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5 episodes with Nathan Cole
2 episodes with Nathan Cole
2 episodes with Nathan Cole
2 episodes with Nathan Cole
2 episodes with Nathan Cole
What happens after you get that coveted book deal? Award-winning author Tariq Ashkanani pulls back the curtain on the publishing industry with refreshing honesty, revealing the unexpected challenges and disappointments that come after signing with an agent. From the marketing struggles that leave authors shouting into the void to the strange disconnect between publicity budgets and actual book sales, Tariq and Nadine explore the parts of the writer's journey rarely discussed in public.But this conversation goes deeper than industry talk. Tariq shares the creative spark behind his deliciously dark new thriller The Midnight King, revealing how he crafts villains with psychological depth and finds those perfect "pockets of darkness" within everyday normality. For readers of The Midnight King, crime fiction enthusiasts, or anyone curious about the realities of creative careers, this conversation offers both practical wisdom, laughs and the encouragement to trust your creative instincts.The Midnight King'This is a work of fiction. This is not a confession.' Lucas Cole is a bestselling writer. He is also a father, a widower, and a beloved celebrity in his small town. He is an unassuming man - tall, thin and quietly friendly. Lucas Cole is also a serial killer.Nathan Cole has known the truth about his father since he was ten years old. Too terrified to go to the police, he ran away from home as soon as he was able, carrying the guilt of leaving his sister behind. But when Lucas is found dead in a dingy motel room, Nathan returns to his childhood home for the first time in seventeen years. It's there he finds The Midnight King, his father's final unpublished manuscript, a fictionalised account of his hideous crimes, hidden in a box of trinkets taken from his victims. Trinkets that include a ribbon belonging to a missing eight-year-old girl who disappeared only days before his father's death.Now, Nathan must deal with the consequences of keeping his father's secret. But it may not be as simple as finding a lost child. For The MidnighSend us a textSupport the show"Enjoying 'The Conversation'? Support the podcast by buying me a cup of coffee ☕️! Every contribution helps keep the show going.https://ko-fi.com/nadinemathesonDon't forget to subscribe, download and review. You can purchase books by the authors featured in our conversations through my affiliate shop on Bookshop.org. By using this link, you'll be supporting independent bookstores, and I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Follow Me:www.nadinematheson.com BlueSky: @nadinematheson.com Substack: @nadinematheson Instagram: @queennadsThreads: @nadinematheson Facebook: nadinemathesonbooksTikTok: @writer_nadinematheson
Have you ever wondered...how to develop true confidence in yourself and your abilities amidst setbacks? What the right mindset is for auditions? How much of your expressive playing should be planned out, and how much is instinct? How to recover from very direct, critical audition feedback? And how do you stay in the present moment, instead of stressing out about nerves and all the bad things that could happen when you're on stage? If you've ever struggled with questions like this, I think you'll find helpful answers in today's episode with violinist Nathan Cole - who was recently appointed concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Nathan shares insights, details, and lessons learned from his 20-year concertmaster audition journey, and also demonstrates an exercise (using an excerpt from Brahms's 4th Symphony) that will help you form clearer musical intentions and play more expressively no matter what music you're working on - especially in passages where you're not quite sure what to do. Get a transcript, show notes, and all the other nerdy details at:Nathan Cole: Lessons From 20 Years of Concertmaster Auditions====You can connect with Nathan and get tons more insights, tips, and technical advice at:Web: natesviolin.comNathan will also be teaching a live, 4-day, guided (and free) practice workshop on the Scheherazade solos from September 19-22, 2024 (at 4pm Eastern). Whether you're aspiring to take concertmaster auditions yourself, or simply want to learn some of Nathan practice techniques and strategies for better intonation, sound, and expressive clarity that you can apply to other music that you're working on, this will be a great way to jumpstart your fall practice with some new tools.Sign up for Violin Hero: Scheherazade: https://natesviolin.ac-page.com/violin-hero-ncYou can also study with Nathan through his online group learning program - Daily Virtuoso - where each quarter, he leads an in-depth study of a new set of masterworks from the repertoire. You'll learn how to approach both the technical and musical challenges in each piece through live calls, practice assignments, and video lessons, alongside a supportive community of fellow learners.Join Daily Virtuoso: https://natesviolin.com/daily-virtuoso/* * *BTW, have you ever wondered why it is exactly that things often sound better at home than they do on stage? If you've been confused (and frustrated) by the inconsistency of your performances, I put together a FREE 4-minute quiz called the Mental Skills Audit, which will help you pinpoint your mental strengths and weaknesses, and figure out what exactly to adjust and tweak in your preparation for more consistently optimal performances. It's 100% free, takes only 4 minutes, and you'll get a downloadable PDF with a personalized breakdown of where you stand in six key mental skill areas. You'll also get the Pressure Proof Practice Challenge, a free 1-week email course where you'll learn specific practice strategies that will help you perform your best, even under pressure. Take the quiz here: bulletproofmusician.com/msa
Cacey Nadalilo, Executive Director of the Chamber Music Festival of Lexington, shares insights into this year's highly anticipated festival, including the variety of programming and community outreach initiatives. Joined by host Kate Savage, Cacey highlights the festival's mission to bring world-class chamber music to Central Kentucky through an array of pop-ups, educational workshops, and main stage concerts. The conversation covers the festival's partnerships with local schools and the significant impact of their outreach programs designed to inspire young musicians. Bringing together renowned artists like Nathan Cole and Ken Olson, this year's festival promises a rich blend of traditional and contemporary chamber music performances. Cacey also delves into the logistics of hosting such an event, the selection of distinguished musicians, and the importance of community engagement in fostering a love for classical music.
Check out this week's message from Teaching Pastor Nathan Cole as we continue our "Dysfunctional" series on the life of Jacob.Support the Show.
Welcome to Season 03 Episode 19 - the "Bach and Beyond 2024 Part 2" edition - of Notes from the Aisle Seat, the podcast featuring news and information about the arts in northern Chautauqua County NY, sponsored by the 1891 Fredonia Opera House. Your host is Tom Loughlin, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor and Chair Emeritus of Theatre and Dance at SUNY Fredonia. Guests on this episode include: Mr. Paul Preston from The Movie Guys, Mr. Alexander Pegis, the 2024 B&B Emerging Young Artist, and Ms. Cheryl Bishkoff, founding oboist of the B&B Festival. Notes from the Aisle Seat is available from most of your favorite podcast sites, as well as on the Opera House YouTube Channel. If you enjoy this podcast, please spread the word through your social media feeds, give us a link on your website, and consider becoming a follower by clicking the "Follow" button in the upper right-hand corner of our home page. If you have an arts event you'd like to publicize, hit us up at operahouse@fredopera.org and let us know what you have! Please give us at least one month's notice to facilitate timely scheduling. Thanks for listening! Time Stamps Paul Preston/Amadeus and Chevalier 02:27 Alexander Pegis 22:33 Arts Calendar 41:35 Cheryl Bishkoff 43:07 Media excerpt from Amadeus; Milos Foreman, director, F. Murray Abraham as Salieri, Orion Pictures 1984 Sinfonia in D Major, "La Veneziana": I. Allegro assai, A. Salieri, composer; performed by Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, YoungHo Choi, conductor, January 2013 Cello Concerto in B minor RV 424; A. Vivaldi, composer; performed by the Berlin Baroque Soloists, Georg Faust, cello, January 2015 Sonata #3 for Two Violins; Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, composer; Nathan Cole and Akiko Tarumotu, violins, Nov. 2022 Symphony # 45 in F-sharp minor (Farewell): IV. Finale, Franz Josef Haydn, composer; performed by the New Century Chamber Orchestra, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, May 2013 Artist Links The Movie Guys Paul Preston Alexander Pegis Cheryl Bishkoff BECOME AN OPERA HOUSE MEMBER!
J. Nathan Cole, Esq., of Kenney & Sams, PC, in Boston breaks down What Kind of State is Witness State?, excerpted from MCLE's 10/12/2023 live webcast: Out-of-State Subpoenas & Interstate Discovery. The full program is available as an on-demand webcast or an MP3 here. Get 24/7 instant access to hundreds of related eLectures like this one—and more—with a subscription to the MCLE OnlinePass. Learn more at www.mcle.org/onlinepass and start your free trial today! Connect with us on socials!Instagram: mcle.newenglandX (Formerly Twitter): MCLENewEnglandLinkedIn: Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. (MCLE│New England)Facebook: MCLE New EngalndThreads: mcle.newnengland
Check out this week's message from Teaching Pastor Nathan Cole as he talks about how death can't stop the promise of God.Support the show
Tune in for this week's message from Pastor Nathan Cole about how Jesus' way is always better.Support the show
In this 'Leaders and Legends' episode, WO1 Mark Grigg speaks with WO1 Nathan Cole about his time at the United States Army Sergeant Major Academy and hear some of his ideas on the professional development of our people.
