Welcome back to the per service podcast, we started this podcast as a place to talk about what life as a freelance musician is really like.
In today’s episode, we’re talking with our very own Jessica Wiersma, and Anna Luce who are living life on the road, playing 8 shows a week of the smash hit: Hamilton.
One of the big themes that comes up often in our discussion is the unpredictability of local hires. This is when the tour stops in a city and hires local string players to play instead of the touring string players. This was an aspect that I hadn’t really thought about much, and turns out it has a big impact on the vibe of the show, both musically and interpersonally.
We also discuss some practical advice about working with touring musicians should you have the opportunity to play as a local musician, and how to get into the scene if you’re interested in pursuing touring gigs.
Thanks to http://www.ficksmusic.com
and http://www.fiddlershop.com
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Welcome back to the podcast! What a delight to get back into the podcast season with a blast. We’ve got TWO amazing guests with us today: Drew Alexander Ford, (also known online as “That Viola Kid”) and cellist Roland Gjernes
The O.G. Adagio Strings quartet in the Dining Room. Funny enough, we didn’t play here that often, it was so loud, so sightreading new pieces was what we did sometimes here. Also this was like our first week. We ditched the dinner jackets shortly there after.
This is one of the only pictures I have that shows how small our cabin was. Behind me is a desk, bunkbeds on the right, a closet on the left, behind Ryan is the bathroom. If one person was getting dressed, and the other person had to leave, a well orchestrated series of tetris moves involving closing the closet, moving into the bathroom, closing the bathroom door, opening the cabin door had to happen….in that order.
Me driving the ship…well, not really. But that is the helm.
SCCHNNACCK-TIME! Zoe here always said it the best.
My second quartet in the Bahamas. AmazingTwo Happy Chappies at the Panama Canal. Also it’s hot.
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Today is somewhat of a per service lite version, as I don’t have my usual co-hosts with me today. We hit the perfect storm of scheduling last month, (no, I’m not talking about that polar vortex) We all just got really busy, and being in 3 different time zones didn’t help either. Even after we found a day, we had to scrap it because the internet for me and Anna kept falling out.
So, they will all be back soon. But for today, you’re still in for a treat. I called up my buddy, Paul Nelson, a cellist in Nashville, who besides having recorded for people like U2, Paul McCartney, One republic, and a million other people. Has reinvented himself many times over, from Arranging, producing, contracting, being a clinician, project manager, and more. He’s one of the most driven, creative, and productive people I’ve met.
I know you will find this interesting, because normally on the podcast, we spend a lot of time speaking through the lens as classical musicians, but many of us make a portion of our incomes from commercial work. Also, many of us also supplement our gig income with side hustles or adjacent gigs that utilize a combination of skills. And so it was a treat to sit down with someone who is doing all of these things, and to hear his advice on how to find joy and more money in the process.
Listen to the Podcast Below:
[powerpress]
Links We Mentioned:
Paul’s Big Take-Aways:
-Work on yourself as much as your instrument
-Learn how to network well
-Have pro-gear. You’re going to need them! (Maybe that’s just a music stand at the moment, but for others, maybe that means a better mic, in-ear monitors, etc.)
This is the Per Service Podcast- a shamelessly self-help show, thinly veiled behind the guise of the working class classical musician shop talk.
We’re more about Growth than Gofriller,
more self-care than first-chair
more positivity than exclusivity
more resiliency than Salieri
You can learn more about us at: http://orchestraexcerpts.com/about/
And today…… oh boy, do we have a show for you. We are joined by one of the leading peak performance coaches in the world – Dr. Don Greene.
Don’s course opening soon- Performance Mastery Project: Winning on Stage
http://www.winningonstage.com
Special thanks to: Ficks Music Publishing – Get your sheet music here: http://www.ficksmusic.com
As a podcast listener, you can get 10% off your order by using the promo code “PerService” at checkout.
AND
This podcast is also made possible by the support of http://www.fiddlershop.com
Get 5% off your order by using the promo code “PerService” at checkout.
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Hey there….you know, I don’t know how to say this nicely, But you’re just not good enough to charge that much.
And really, there are already enough really good musicians in this town…so you can just stop. Oh, and also, I know you have 2 degrees and an instrument worth more than my car, but can you play this one for free?
So, these are thoughts that you would probably NEVER say to a friend or colleague. And yet, why is it ok that we say these same thoughts to ourselves over and over? It’s not ok. It’s time to start believing what you’re worth, charging what you’re worth. And stop selling yourself short.
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Our episode today is mostly about immediate anxiety, or stage fright and some coping skills, including the ever controversial…Beta-Blockers.
We aren’t medical professionals, so always talk to your doctor first before trying them. However, we are dedicated to having authentic and transparent conversations about our experiences.
But drugs are not the only way to reduce the effects of being nervous, and we go into some of the other options to having a successful audition or performance.
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