with Jonathan we looked at the landscape for recent graduates.  COVID was awful for everyone, but my husband and I wer...

This Happiest Musician Minisode builds off my last minisode, on getting clarity on the money part of your business, and assumes that you DO have some clarity around how much money you need to make and where you want it to be coming from.  You might want to hop back to that one first if you haven't heard it yet!  Freelancing comes with its own set of math. Let's think about what questions...

Today you'll hear my interview with Jeffrey Biegel: Pianist, composer, arranger, professor and entrepreneur. We talked about what it takes to create a major project and find buy-in from EVERYWHERE. About the importance of bringing new music into the world. About sharing the legacy of those who have come before and creating your own. This conversation was a delight!  Jeffrey Biegel is a respec...

I’ve had a few conversations recently with people about pricing, about raising the prices that you’re charging for your teaching or for your reeds, or for the coaching that you offer. And I’ve had conversations with people recently about choosing to monetize or not to monetize a skill or passion, a hobby that they have. So I'm sharing some thoughts on this topic with you! This episode is brou...

Lullabies For Piano And Cello is a collection of instrumental works inspired by Icelandic folk songs. Accompanied by cellist Steiney Sigurðardóttir, the duo tracked the album in Reykjavik’s Eldborg Concert Hall. Following the implementation of choir, orchestra, and cinematic heft on 2022’s Solon Islandus, Gabríel made a conscious decision to strip the sound down to just these two instruments. As o...

Do you ever feel like you are at the mercy of your work, or your teaching studio, or your business, and like the only time you can have for yourself is just IN THE CRACKS?  You can do better than that. In today's minisode, we talk about taking agency in your schedule!   This episode is brought to you today by Happiest Musician Coaching. You are amazing, and I believe in you. What are you tryi...

Composer and educator Dr. Joseph Sowa writes music that revels in vivid colors and rich textures. His music has been performed by a wide spectrum of groups, from prestigious ensembles like the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Dal Niente, and the PRISM Quartet, to schools and churches across North America. His talent has earned him accolades from ASCAP, the American Prize, and the Barlow End...

Really, this minisode is musings about communication - and how our speech and language influence our musical performances and how our musical skills influence our spoken and wrtten words, and how we can lean into ALL of it!  Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to Crushing Classical, and maybe even leave a nice review!  You can join my email list  HERE , so you never miss an episode! Or you could  hop on a sho...

The Michigan City Chamber Music Festival (MCCMF) had its inaugural season in August of 2002. It was founded by husband/wife team Nicolas Orbovich and Sunny Gardner-Orbovich. The MCCMF operates under several guiding principals. The first priority is always artistic quality. The MCCMF attains this through the presence of world class musicians. Each of them has formidable performance skills and impre...

Musings about summer camp -  My first music camp was where I found my PEOPLE. The camp I taught at last week reminded me how astonishingly fast learning can happen when you are IMMERSED. And this is why I'm so bought in on group learning for my own programs!  If you are an oboist, and think you might be interested in FLOW, maybe  set up a call and talk with me! This episode is brought to you...

Many young musicians dream of making a comfortable living as a solo artist playing recitals, appearing with orchestras, selling CDs. Frederick Moyer has been doing that for 40 years, making a living entirely on performances and record sales. The last teaching job he had was in 1983. What makes Fred particularly interesting to speak to on the subject of solo careers is that you probably have never...

As I come up toward the publication of the AUDIOBOOK (stay tuned) of The Happiest Musician , I find myself revisiting its concepts too.  Today I consider the lessons of the 2008 recession for musicians of today!    Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to Crushing Classical, and maybe even leave a nice review!  You can join my email list  HERE , so you never miss an episode! Or you could  hop on a short call wi...

Today on the podcast, you’ll hear  violinist Kerstin Tenney talk about her upcoming debut album, LIGHT. We spent a lot of time talking about the long arc of her project - and if you have a project, a concept, an album in your heart that is not yet in the world, you will love this conversation.  Kerstin Tenney is a professional violinist based in Salt Lake City, Utah. As an active freelance musicia...

I hosted a conversation on this topic a week or two ago - and now I'm offering my thoughts again, for you!  Our pace changes in the summer. Things slow down, stretch out. We can catch up on our rest, we can disappear into a haze of sunscreen and tequila - AND we can maybe move the needle on our creative projects and practices!  Grab your notebook and dream with me!  Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to...

Peg Luke has been Emmy and Grammy nominated, and is an 11 time Carnegie Hall solo artist. She’s the creator of "Psalm Space".  She currently has over 200 thousand Spotify streams, and has professional distribution, radio promotion,has professional producers around the country and is professionally media managed and sync licensed. Peg  Is a Christian Meditative Classical Pioneer who battl...

Some musicians seem to like pretending that they are artists with no GROUNDING in the world of business. Guess what? If you are trying to live on your artistry, you ARE in business, and you are in CHARGE.  How can you think more like the CEO of your business?  I have some advice.  This episode is brought to you today by Happiest Musician Coaching. You are amazing, and I believe in you. What are yo...

Today on Crushing Classical, you’ll hear my interview with Ariel Grossman, Founder & Artistic Director of Ariel Rivka Dance. I’ve never talked with a choreographer before and I just loved finding all of the parallels between our worlds.  This episode is brought to you today by Happiest Musician Coaching. You are amazing, and I believe in you. What are you trying to create?  What do you need yo...

We are taught not to brag. We are taught to be modest about our accomplishments, we are taught to work on our weaknesses.  But if you are hesitating or struggling to take on your next project? If you are not sure you have what it takes to move forward and make the next step?  There’s a lot of value in owning your own awesomeness. In stating your own strengths, so you can begin to believe in them a...

Julian Loida is a Boston-based composer percussionist, composer, educator, and producer. His range of sound and genre exploration is largely a product of his synesthesia - music is a literal full-body experience for him, with sounds often invoking involuntary sensations of color, texture, or even taste. For Julian, music is a visual art. In all of his work, his goal is to break down artistic barri...

Christine Smith is co-founder and co-owner of Frosted Lens Entertainment, an entertainment and informational content development company.  Prior to her work at Frosted Lens, she held the position of Music & Sound Director/Composer-in-Residence for RPR Studios for 10 years. Her work has been heard in award-winning films, commercials, and promotional videos. She is currently the host and editor...

You are not going to want to miss this one. Helida is an amazing example of an evolving creative career in action, and she's also SUCH a beautiful and inspiring conversationalist. I could have talked to her all day! Helida Dodd is a Perfumer for lovers of beautiful fragrances who can’t tolerate traditional perfumes. Through her carefully curated ingredients, she shows you how luxury + nature...