Check out our podcast this week as Pastor Nathan Cole concludes our study on the Gospel of Mark and asks the question, "Now What?"Support the show
Before cars were invented, you needed a strong horse to make it to your destination on time. Today, Dr. Stephen Nichols tells the story of a husband and wife who rode for miles to hear George Whitefield preach. Read the transcript: https://www.5minutesinchurchhistory.com/quick-get-the-horse-mrs-cole-nathan-cole/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://www.5minutesinchurchhistory.com/donate/
When ChatGPT emerged, the world was introduced to AI beyond anything we'd seen before. However, despite its potential to disrupt and revolutionize our lives, many still fail to realize the benefits it can bring. While the media often focuses on the ominous uses of AI for cheating or replacing human writers completely, the reality is that this technology is far more suited at improving or enhancing the writing experience. In this episode, Craig and Roland speak with Nathan Cole, an author and teacher who has been at the forefront of writing technology for years. Nathan breaks down how GPT AI works and shares his insights on the best writing services and techniques he's discovered so far. These tools not only make writing novels faster and easier, but they can also assist with brainstorming and plotting. The key is learning how to craft the right prompts to achieve the desired results, and Nathan offers specific examples on how to do so. This episode is essential for writers to understand because GPT-based writing tools are here to stay. AI technology is going to advance very quickly, and authors who fail to get on board soon are in danger of being left behind completely. Hidden Gems Need our help publishing or marketing your book? https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/author-services/ All episode details and links: https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast
This week's landmark episode marks the return of Akiko, plus a pair of fellow stand partners for life: violists Kate Reddish and Eric Lea! We discuss the slings and arrows of a career in music, what you can and can't get from music school, what it's like to be part of a string-playing pair, and much more. Kate Reddish is a Los Angeles-based freelance violist. She enjoys a busy and varied career subbing with nearly every major orchestra in the Southern California area, performing as a chamber musician, and teaching and coaching individuals and groups. Kate can be heard on hundreds of film scores, albums, and TV shows, and has appeared on television and on film. Kate comes from a “numbers” family: her father was a tax attorney and CPA and her mother a bookkeeper; her sister followed that path to work as a bookkeeper and financial analyst. Meanwhile, Kate, who started playing the viola through the public school system in Riverside, was certain that a life in music was the only life she wanted. Kate earned her BA and MM from UCLA (go Bruins!), studying with former Los Angeles Philharmonic principal violist Evan Wilson. Feeling nothing like a Master, she then trotted across town to USC (go Trojans!) to complete an artist's diploma with eminent pedagogue Donald McInnes. Since finishing her formal schooling, Kate has also participated in intensive courses with Burton Kaplan, Rob Knopper, Noa Kageyama, and Nathan Cole. In June of 2021, Kate started her own business, KMR Creative, consulting for online educators and coaches. She currently works closely with Nathan Cole to design and implement his many online offerings and to build the communities that rise up around those courses. Kate enjoys yoga and dance, good food and wine, card games and crossword puzzles, and creating order out of chaos. She currently lives in South Pasadena with her husband, violist and composer Eric Lea, and their sweet kitty, Misha. Eric Lea is a reasonably tall violist. He has a BM from the University of Arizona and an MM from USC (see above re: Trojans), both in viola performance. He has subbed with many symphonies and played and recorded with many bands. As the violist for the band Get Set Go, his playing could be barely discerned by millions under snappy dialogue in several episodes of Grey's Anatomy, and he has toured Japan with songwriter/producer Mike Viola (coincidence?), with whom he and Kate recorded an album called Acousto de Perfecto. He fancies himself as something of a composer now, and his song cycles can be heard at ericlea.bandcamp.com.
This week's landmark episode marks the return of Akiko, plus a pair of fellow stand partners for life: violists Kate Reddish and Eric Lea! We discuss the slings and arrows of a career in music, what you can and can't get from music school, what it's like to be part of a string-playing pair, and much more. Kate Reddish is a Los Angeles-based freelance violist. She enjoys a busy and varied career subbing with nearly every major orchestra in the Southern California area, performing as a chamber musician, and teaching and coaching individuals and groups. Kate can be heard on hundreds of film scores, albums, and TV shows, and has appeared on television and on film. Kate comes from a “numbers” family: her father was a tax attorney and CPA and her mother a bookkeeper; her sister followed that path to work as a bookkeeper and financial analyst. Meanwhile, Kate, who started playing the viola through the public school system in Riverside, was certain that a life in music was the only life she wanted. Kate earned her BA and MM from UCLA (go Bruins!), studying with former Los Angeles Philharmonic principal violist Evan Wilson. Feeling nothing like a Master, she then trotted across town to USC (go Trojans!) to complete an artist's diploma with eminent pedagogue Donald McInnes. Since finishing her formal schooling, Kate has also participated in intensive courses with Burton Kaplan, Rob Knopper, Noa Kageyama, and Nathan Cole. In June of 2021, Kate started her own business, KMR Creative, consulting for online educators and coaches. She currently works closely with Nathan Cole to design and implement his many online offerings and to build the communities that rise up around those courses. Kate enjoys yoga and dance, good food and wine, card games and crossword puzzles, and creating order out of chaos. She currently lives in South Pasadena with her husband, violist and composer Eric Lea, and their sweet kitty, Misha. Eric Lea is a reasonably tall violist. He has a BM from the University of Arizona and an MM from USC (see above re: Trojans), both in viola performance. He has subbed with many symphonies and played and recorded with many bands. As the violist for the band Get Set Go, his playing could be barely discerned by millions under snappy dialogue in several episodes of Grey's Anatomy, and he has toured Japan with songwriter/producer Mike Viola (coincidence?), with whom he and Kate recorded an album called Acousto de Perfecto. He fancies himself as something of a composer now, and his song cycles can be heard at ericlea.bandcamp.com.
Nathan, Kerstin and Kate (and Kate's SPFL Eric) in Pasadena Today I'm talking with Kerstin Tenney, VMC violinist par excellence, as well as my Director of Operations, violist (and VMC alumna par equally excellence) Kate Reddish. We talk about Kerstin's musical education, her experience in the Virtuoso Master Course, and the new album she's recorded with Simon Kiln and the English Symphony Orchestra! Violinist Kerstin Tenney finished recording her first solo violin album in England earlier this year, and is now preparing for its release in the early months of 2023. Her 16-track album, Light, features four newly commissioned pieces, and 8 new arrangements written specifically for this project. Following a lifelong desire to learn, Kerstin has worked with Nathan Cole in every iteration of his Virtuoso Master Course. She plays with the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, does freelance work, and has a private violin studio, teaching in person and online. In her teaching, along with focusing on the musical and technical aspects involved with playing, Kerstin incorporates the mental in addressing thoughts and fears that inhibit progression, the physiological and anatomical components of playing in understanding the structure of the body and how this affects one's playing, and looks at the role the neurological system has in playing the violin. Kerstin can be found on her website at http://www.kerstintenney.com, her newsletter at https://bit.ly/KerstinsNewsletter, and on Instagram at @kerstintenney. If you're interested in joining us for the fifth iteration of VMC, starting in 2023, you can find out more information here, and apply here.
Kate and Kerstin in South Pasadena Today I'm talking with Kerstin Tenney, VMC violinist par excellence, as well as my Director of Operations, violist (and VMC alumna par equally excellence) Kate Reddish! We talk about Kerstin's musical education, her experience in the Virtuoso Master Course, and the new album she's recorded with Simon Kiln and the English Symphony Orchestra! Violinist Kerstin Tenney finished recording her first solo violin album in England earlier this year, and is now preparing for its release in the early months of 2023. Her 16-track album, Light, features four newly commissioned pieces, and 8 new arrangements written specifically for this project. Following a lifelong desire to learn, Kerstin has worked with Nathan Cole in every iteration of his Virtuoso Master Course. She plays with the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, does freelance work, and has a private violin studio, teaching in person and online. In her teaching, along with focusing on the musical and technical aspects involved with playing, Kerstin incorporates the mental in addressing thoughts and fears that inhibit progression, the physiological and anatomical components of playing in understanding the structure of the body and how this affects one's playing, and looks at the role the neurological system has in playing the violin. Kerstin can be found on her website at http://www.kerstintenney.com, her newsletter at https://bit.ly/KerstinsNewsletter, and on Instagram at @kerstintenney. If you're interested in joining us for the fifth iteration of VMC, starting in 2023, you can find out more information here, and apply here.
