Getting BACK to Brass Tax
Monday, August 31, 2009
So I let the blog go. (Lets face it, so did most of you.) But I have been meaning to pick it back up, particularly as the summer draws to a close and the school year is about to begin again, I have a lot on my mind. I've been spending time thinking about the divide between art and entertainment, how to best teach kids music, songs of social justice, auditioning for orchestras, the accessibility of opera, and how to beef up my high range.
And I've also been thinking about how I am going to leave my mark on the world. If I was going to win a big job, lets be honest, it probably would have happened by now. And some days, I'm not even sure why I want an orchestra job. Freelancing has its advantages, especially for someone like me who doesn't feel particularly attached to the idea of a steady income or benefits. (Not that I'd turn either down, but I'm doing okay so far, right?)
And teaching is great, but I far prefer the moniker of "teaching artist" to that of "music teacher." And while I enjoy the one-on-one interaction of teaching horn lessons, lets face it: horn students aren't exactly busting down the door.
I have visions of starting my own chamber group, but finding the right people proves to be a problem a lot of the time. Music is rarely the problem-- it usually boils down to personality conflicts.
So I want to start a podcast. And I've actually recorded a few, I just need to get myself together to learn how to post such a thing. As it turns out, I know lots of cool people who like to talk about the various stuff they do. My friend A. is my first guest-- he's an incredibly talented music teacher in the Pittsburgh area. And he tells a funny story about people who dress up like furry animals. (It's a little off topic but I laughed.) My next guest is J., who has lots of information about what it is actually like to serve on various orchestra committees. (Some of it is very interesting, and some of it, as you might guess, is a bit dry.) But here's the thing: Not a lot of this information is out there for those who are looking for it. And I need a side project, so podcasting it is! (Just as soon as I figure out how to post it...)
But I'm thinking that if I put it out here for you to see, maybe y'all will badger me to actually do it? Maybe I won't make a promise I can't keep? Maybe you'll all listen to it and give me constructive feedback? Maybe I'll make a link to this on my Facebook page and you'll actually know I have a blog? Maybe I'll sign up for Twitter so you can follow me and I'll tell you when I post my new podcasts every week (?). Okay, Twitter might be a bit ambitious. Maybe not. We'll see.
So what do you want to know?
Posted byL. at 10:15 PM 2 comments
Labels: Freelancing, podcast, teaching
