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Let’s Get Political..or Not [PSP14]

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With less than four weeks until the US heads to the polls to elect a new president. The podcast team is less than enthused about our options. So, we decided to pick some of our favorite musicians of all time who we would rather vote for (yes, we realize how ridiculous that sounds).
Also we kick things off with some other current events, unfortunately about the strikes and lockouts at major orchestras and what it means for us.
Also included are what politics in orchestra and quartet rehearsals look like at the local level. 

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Summer’s Over: Getting Back to Work [PSP13]

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It’s that time of year: Back to school & back to orchestra season. How do we navigate getting in touch with colleagues, dealing with the summer braggers, and setting our sights on the year to come. The per service podcast team discuss how to make the most out of this time of year, and some advice on how to start the year off right.

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Why you shouldn’t do this at Rehearsal [PSP12]

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My Best Worst Lesson [PSP Update]

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Hey Guys!

Just a quick update about what’s going on this summer. Also I’ve got a short story about one of the best lessons I learned from my undergrad. Well, it was one of the worst lessons actually. I’m calling it my best, worst lesson.

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Dealing with the success of others when you feel like a loser (PSP11)

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On this episode of the show, we’re talking about accepting other people’s success, when you feel like a loser.
And this is something that we all feel like at some point. It’s become an issue especially lately with the advent of social media and how fast news travels these days. You know, because Jascha Heifetz didn’t get a notification every time Isaac Stern played a sold out concert. But this is a daily occurrence for us these days.

But more importantly, what does this dwelling on this negativity do for us as musicians? And in the second half of the show, we cover some actionable things you can do to improve if you feel like you have stalled.

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How to Make Friends at Your Gig (PSP 10)

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Making friendships with colleagues can be quite the challenge. There are a lot of potentially awkward dynamics to navigate, and managing your social avatars has only made things more difficult. But despite the challenges, having friendships at your gigs makes “going to work” a much more enjoyable, inspiring, and pleasant place to be.

In addition to the personal reasons, friendships are essential for getting more work. Musicians are more likely to send a gig to, or recommend someone they like and trust, than to somebody who may be a great player, but a jerk.

The problem is: Musicians are not that good at making friends. Let’s be real here. We’re good at spending prolonged periods of time in very small rooms, often looking into a mirror and listening to recordings of ourselves. On top of that, most gigs are not good social gathering places. You only a few minutes beforehand to warm up, 15 minutes at the break to go to the restroom, get some water, turn in some paperwork, and as soon as it’s over, everybody races to their car. So how do we do it?

Well, that’s what we discuss in our 10th episode of the podcast.

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5 Ways to Reduce Your Cynicism PSP 09

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We have a confession: We may look like happy smiley people, but we are actually highly critical and cynical. And it’s not just us. You don’t have to look far in the classical music world to see the cynicism and pessimism.

So, is cynicism just part of becoming an advanced musician? Or is it detrimental to becoming a top-notch musician.

The Per Service podcast hosts discuss these issues, and arrive at 5 simple things we can do to avoid becoming a cynical musician.

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Rejection: How do I move on? (PSP 08)

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Today we’re digging into Rejection. It’s not a lighthearted topic, and one that’s not very comfortable to talk about. But that is why we’re here. Because all of us have been there.

We invite you to sit in on our conversation as we discuss why it’s such a big deal, and then some of the things we can do to pick ourselves back up after facing rejection in both college auditions or professional auditions.

But your mindset going into an audition has a lot to do with how you feel after it’s over.

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PSP 07 Hard Work vs. Talent? Who Cares?

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Hard Work Vs. Talent. Which is more important? Or is it possible that we’re forgetting about way more important aspects? Also, why does it matter? If you were more talented would you watch more Netflix?

These are some of the topics we get into by digging into Jessica Wiersma’s story, our 4th in our series of introducing ourselves.

You can learn more at www.perservice.co/7

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Persisting when you’ve lost motivation (PSP 06)

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Finding the motivation and drive to practice and improve is hard enough when you’re feeling inspired. But what do you do when your family moves away from your great teacher, or you literally don’t have the strength to hold your instrument up?

These are just two of the challenges that Anna has faced while battling a chronic illness since undergrad. But she hasn’t let that define her playing.

“I’ve had to continue in persistence, and conjure up a form motivation, even if the circumstances are bogging me down. Every year or two, something big happens that gets in the way of my plans as a musician. And I could choose to walk away from it, but I can’t let go of it. Even when I’m not feeling motivated, I have to keep going. Persisting even if the motivation is not there… cause sometimes the music on its own is not enough.” -Anna

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