This week, an encore of a favorite episode: What happens behind the scenes at the symphony. Does a triangle player get the same pay as a violinist? Do conductors ever fall off their podiums? Which section do the other musicians love to hate? ELT dishes symphony secrets with violinist Akiko Tarumoto and conductor Rob Kapilow. Special thanks to Nathan Cole and danke schön to caller Laszlo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This is a new weekly segment where we talk about comic books, movies, games, and more. In this episode, we talk about the graphic novel Oblivion Song. A series where a section of Philadelphia swaps places with a section in Oblivion, another world. It follows Nathan Cole, a scientist who goes back and forth between worlds/dimensions rescuing people.Instagram: EtherealPodcastPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/EtherealPodcast?fan_landing=trueBuzzsprout Affiliate: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1041128
In this episode I'll be talking to one of the greatest living orchestral violinists my colleague Nathan Cole, who is an author, a podcaster, a trailblazer in the online teaching space, and happens to be the First Associate Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He's kind of a busy guy. We're going to cover how technology has impacted our perception of perfectionism, going into debt to get a music degree, how being an orchestral musician is a lot like being a professional basketball player, and how many hours it actually takes to record 60 seconds of music. Nathan is even going to hook you up with his favorite barbeque resource, so you are going to want to listen all the way to the end of this one. About Nathan First Associate Concertmaster NATHAN COLE, who joined the LA Phil in 2011, has appeared as guest concertmaster with the orchestras of Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Houston, Ottawa, Seattle, and Oregon. He was previously a member of the Chicago Symphony and Principal Second Violin of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, he made his debut with the Louisville Orchestra at the age of ten while studying with Donna Wiehe. After eight years working with Daniel Mason, Cole enrolled at the Curtis Institute of Music. In addition to his studies there with Pamela Frank, Felix Galimir, Ida Kavafian, and Jaime Laredo, Cole formed the Grancino String Quartet, debuting in New York's Weill Hall. Several summers at Marlboro enriched his love of chamber music. Nathan's articles and videos on practicing, performing, teaching, and auditioning have helped thousands of violinists worldwide. Visit natesviolin.com for the complete collection. In addition to his online teaching, Nathan is currently on faculty at the Colburn School for the Performing Arts, with classes at the Colburn Conservatory and USC. His articles and photographs have also appeared in Strings, Symphony, and Chamber Music magazines. Links Website: https://www.natesviolin.com/ Facebook: Nates Violin Instagram: @natesviolin Honesty Pill Links Free Resource Library Facebook Group Mailing List
Can you believe it? 50 years of Competent to Counsel! On Friday, September 11 we held a small celebration in the home of Jay and Betty Jane Adams to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of Competent to Counsel. Special guests included: Dr. Mike Spradlin, President of Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary Dr. John Babler, Newly appointed Charman of the Biblical Counseling Department at Mid-America Mr. Nathan Cole, Vice-President for Institutional Advancement at Mid-America Pastor Bill Slattery, Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church Dr. Dale Johnson, Executive Director of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors Rev. Donn R Arms, Director of the Institute for Nouthetic Studies At that time, we presented to Dr. Adams a festschrift in his honor entitled Whole Counsel: The Public and Private Ministries of the Word. Click on the book cover to order your copy from our bookstore. Click on the audio recording below to rehearse with us and Dr. Jay E. Adams this huge milestone in publishing history. We pray God will bless the next 50 years of Competent to Counsel! Visit our online bookstore for all your biblical counseling resource needs. For biblical counseling training, check out our list of INS Online Courses. Follow INS on Social Media: – Facebook: noutheticstudies – Twitter: @noutheticstud – Instagram: @noutheticstudies
Episode 70! This week we are giving our thoughts on Oblivion Song, but we're skipping nerd news because we have a special guest! On this weeks episode we sit down with our good friend, Hershel! Hershel is an amazing artist/creator based out of Oklahoma. Do yourself a favor and check him out! (hershelself.com) Oblivion Song is an ongoing American comic book series created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Lorenzo de Felici. It is a supernatural science fiction story that chronicles Nathan Cole, a man who makes daily trips to try and rescue those still living in the apocalyptic hellscape of Oblivion, a part of Philadelphia lost a decade ago along with 300,000 of its citizens. As usual you can head over to our YouTube channel and find an episode that will be an uncut version of the recording so get ready for long off topic conversations and technical difficulties! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/WednesdayPull/message
Nathan Cole of Chi Alpha Campus Ministries joins Thai Lam to discuss the current uncertain future for college campus ministries in this episode of “Revival is Family Podcast.” As universities adjust schedules and programs in the midst of pandemic, how do campus ministry teams similarly pivot while leaning into prayer and depending on the Father’s heart for what’s next? Join these two national leaders, dialoguing openly on the challenges and exciting opportunity to rely on God’s leadership for creative innovation, pioneering a new type of college ministry for Fall 2020. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/g/ihopkc?f%5B0%5D=luke%2018%20project&src=hpp)
We took quite a long break from recording the show with everything going on at the moment, but we are so glad to be back. To kick things off again we thought we would use this episode to go through a bit of what we have been up to, staying home with the LA Phil out of action, some of the work and practicing we have been doing and then to field a bunch of listener questions. We look back at the last few days of regular work before quarantine began and then talk a bit about how we adjusted our schedules after things completely stopped. Nathan talks about his Violympics group, Akiko shares some of her dreams of home fitness and we explain the home recording process we have been working on. This unusual period presents a somewhat useful possibility to musicians; we all have areas of our playing that we wish we could improve and spend more time developing — and this could be the time to do it. After the complete rundown of our work-from-home life, we get into answering questions on quieting inner critics and protecting the joy of playing, practical concerns of changing strings and re-hairing bows! Key Points From This Episode: The last days of work and the changes in our schedules since the pandemic began. Shifting plans and changing the focus of our practice for time at home. The video recording we did and the insecurities that arise in watching yourself. Unusual repertoires and more practice time in the work from home world. The 'Violympics' and the questions that came from the group. Staying motivated and practicing during this time with the LA Phil on hiatus. Considering the plight of young musicians finishing music school right now. Investing in different skills and upping your game during this downtime. Personal qualities that lend themselves to a successful career in an orchestra. Tips for quieting the inner critic when performing or recording. Separating and protecting the joy of playing from the need to do it for a living. The importance of friendships and connection within a job in an orchestra. Changing strings, re-hairing bows, off the string strokes and more. Divisions for practicing a new piece and ways to focus on tricky passages. Tweetables: “I think it is scary to think of coming back together. I think we've all changed. I think it's going to be such a substantial amount of time that we all would have changed in a lot of ways.” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:24:20] “Our whole lives I think so much of our self-worth is wrapped up in how we play. I don't know that that's healthy or right, but it's inescapable.” — Nathan Cole [0:25:10] “It is reassuring to know that orchestra or no orchestra, we're still musicians.” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:25:25] Transcript EPISODE 39 [INTRO] [00:00:00] NC: Hi and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I'm Nathan Cole. [00:00:05] AT: I'm Akiko Tarumoto. [EPISODE] [00:00:19] NC: And last time we came at you, the world was a very different place. Needless to say, we've taken quite a long break, but we're happy to be back talking with each other and talking to you. Yeah, even though things have changed quite a bit. We were just trying to come up with what our last episode had been and we were talking conductors. How important is a conductor? Do we really need a conductor? [00:00:43] AT: Who knew we wouldn't need a conductor for months? [00:00:46] NC: Yeah. We got our wish. Didn't see any conductors for months. Yeah, it's like the monkey's paw. Got more than we bargained for. [00:00:56] AT: The corpse showed up at the front door. [00:00:58] NC: Yeah. I mean, we certainly won't be the first people sharing our thoughts about the changed state of the world on classical music since the pandemic began. Maybe our thoughts don't have to run too deep. But what do you think about our musical and our artistic lives since this all took route?
We took quite a long break from recording the show with everything going on at the moment, but we are so glad to be back. To kick things off again we thought we would use this episode to go through a bit of what we have been up to, staying home with the LA Phil out of action, some of the work and practicing we have been doing and then to field a bunch of listener questions. We look back at the last few days of regular work before quarantine began and then talk a bit about how we adjusted our schedules after things completely stopped. Nathan talks about his Violympics group, Akiko shares some of her dreams of home fitness and we explain the home recording process we have been working on. This unusual period presents a somewhat useful possibility to musicians; we all have areas of our playing that we wish we could improve and spend more time developing — and this could be the time to do it. After the complete rundown of our work-from-home life, we get into answering questions on quieting inner critics and protecting the joy of playing, practical concerns of changing strings and re-hairing bows! Key Points From This Episode: The last days of work and the changes in our schedules since the pandemic began. Shifting plans and changing the focus of our practice for time at home. The video recording we did and the insecurities that arise in watching yourself. Unusual repertoires and more practice time in the work from home world. The 'Violympics' and the questions that came from the group. Staying motivated and practicing during this time with the LA Phil on hiatus. Considering the plight of young musicians finishing music school right now. Investing in different skills and upping your game during this downtime. Personal qualities that lend themselves to a successful career in an orchestra. Tips for quieting the inner critic when performing or recording. Separating and protecting the joy of playing from the need to do it for a living. The importance of friendships and connection within a job in an orchestra. Changing strings, re-hairing bows, off the string strokes and more.Divisions for practicing a new piece and ways to focus on tricky passages. Tweetables: “I think it is scary to think of coming back together. I think we’ve all changed. I think it’s going to be such a substantial amount of time that we all would have changed in a lot of ways.” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:24:20] “Our whole lives I think so much of our self-worth is wrapped up in how we play. I don’t know that that’s healthy or right, but it’s inescapable.” — Nathan Cole [0:25:10] “It is reassuring to know that orchestra or no orchestra, we’re still musicians.” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:25:25] Transcript EPISODE 39 [INTRO] [00:00:00] NC: Hi and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I’m Nathan Cole. [00:00:05] AT: I’m Akiko Tarumoto. [EPISODE] [00:00:19] NC: And last time we came at you, the world was a very different place. Needless to say, we’ve taken quite a long break, but we’re happy to be back talking with each other and talking to you. Yeah, even though things have changed quite a bit. We were just trying to come up with what our last episode had been and we were talking conductors. How important is a conductor? Do we really need a conductor? [00:00:43] AT: Who knew we wouldn’t need a conductor for months? [00:00:46] NC: Yeah. We got our wish. Didn’t see any conductors for months. Yeah, it’s like the monkey’s paw. Got more than we bargained for. [00:00:56] AT: The corpse showed up at the front door. [00:00:58] NC: Yeah. I mean, we certainly won’t be the first people sharing our thoughts about the changed state of the world on classical music since the pandemic began. Maybe our thoughts don’t have to run too deep. But what do you think about our musical and our artistic lives since this all took route? When was the last time we were at work? [00:01:26] AT: It was what?
