What’s the scariest monster in the closet for musicians? (I must whisper here) THE AUDITION. Any job interview inspires some trepidation, of course, but THE AUDITION— so brief, so dicey, so seemingly random— brings on tremendous doubt, misgivings and even

‘So, I’ve got a rehearsal later.’ ‘What for?’ ‘Hermes.’ ‘What’s that?’ ‘The Hermes Experiment. It’s a quartet – harp, double bass, clarinet, and soprano.’

There’s a storm brewing in classical music. The quandary: #1 how far are we willing to go to achieve reaching out? Can we pursue change without freaking out our musicians and loyal concert attendees? #2 how do we remedy the

Before we enter that hallowed space—the concert stage— there are the ritual last minute precautions—men: fly zipped, check; women: hooks and buttons fastened especially in the front, check; string players: extra strings, check; oboe and bassoon players: good reeds soaking

When I get woken up in the morning, the first thought that comes to mind is ‘Do I have to get up?’, which is then usually interrupted by ‘Mmmm, what am I looking forward to eating today?’ Yes, food plays

A is for Audition. Have a plan to learn your material and be able to play it any tempo, any dynamic under any circumstance with absolute accuracy, rhythm and expression.  Recruit your scariest friends to play through your material in

A is for audition. Get used to it. You’ll have to. And accompaniment. That’s what you are—not the soloist! B is for Body odor. None appreciated— even the most expensive perfume. Onstage it’s a no-no. C is for Cough drops.

As I stand waiting for the doors to open to the auditorium at Wigmore Hall, I take a moment to glance around the entrance. One of the first things I see, among images of Gerald Finley and Julian Bliss, and