We took quite a long break from recording the show with everything going on at the moment, but we are so glad to be back. To kick things off again we thought we would use this episode to go through a bit of what we have been up to, staying home with the LA Phil out of action, some of the work and practicing we have been doing and then to field a bunch of listener questions. We look back at the last few days of regular work before quarantine began and then talk a bit about how we adjusted our schedules after things completely stopped. Nathan talks about his Violympics group, Akiko shares some of her dreams of home fitness and we explain the home recording process we have been working on. This unusual period presents a somewhat useful possibility to musicians; we all have areas of our playing that we wish we could improve and spend more time developing — and this could be the time to do it. After the complete rundown of our work-from-home life, we get into answering questions on quieting inner critics and protecting the joy of playing, practical concerns of changing strings and re-hairing bows! Key Points From This Episode: The last days of work and the changes in our schedules since the pandemic began. Shifting plans and changing the focus of our practice for time at home. The video recording we did and the insecurities that arise in watching yourself. Unusual repertoires and more practice time in the work from home world. The 'Violympics' and the questions that came from the group. Staying motivated and practicing during this time with the LA Phil on hiatus. Considering the plight of young musicians finishing music school right now. Investing in different skills and upping your game during this downtime. Personal qualities that lend themselves to a successful career in an orchestra. Tips for quieting the inner critic when performing or recording. Separating and protecting the joy of playing from the need to do it for a living. The importance of friendships and connection within a job in an orchestra. Changing strings, re-hairing bows, off the string strokes and more.Divisions for practicing a new piece and ways to focus on tricky passages. Tweetables: “I think it is scary to think of coming back together. I think we’ve all changed. I think it’s going to be such a substantial amount of time that we all would have changed in a lot of ways.” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:24:20] “Our whole lives I think so much of our self-worth is wrapped up in how we play. I don’t know that that’s healthy or right, but it’s inescapable.” — Nathan Cole [0:25:10] “It is reassuring to know that orchestra or no orchestra, we’re still musicians.” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:25:25] Transcript EPISODE 39 [INTRO] [00:00:00] NC: Hi and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I’m Nathan Cole. [00:00:05] AT: I’m Akiko Tarumoto. [EPISODE] [00:00:19] NC: And last time we came at you, the world was a very different place. Needless to say, we’ve taken quite a long break, but we’re happy to be back talking with each other and talking to you. Yeah, even though things have changed quite a bit. We were just trying to come up with what our last episode had been and we were talking conductors. How important is a conductor? Do we really need a conductor? [00:00:43] AT: Who knew we wouldn’t need a conductor for months? [00:00:46] NC: Yeah. We got our wish. Didn’t see any conductors for months. Yeah, it’s like the monkey’s paw. Got more than we bargained for. [00:00:56] AT: The corpse showed up at the front door. [00:00:58] NC: Yeah. I mean, we certainly won’t be the first people sharing our thoughts about the changed state of the world on classical music since the pandemic began. Maybe our thoughts don’t have to run too deep. But what do you think about our musical and our artistic lives since this all took route? When was the last time we were at work? [00:01:26] AT: It was what?
Does an orchestra’s triangle player get the same pay as a violinist? Do conductors ever fall off their podiums? Which section do the other musicians love to hate? ELT dishes symphony secrets from two orchestra insiders. Guests: violinist Akiko Tarumoto and conductor Rob Kapilow. Special thanks to Nathan Cole and danke schön to caller Laszlo. Correction: This episode has been updated to replace the #noboe music with oboe music. Additional thanks to Marcus Phillips for helping us right this wrong.
Here at Stand Partner HQ, we get this question a lot! And that should tell you something without even knowing the answer. Nobody asks what a pilot does, or if we really need one for our airplanes. But the conductor's role isn't nearly so obvious, to our audiences and even, at times, to us! Do we really need someone up front "driving the train"? Do a conductor's responsibilities begin and end with a downbeat and a final cutoff? Key points Akiko's forthcoming appearance on the Every Little Thing podcast Audience fixation on the conductor as the focal point of an orchestra The job of the conductor during rehearsal and performance Giving instruction vs. providing a "guiding current" Examples of time wasting, directionless rehearsal Examples of showing appreciation for the work of the players; giving credit where it's due Petty retaliation: talking in rehearsals and other signs of discontent Setting aside grudges for the concert and putting the music ahead of everything else Do musicians always agree who's a great conductor? How to balance exerting control and letting go of it The "dreaded hand": play quieter! Components of a perfect conductor; designing the Robo-conductor! Links Every Little Thing Podcast Gimlet Media Jeopardy Sean Connery Full Metal Jacket Andrew Manze Robocop Kurtwood Smith Transcript EPISODE 38 [EPISODE] [00:00:01] NC: Hi and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I'm Nathan Cole. [00:00:04] AT: I am Akiko Tarumoto. [00:00:18] NC: And today we are talking about conductors and not just because we see a conductor all the time at work, see many conductors. There's actually a special reason, that's because you are going to be a featured guest on another podcast. [00:00:33] AT: Yeah. [00:00:33] NC: I couldn't be more proud. It's like a spinoff of Stand Partners. It's great. We got a call from the show Every Little Thing, which is a Gimlet Media show. They answer or try to answer questions that you can't find out just by Googling. Their recent example was how to police sketch artists really. Can they really come up with a picture that's so close to the person you're thinking of and they went through it. It was really fascinating, and all the episodes come from listener questions. It's actually a great idea for this show. [00:01:13] AT: It's true. Should steal that. [00:01:16] NC: I know. I think I might. They actually play the call – If someone calls in and leaves a message, it's very 90s. You have to leave a message on the machine. In this case, someone was calling up to say if, "I were ever the victim of a crime, I would be the worst witness. There was no way the police could ever pick up the person because I wouldn't be able to describe to a sketch artist anybody's face. I'm the worst and I really don't believe the sketch artist could help me. Do they really work?" They actually found a sketch artist. So that was the expert on the call and they had this person describe his best friend, I believe it was. [00:01:58] AT: Aha. And it worked? [00:01:59] NC: And it worked. [00:02:00] AT: That's just too much pressure. I can't produce on this level tomorrow. [00:02:04] NC: In this episode, they have someone asking about conductors and about all kinds of things that go on in orchestra rehearsals and concerts. So that is going to be you. Now, you do have to share the episode with a conductor in addition to the caller. [00:02:23] AT: Yes. Not in real-time, but yeah. [00:02:24] NC: Right. Since you might – I don't know. You might feel like you couldn't say everything you wanted to about a conductor. Who knows? We thought this might be – They might not give you all the airtime. You might – [00:02:37] AT: Did you say this conductor? Right. I mean, I hope that I won't be carrying the entire episode. It would be funny if I described my ideal conductor and just synthesize this person to see if...
Here at Stand Partner HQ, we get this question a lot! And that should tell you something without even knowing the answer. Nobody asks what a pilot does, or if we really need one for our airplanes. But the conductor's role isn't nearly so obvious, to our audiences and even, at times, to us! Do we really need someone up front "driving the train"? Do a conductor's responsibilities begin and end with a downbeat and a final cutoff? Key points Akiko's forthcoming appearance on the Every Little Thing podcastAudience fixation on the conductor as the focal point of an orchestraThe job of the conductor during rehearsal and performanceGiving instruction vs. providing a "guiding current"Examples of time wasting, directionless rehearsalExamples of showing appreciation for the work of the players; giving credit where it's duePetty retaliation: talking in rehearsals and other signs of discontentSetting aside grudges for the concert and putting the music ahead of everything elseDo musicians always agree who's a great conductor?How to balance exerting control and letting go of itThe "dreaded hand": play quieter!Components of a perfect conductor; designing the Robo-conductor! Links Every Little Thing Podcast Gimlet Media Jeopardy Sean Connery Full Metal Jacket Andrew Manze Robocop Kurtwood Smith Transcript EPISODE 38 [EPISODE] [00:00:01] NC: Hi and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I’m Nathan Cole. [00:00:04] AT: I am Akiko Tarumoto. [00:00:18] NC: And today we are talking about conductors and not just because we see a conductor all the time at work, see many conductors. There’s actually a special reason, that’s because you are going to be a featured guest on another podcast. [00:00:33] AT: Yeah. [00:00:33] NC: I couldn’t be more proud. It’s like a spinoff of Stand Partners. It’s great. We got a call from the show Every Little Thing, which is a Gimlet Media show. They answer or try to answer questions that you can’t find out just by Googling. Their recent example was how to police sketch artists really. Can they really come up with a picture that’s so close to the person you’re thinking of and they went through it. It was really fascinating, and all the episodes come from listener questions. It’s actually a great idea for this show. [00:01:13] AT: It’s true. Should steal that. [00:01:16] NC: I know. I think I might. They actually play the call – If someone calls in and leaves a message, it’s very 90s. You have to leave a message on the machine. In this case, someone was calling up to say if, "I were ever the victim of a crime, I would be the worst witness. There was no way the police could ever pick up the person because I wouldn’t be able to describe to a sketch artist anybody’s face. I’m the worst and I really don’t believe the sketch artist could help me. Do they really work?" They actually found a sketch artist. So that was the expert on the call and they had this person describe his best friend, I believe it was. [00:01:58] AT: Aha. And it worked? [00:01:59] NC: And it worked. [00:02:00] AT: That’s just too much pressure. I can't produce on this level tomorrow. [00:02:04] NC: In this episode, they have someone asking about conductors and about all kinds of things that go on in orchestra rehearsals and concerts. So that is going to be you. Now, you do have to share the episode with a conductor in addition to the caller. [00:02:23] AT: Yes. Not in real-time, but yeah. [00:02:24] NC: Right. Since you might – I don’t know. You might feel like you couldn’t say everything you wanted to about a conductor. Who knows? We thought this might be – They might not give you all the airtime. You might – [00:02:37] AT: Did you say this conductor? Right. I mean, I hope that I won’t be carrying the entire episode. It would be funny if I described my ideal conductor and just synthesize this person to see if they’re really an effective leader.
Here at Stand Partner HQ, we get this question a lot! And that should tell you something without even knowing the answer. Nobody asks what a pilot does, or if we really need one for our airplanes. But the conductor's role isn't nearly so obvious, to our audiences and even, at times, to us! Do we really need someone up front "driving the train"? Do a conductor's responsibilities begin and end with a downbeat and a final cutoff? Key points Akiko's forthcoming appearance on the Every Little Thing podcastAudience fixation on the conductor as the focal point of an orchestraThe job of the conductor during rehearsal and performanceGiving instruction vs. providing a "guiding current"Examples of time wasting, directionless rehearsalExamples of showing appreciation for the work of the players; giving credit where it's duePetty retaliation: talking in rehearsals and other signs of discontentSetting aside grudges for the concert and putting the music ahead of everything elseDo musicians always agree who's a great conductor?How to balance exerting control and letting go of itThe "dreaded hand": play quieter!Components of a perfect conductor; designing the Robo-conductor! Links Every Little Thing Podcast Gimlet Media Jeopardy Sean Connery Full Metal Jacket Andrew Manze Robocop Kurtwood Smith Transcript EPISODE 38 [EPISODE] [00:00:01] NC: Hi and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I’m Nathan Cole. [00:00:04] AT: I am Akiko Tarumoto. [00:00:18] NC: And today we are talking about conductors and not just because we see a conductor all the time at work, see many conductors. There’s actually a special reason, that’s because you are going to be a featured guest on another podcast. [00:00:33] AT: Yeah. [00:00:33] NC: I couldn’t be more proud. It’s like a spinoff of Stand Partners. It’s great. We got a call from the show Every Little Thing, which is a Gimlet Media show. They answer or try to answer questions that you can’t find out just by Googling. Their recent example was how to police sketch artists really. Can they really come up with a picture that’s so close to the person you’re thinking of and they went through it. It was really fascinating, and all the episodes come from listener questions. It’s actually a great idea for this show. [00:01:13] AT: It’s true. Should steal that. [00:01:16] NC: I know. I think I might. They actually play the call – If someone calls in and leaves a message, it’s very 90s. You have to leave a message on the machine. In this case, someone was calling up to say if, "I were ever the victim of a crime, I would be the worst witness. There was no way the police could ever pick up the person because I wouldn’t be able to describe to a sketch artist anybody’s face. I’m the worst and I really don’t believe the sketch artist could help me. Do they really work?" They actually found a sketch artist. So that was the expert on the call and they had this person describe his best friend, I believe it was. [00:01:58] AT: Aha. And it worked? [00:01:59] NC: And it worked. [00:02:00] AT: That’s just too much pressure. I can't produce on this level tomorrow. [00:02:04] NC: In this episode, they have someone asking about conductors and about all kinds of things that go on in orchestra rehearsals and concerts. So that is going to be you. Now, you do have to share the episode with a conductor in addition to the caller. [00:02:23] AT: Yes. Not in real-time, but yeah. [00:02:24] NC: Right. Since you might – I don’t know. You might feel like you couldn’t say everything you wanted to about a conductor. Who knows? We thought this might be – They might not give you all the airtime. You might – [00:02:37] AT: Did you say this conductor? Right. I mean, I hope that I won’t be carrying the entire episode. It would be funny if I described my ideal conductor and just synthesize this person to see if they’re really an effective leader.
Twelve-step programs have helped millions of people, including some of our colleagues. But their constant references to a "higher power" rub some people the wrong way. As orchestral musicians, we only know one "higher power": the conductor, who rules every aspect of our musical lives! Here are some slightly rewritten twelve steps toward embracing musical anonymity in the orchestra of your choice. The Twelve Orchestral Steps Admit you are powerless over your musical decisions and life has become unmanageable. Surrender those decisions to a higher power to reclaim musical sanity. Turn your musical life over to that higher power (the conductor). Make a searching and fearless inventory of your audition self. Admit the nature of your wrongs to yourself and a practice buddy. Be ready to have the conductor remove your defects of character. Actually ask the conductor to humbly remove those defects. Make a list of colleagues you have musically harmed, and seek to make amends. Make direct amends to these colleagues, especially if you must sit near them. Continue taking inventory and promptly admit wrong accidentals. Through meditation and score study, improve conscious contact with the conductor. After your musical awakening, carry this message to other musicians in the orchestra. Quotes “If you join an orchestra, you're just a shareholder, but you're still receiving dividends.” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:08:47] “Getting a job is truth time.” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:11:12] “There is that hope that joining this group, it's like there's a power greater than yourself. There's power in experience.” — @natesviolin [0:17:57] “It's okay to be wrong a lot as long you admit it.” — @natesviolin [0:24:20] “You could follow these steps and actually be a great orchestral player.” — @natesviolin [0:27:46] “There's just no way around the anonymity being an orchestral player, but there are positive things about being in an orchestra nevertheless.” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:27:52] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Colburn Sir Laurence Olivier LA Phil Chris Still Transcript EPISODE 37 [INTRODUCTION] [00:00:00] NC: Hello and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. This is Orchestra Players Anonymous. I'm Nathan Cole. [00:00:08] AT: We're supposed to be anonymous. [00:00:10] NC: Oh! I already broke the rule. All right. [INTERVIEW] [00:00:27] NC: Well, I have to figure you already know who we are. That's Akiko Tarumoto over there. Welcome back. If you haven't seen the website in a little while, head on over to standpartnersforlife.com. We got a bit of a new look and as it befits the new year, 2020 episodes of Stand Partners for Life. There you can make sure you're subscribed on iTunes, on Google Podcasts, however you get your podcasts. Today we are talking about the anonymous nature of orchestra playing, and this actually came up recently. I teach the violin orchestral rep class at Colburn now, and I got a really good question just today actually. [00:01:10] AT: What was that question? [00:01:13] NC: That's for that prompt. They asked, they said, “Well, we have a friend,” who that's always kind of a tipoff, but they said, “We have a friend who says that he would never play in orchestra because you would lose your artistic identity. You'd become anonymous.” First of all, I love how you can't really talk about orchestra. It's kind of like how kids learn about the birds and the bees on the playground. It's like playground wisdom. [00:01:43] AT: You can't talk about – [00:01:44] NC: Well, I just feel like there's not a constant dialogue about orchestra playing. You have to kind of ask in secret like, “I have a friend who says this is how it works.” [00:01:53] AT: Right. Well, sure. I mean, we all know why that is. It's like the vast majority of working musicians, working – Not pianists obviously,
Twelve-step programs have helped millions of people, including some of our colleagues. But their constant references to a "higher power" rub some people the wrong way. As orchestral musicians, we only know one "higher power": the conductor, who rules every aspect of our musical lives! Here are some slightly rewritten twelve steps toward embracing musical anonymity in the orchestra of your choice. The Twelve Orchestral Steps Admit you are powerless over your musical decisions and life has become unmanageable.Surrender those decisions to a higher power to reclaim musical sanity.Turn your musical life over to that higher power (the conductor).Make a searching and fearless inventory of your audition self.Admit the nature of your wrongs to yourself and a practice buddy.Be ready to have the conductor remove your defects of character.Actually ask the conductor to humbly remove those defects.Make a list of colleagues you have musically harmed, and seek to make amends.Make direct amends to these colleagues, especially if you must sit near them.Continue taking inventory and promptly admit wrong accidentals.Through meditation and score study, improve conscious contact with the conductor.After your musical awakening, carry this message to other musicians in the orchestra. Quotes “If you join an orchestra, you’re just a shareholder, but you’re still receiving dividends.” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:08:47] “Getting a job is truth time.” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:11:12] “There is that hope that joining this group, it’s like there’s a power greater than yourself. There’s power in experience.” — @natesviolin [0:17:57] “It’s okay to be wrong a lot as long you admit it.” — @natesviolin [0:24:20] “You could follow these steps and actually be a great orchestral player.” — @natesviolin [0:27:46] “There’s just no way around the anonymity being an orchestral player, but there are positive things about being in an orchestra nevertheless.” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:27:52] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: ColburnSir Laurence OlivierLA PhilChris Still Transcript EPISODE 37 [INTRODUCTION] [00:00:00] NC: Hello and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. This is Orchestra Players Anonymous. I’m Nathan Cole. [00:00:08] AT: We’re supposed to be anonymous. [00:00:10] NC: Oh! I already broke the rule. All right. [INTERVIEW] [00:00:27] NC: Well, I have to figure you already know who we are. That’s Akiko Tarumoto over there. Welcome back. If you haven’t seen the website in a little while, head on over to standpartnersforlife.com. We got a bit of a new look and as it befits the new year, 2020 episodes of Stand Partners for Life. There you can make sure you’re subscribed on iTunes, on Google Podcasts, however you get your podcasts. Today we are talking about the anonymous nature of orchestra playing, and this actually came up recently. I teach the violin orchestral rep class at Colburn now, and I got a really good question just today actually. [00:01:10] AT: What was that question? [00:01:13] NC: That’s for that prompt. They asked, they said, “Well, we have a friend,” who that’s always kind of a tipoff, but they said, “We have a friend who says that he would never play in orchestra because you would lose your artistic identity. You’d become anonymous.” First of all, I love how you can’t really talk about orchestra. It’s kind of like how kids learn about the birds and the bees on the playground. It’s like playground wisdom. [00:01:43] AT: You can’t talk about – [00:01:44] NC: Well, I just feel like there’s not a constant dialogue about orchestra playing. You have to kind of ask in secret like, “I have a friend who says this is how it works.” [00:01:53] AT: Right. Well, sure. I mean, we all know why that is. It’s like the vast majority of working musicians, working – Not pianists obviously, but that were out there and orchestra is not being soloists or chamber musicians necessarily,
Twelve-step programs have helped millions of people, including some of our colleagues. But their constant references to a "higher power" rub some people the wrong way. As orchestral musicians, we only know one "higher power": the conductor, who rules every aspect of our musical lives! Here are some slightly rewritten twelve steps toward embracing musical anonymity in the orchestra of your choice. The Twelve Orchestral Steps Admit you are powerless over your musical decisions and life has become unmanageable.Surrender those decisions to a higher power to reclaim musical sanity.Turn your musical life over to that higher power (the conductor).Make a searching and fearless inventory of your audition self.Admit the nature of your wrongs to yourself and a practice buddy.Be ready to have the conductor remove your defects of character.Actually ask the conductor to humbly remove those defects.Make a list of colleagues you have musically harmed, and seek to make amends.Make direct amends to these colleagues, especially if you must sit near them.Continue taking inventory and promptly admit wrong accidentals.Through meditation and score study, improve conscious contact with the conductor.After your musical awakening, carry this message to other musicians in the orchestra. Quotes “If you join an orchestra, you’re just a shareholder, but you’re still receiving dividends.” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:08:47] “Getting a job is truth time.” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:11:12] “There is that hope that joining this group, it’s like there’s a power greater than yourself. There’s power in experience.” — @natesviolin [0:17:57] “It’s okay to be wrong a lot as long you admit it.” — @natesviolin [0:24:20] “You could follow these steps and actually be a great orchestral player.” — @natesviolin [0:27:46] “There’s just no way around the anonymity being an orchestral player, but there are positive things about being in an orchestra nevertheless.” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:27:52] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: ColburnSir Laurence OlivierLA PhilChris Still Transcript EPISODE 37 [INTRODUCTION] [00:00:00] NC: Hello and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. This is Orchestra Players Anonymous. I’m Nathan Cole. [00:00:08] AT: We’re supposed to be anonymous. [00:00:10] NC: Oh! I already broke the rule. All right. [INTERVIEW] [00:00:27] NC: Well, I have to figure you already know who we are. That’s Akiko Tarumoto over there. Welcome back. If you haven’t seen the website in a little while, head on over to standpartnersforlife.com. We got a bit of a new look and as it befits the new year, 2020 episodes of Stand Partners for Life. There you can make sure you’re subscribed on iTunes, on Google Podcasts, however you get your podcasts. Today we are talking about the anonymous nature of orchestra playing, and this actually came up recently. I teach the violin orchestral rep class at Colburn now, and I got a really good question just today actually. [00:01:10] AT: What was that question? [00:01:13] NC: That’s for that prompt. They asked, they said, “Well, we have a friend,” who that’s always kind of a tipoff, but they said, “We have a friend who says that he would never play in orchestra because you would lose your artistic identity. You’d become anonymous.” First of all, I love how you can’t really talk about orchestra. It’s kind of like how kids learn about the birds and the bees on the playground. It’s like playground wisdom. [00:01:43] AT: You can’t talk about – [00:01:44] NC: Well, I just feel like there’s not a constant dialogue about orchestra playing. You have to kind of ask in secret like, “I have a friend who says this is how it works.” [00:01:53] AT: Right. Well, sure. I mean, we all know why that is. It’s like the vast majority of working musicians, working – Not pianists obviously, but that were out there and orchestra is not being soloists or chamber musicians necessarily,
Violinist Johnny Lee is Akiko's mirror image on stage at Disney Hall: he sits fourth chair second violin, while she's fourth chair first violin. But they have something else in common too. Both went to Harvard, where there is no music performance major. Akiko thought she'd be a lawyer, Johnny a doctor (or was he just pretending?), but they both found their way back to the violin by the time they graduated. The Stand Partners have logged thousands of hours of "unofficial" conversation with Johnny, so we're excited to present him on the podcast. Here's Johnny's path to the LA Phil and beyond! Transcript [00:00:00] NC: Hi and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I'm Nathan Cole. [00:00:04] AT: I'm Akiko Tarumoto. [00:00:18] NC: And we are thrilled to be here with our great friend on we've been trying to get on this podcast actually ever since we started this show. Good friend Johnny Lee, violinist with us in the LA Phil. Frequent hanger outer here at the Cole-Tarumoto residence. You've got a heavy dose of the kids tonight. You got to experience dinner, TV watching time, bedtime. [00:00:43] AT: You missed violin practice time though. Lucky you. [00:00:47] JL: I have my wine. So it's fine. [00:00:49] AT: That's actually how we got you here. We bribed you with food and drink. [00:00:51] NC: That's true. Johnny showed up wearing his Stand Partners for Life t-shirt, which made all of us happy, especially Hannah noticed it right away. If you too would like a snazzy Stand Partners for Life t-shift, go to standpartnersforlife.com/shirts. That's shirt, plural, and guys and gals designs. But thank you so much for being here, Johnny. [00:01:12] AT: Yay! [00:01:13] NC: Yay! There are a few reasons to get you here. One, we talk about the orchestra all the time, and LA Phil life all the time. But in addition to that, you and Akiko have some real similarities, I guess besides the fact that Akiko is 4th chair first violin. Johnny, 4th chair second violin. [00:01:34] AT: He's my mirror. [00:01:34] NC: That's right. We do since first and second, mostly sit across the stage from each other. Here in L.A. Not Akiko's favorite setup at the moment. [00:01:44] AT: I think everybody is tired hearing my opinion on where the violin should sit. [00:01:49] NC: But you do get to mirror each other across the stage quite often. The bigger similarity is that you both went to the same school for undergrad and you actually overlapped. [00:01:58] AT: We went to school in Boston. [00:02:00] JL: Cambridge. [00:02:02] NC: They went to Harvard. I get to hear about it a lot. No! You guys are good about it. Actually, tonight I really do want to hear about it in quite some detail. But, yeah, neither of you went to conservatory for undergrad. So that's something that I know a lot of. You guys out there have asked about just the difference between going to conservatory, not going to conservatory, at least for undergrad. Yeah, the different paths that people take to get to the LA Phil. Johnny, if you would back us up from Harvard, from Cambridge, and tell us a little bit about where you're from, how you got started on the instrument and all that, and then we'll get to get to school days. [00:02:41] JL: Yeah. I mean, I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. So I was at the Cleveland Institute of Music for prepschool – Not prepschool. Preparatory program, age 7 I would say. So I started when I was 5, but started at CIM at 7. But that was of course because my parents were Korean immigrants and they just wanted us to play violin. Us being me and my two older brothers just to put on our college application. [00:03:10] AT: So were you all at – [00:03:11] JL: Yeah. So would have lessons on Friday after school. My mom would drive us all there. She'd take notes during lessons. Then on the way home we'd get KFC as a reward. [00:03:24] NC: I thought you were going to say on the way home you'd get yel...
Violinist Johnny Lee is Akiko's mirror image on stage at Disney Hall: he sits fourth chair second violin, while she's fourth chair first violin. But they have something else in common too. Both went to Harvard, where there is no music performance major. Akiko thought she'd be a lawyer, Johnny a doctor (or was he just pretending?), but they both found their way back to the violin by the time they graduated. The Stand Partners have logged thousands of hours of "unofficial" conversation with Johnny, so we're excited to present him on the podcast. Here's Johnny's path to the LA Phil and beyond! Transcript [00:00:00] NC: Hi and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I’m Nathan Cole. [00:00:04] AT: I’m Akiko Tarumoto. [00:00:18] NC: And we are thrilled to be here with our great friend on we’ve been trying to get on this podcast actually ever since we started this show. Good friend Johnny Lee, violinist with us in the LA Phil. Frequent hanger outer here at the Cole-Tarumoto residence. You’ve got a heavy dose of the kids tonight. You got to experience dinner, TV watching time, bedtime. [00:00:43] AT: You missed violin practice time though. Lucky you. [00:00:47] JL: I have my wine. So it’s fine. [00:00:49] AT: That’s actually how we got you here. We bribed you with food and drink. [00:00:51] NC: That’s true. Johnny showed up wearing his Stand Partners for Life t-shirt, which made all of us happy, especially Hannah noticed it right away. If you too would like a snazzy Stand Partners for Life t-shift, go to standpartnersforlife.com/shirts. That’s shirt, plural, and guys and gals designs. But thank you so much for being here, Johnny. [00:01:12] AT: Yay! [00:01:13] NC: Yay! There are a few reasons to get you here. One, we talk about the orchestra all the time, and LA Phil life all the time. But in addition to that, you and Akiko have some real similarities, I guess besides the fact that Akiko is 4th chair first violin. Johnny, 4th chair second violin. [00:01:34] AT: He’s my mirror. [00:01:34] NC: That’s right. We do since first and second, mostly sit across the stage from each other. Here in L.A. Not Akiko’s favorite setup at the moment. [00:01:44] AT: I think everybody is tired hearing my opinion on where the violin should sit. [00:01:49] NC: But you do get to mirror each other across the stage quite often. The bigger similarity is that you both went to the same school for undergrad and you actually overlapped. [00:01:58] AT: We went to school in Boston. [00:02:00] JL: Cambridge. [00:02:02] NC: They went to Harvard. I get to hear about it a lot. No! You guys are good about it. Actually, tonight I really do want to hear about it in quite some detail. But, yeah, neither of you went to conservatory for undergrad. So that’s something that I know a lot of. You guys out there have asked about just the difference between going to conservatory, not going to conservatory, at least for undergrad. Yeah, the different paths that people take to get to the LA Phil. Johnny, if you would back us up from Harvard, from Cambridge, and tell us a little bit about where you’re from, how you got started on the instrument and all that, and then we’ll get to get to school days. [00:02:41] JL: Yeah. I mean, I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. So I was at the Cleveland Institute of Music for prepschool – Not prepschool. Preparatory program, age 7 I would say. So I started when I was 5, but started at CIM at 7. But that was of course because my parents were Korean immigrants and they just wanted us to play violin. Us being me and my two older brothers just to put on our college application. [00:03:10] AT: So were you all at – [00:03:11] JL: Yeah. So would have lessons on Friday after school. My mom would drive us all there. She’d take notes during lessons. Then on the way home we’d get KFC as a reward. [00:03:24] NC: I thought you were going to say on the way home you’d get yel...
Violinist Johnny Lee is Akiko's mirror image on stage at Disney Hall: he sits fourth chair second violin, while she's fourth chair first violin. But they have something else in common too. Both went to Harvard, where there is no music performance major. Akiko thought she'd be a lawyer, Johnny a doctor (or was he just pretending?), but they both found their way back to the violin by the time they graduated. The Stand Partners have logged thousands of hours of "unofficial" conversation with Johnny, so we're excited to present him on the podcast. Here's Johnny's path to the LA Phil and beyond! Transcript [00:00:00] NC: Hi and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I’m Nathan Cole. [00:00:04] AT: I’m Akiko Tarumoto. [00:00:18] NC: And we are thrilled to be here with our great friend on we’ve been trying to get on this podcast actually ever since we started this show. Good friend Johnny Lee, violinist with us in the LA Phil. Frequent hanger outer here at the Cole-Tarumoto residence. You’ve got a heavy dose of the kids tonight. You got to experience dinner, TV watching time, bedtime. [00:00:43] AT: You missed violin practice time though. Lucky you. [00:00:47] JL: I have my wine. So it’s fine. [00:00:49] AT: That’s actually how we got you here. We bribed you with food and drink. [00:00:51] NC: That’s true. Johnny showed up wearing his Stand Partners for Life t-shirt, which made all of us happy, especially Hannah noticed it right away. If you too would like a snazzy Stand Partners for Life t-shift, go to standpartnersforlife.com/shirts. That’s shirt, plural, and guys and gals designs. But thank you so much for being here, Johnny. [00:01:12] AT: Yay! [00:01:13] NC: Yay! There are a few reasons to get you here. One, we talk about the orchestra all the time, and LA Phil life all the time. But in addition to that, you and Akiko have some real similarities, I guess besides the fact that Akiko is 4th chair first violin. Johnny, 4th chair second violin. [00:01:34] AT: He’s my mirror. [00:01:34] NC: That’s right. We do since first and second, mostly sit across the stage from each other. Here in L.A. Not Akiko’s favorite setup at the moment. [00:01:44] AT: I think everybody is tired hearing my opinion on where the violin should sit. [00:01:49] NC: But you do get to mirror each other across the stage quite often. The bigger similarity is that you both went to the same school for undergrad and you actually overlapped. [00:01:58] AT: We went to school in Boston. [00:02:00] JL: Cambridge. [00:02:02] NC: They went to Harvard. I get to hear about it a lot. No! You guys are good about it. Actually, tonight I really do want to hear about it in quite some detail. But, yeah, neither of you went to conservatory for undergrad. So that’s something that I know a lot of. You guys out there have asked about just the difference between going to conservatory, not going to conservatory, at least for undergrad. Yeah, the different paths that people take to get to the LA Phil. Johnny, if you would back us up from Harvard, from Cambridge, and tell us a little bit about where you’re from, how you got started on the instrument and all that, and then we’ll get to get to school days. [00:02:41] JL: Yeah. I mean, I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. So I was at the Cleveland Institute of Music for prepschool – Not prepschool. Preparatory program, age 7 I would say. So I started when I was 5, but started at CIM at 7. But that was of course because my parents were Korean immigrants and they just wanted us to play violin. Us being me and my two older brothers just to put on our college application. [00:03:10] AT: So were you all at – [00:03:11] JL: Yeah. So would have lessons on Friday after school. My mom would drive us all there. She’d take notes during lessons. Then on the way home we’d get KFC as a reward. [00:03:24] NC: I thought you were going to say on the way home you’d get yel...
What you'll hear: The benefit of being an *early adopter* Audience research… how Nathan adjusted to suit what he discovered while growing his audience What it looks like to be CHOOSY in your career - the fear most people feel and how it really works The power of getting a coach for your business - something that’s *really* different from having a private teacher for your instrument Zeroing on the exact student you’d like to teach - and how that impacts your business The power of the group camaraderie and support when you join (or create) an online coaching program How to deal with “competition” when you start doing work online And so much more! For more information about Nathan and his course, The Virtuoso Mastercourse, go to https://www.natesviolin.com/ Mentioned in the show: Jennifer Rosenfeld, coach for musicians: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferrosenfeldmusic/ SIGN UP for the Crushing Classical mailing list for exclusive audience building tips and podcast updates! Sign up now and receive the free PDF download, Three Ways Becoming Visible Can Revolutionize Your Music Career: https://mailchi.mp/809d9dfaa1e3/crushingclassical CC theme music by Gaby Castro: follow her @musiciansprime on Instagram
This week, we're talking scales and etudes. Are they the foundational blocks on which your entire technique is built? Or more like raw vegetables that you have to choke down if you want to stay healthy? Akiko actually had a scale class as a kid, while I got a crash course in scales from my Curtis teacher Felix Galimir (who had studied with Carl Flesch himself). Etudes were a different story. Both of us went through a progression of Sevcik, Schradieck, Kretuzer, Dont, and all the rest. But back then, we just played without knowing why. These days, we like to know the point of an etude before we dive in: the key that unlocks each etude's benefit. Developing my Virtuoso Master Course has given me a chance to reevaluate my relationship with the classics, but I wanted Akiko's take on the topic as well. Enjoy a roll in the hay of fundamental violin techniques! Key points Akiko recounts her distaste for practicing scales at Juilliard Scales: more like meditation or workout? Akiko's time at Juilliard pre-college with Ševčík, Schradieck, Kreutzer, Paganini and Yost Why Akiko stopped practicing scales after a Paganini concerto got her down Scales and etudes as prep for challenging pieces Nathan's first scale, at the end of Suzuki studies How Ivan Galamian adjusted a three-octave scale to give it 24 notes Akiko's scale class Nathan and Akiko's take on Simon Fischer's Warming Up The times in life to discover etudes (i.e. bachelor freedom) Thirds for 20 minutes a day, thanks to Ruggiero Ricci Nathan's first lesson with Felix Galimir, and the four-hour-a-day scale workout Every etude has a key to unlock its benefit How to practice scales so they lead to confident performance Akiko's feeling of impending violinistic disaster, as inThe Godfather. Quotes “I feel like the goal for the Delay students was to get to Paganini ASAP.” — @Akiko Tarumoto [0:10:31] “I think that's the real argument for learning skills in scales and etudes, so that when you get to them in in the repertoire, you feel like you can say, ‘I've got this.'” — @natesviolin [0:14:43] “Opening up an etude book, trying to play one and just – whether your reaction is just stopping and closing it or breaking down crying, it is actually a pretty common thing.” — @natesviolin [0:26:56] “Great strides are made when there is not a lot else going on.” — @Akiko Tarumoto [0:29:17] “it wasn't like I was sitting here watching TV and you came up to me and you said, ‘You need to work on your arpeggios.'” — @Akiko Tarumoto [0:47:04] Links from the episode Juilliard Pre-CollegeAspen FestivalThe Virtuoso Master CourseKreutzer SonataHenry SchradieckOtakar ŠevčíkNicolò PaganiniFranz WohlfahrtJacques Féréol MazasGaylord YostCurtis Institute of MusicSuzuki Violin BooksMozart Fifth Concerto in A MajorMozart's Fourth Concerto in D majorJohannes BrahmsJoachim CadenzaDan MasonVienna Philharmonic OrchestraCarl FleschIvan GalamianPierre Gaviniès Simon FischerMoritz MoszkowskiSaint Paul Chamber OrchestraAnimal FarmRuggiero RicciSergei ProkofievJack Benny William PreucilThe Godfather Transcript [0:00:00.7] NC: Hello and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I am Nathan Cole. [0:00:04.7] AT: I am Akiko Tarumoto. [0:00:18.7] NC: That's it, it's just the two of us this time. We've had a couple of episodes lately with some very special guests, especially cellists. [0:00:26.6] AT: Yeah, I guess it goes along with my theory that violinists aren't really friends with other violinists. [0:00:32.9] NC: Well, we're married to other violinists but just not friends. [0:00:36.3] AT: I said friends. [0:00:37.8] NC: That's true, it took us a while to become friends. [0:00:39.8] AT: Yeah, right? [0:00:41.7] NC: Because of that, I thought that maybe this episode could be a little bit more violin centric, you know, we talk a lot about the orchestra life, playing in orchestra,
This week, we're talking scales and etudes. Are they the foundational blocks on which your entire technique is built? Or more like raw vegetables that you have to choke down if you want to stay healthy? Akiko actually had a scale class as a kid, while I got a crash course in scales from my Curtis teacher Felix Galimir (who had studied with Carl Flesch himself). Etudes were a different story. Both of us went through a progression of Sevcik, Schradieck, Kretuzer, Dont, and all the rest. But back then, we just played without knowing why. These days, we like to know the point of an etude before we dive in: the key that unlocks each etude's benefit. Developing my Virtuoso Master Course has given me a chance to reevaluate my relationship with the classics, but I wanted Akiko's take on the topic as well. Enjoy a roll in the hay of fundamental violin techniques! Key points Akiko recounts her distaste for practicing scales at JuilliardScales: more like meditation or workout?Akiko's time at Juilliard pre-college with Ševčík, Schradieck, Kreutzer, Paganini and YostWhy Akiko stopped practicing scales after a Paganini concerto got her downScales and etudes as prep for challenging piecesNathan's first scale, at the end of Suzuki studiesHow Ivan Galamian adjusted a three-octave scale to give it 24 notesAkiko's scale classNathan and Akiko's take on Simon Fischer’s Warming UpThe times in life to discover etudes (i.e. bachelor freedom)Thirds for 20 minutes a day, thanks to Ruggiero RicciNathan's first lesson with Felix Galimir, and the four-hour-a-day scale workoutEvery etude has a key to unlock its benefitHow to practice scales so they lead to confident performanceAkiko’s feeling of impending violinistic disaster, as inThe Godfather. Quotes “I feel like the goal for the Delay students was to get to Paganini ASAP.” — @Akiko Tarumoto [0:10:31] “I think that’s the real argument for learning skills in scales and etudes, so that when you get to them in in the repertoire, you feel like you can say, ‘I’ve got this.’” — @natesviolin [0:14:43] “Opening up an etude book, trying to play one and just – whether your reaction is just stopping and closing it or breaking down crying, it is actually a pretty common thing.” — @natesviolin [0:26:56] “Great strides are made when there is not a lot else going on.” — @Akiko Tarumoto [0:29:17] “it wasn’t like I was sitting here watching TV and you came up to me and you said, ‘You need to work on your arpeggios.’” — @Akiko Tarumoto [0:47:04] Links from the episode Juilliard Pre-CollegeAspen FestivalThe Virtuoso Master CourseKreutzer SonataHenry SchradieckOtakar ŠevčíkNicolò PaganiniFranz WohlfahrtJacques Féréol MazasGaylord YostCurtis Institute of MusicSuzuki Violin BooksMozart Fifth Concerto in A MajorMozart’s Fourth Concerto in D majorJohannes BrahmsJoachim CadenzaDan MasonVienna Philharmonic OrchestraCarl FleschIvan GalamianPierre Gaviniès Simon FischerMoritz MoszkowskiSaint Paul Chamber OrchestraAnimal FarmRuggiero RicciSergei ProkofievJack Benny William PreucilThe Godfather Transcript [0:00:00.7] NC: Hello and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I am Nathan Cole. [0:00:04.7] AT: I am Akiko Tarumoto. [0:00:18.7] NC: That’s it, it’s just the two of us this time. We’ve had a couple of episodes lately with some very special guests, especially cellists. [0:00:26.6] AT: Yeah, I guess it goes along with my theory that violinists aren’t really friends with other violinists. [0:00:32.9] NC: Well, we’re married to other violinists but just not friends. [0:00:36.3] AT: I said friends. [0:00:37.8] NC: That’s true, it took us a while to become friends. [0:00:39.8] AT: Yeah, right? [0:00:41.7] NC: Because of that, I thought that maybe this episode could be a little bit more violin centric, you know, we talk a lot about the orchestra life, playing in orchestra, obviously Stand Partners refers to the orchestra life but sometime we can nerd out a ...
This week, we're talking scales and etudes. Are they the foundational blocks on which your entire technique is built? Or more like raw vegetables that you have to choke down if you want to stay healthy? Akiko actually had a scale class as a kid, while I got a crash course in scales from my Curtis teacher Felix Galimir (who had studied with Carl Flesch himself). Etudes were a different story. Both of us went through a progression of Sevcik, Schradieck, Kretuzer, Dont, and all the rest. But back then, we just played without knowing why. These days, we like to know the point of an etude before we dive in: the key that unlocks each etude's benefit. Developing my Virtuoso Master Course has given me a chance to reevaluate my relationship with the classics, but I wanted Akiko's take on the topic as well. Enjoy a roll in the hay of fundamental violin techniques! Key points Akiko recounts her distaste for practicing scales at JuilliardScales: more like meditation or workout?Akiko's time at Juilliard pre-college with Ševčík, Schradieck, Kreutzer, Paganini and YostWhy Akiko stopped practicing scales after a Paganini concerto got her downScales and etudes as prep for challenging piecesNathan's first scale, at the end of Suzuki studiesHow Ivan Galamian adjusted a three-octave scale to give it 24 notesAkiko's scale classNathan and Akiko's take on Simon Fischer’s Warming UpThe times in life to discover etudes (i.e. bachelor freedom)Thirds for 20 minutes a day, thanks to Ruggiero RicciNathan's first lesson with Felix Galimir, and the four-hour-a-day scale workoutEvery etude has a key to unlock its benefitHow to practice scales so they lead to confident performanceAkiko’s feeling of impending violinistic disaster, as inThe Godfather. Quotes “I feel like the goal for the Delay students was to get to Paganini ASAP.” — @Akiko Tarumoto [0:10:31] “I think that’s the real argument for learning skills in scales and etudes, so that when you get to them in in the repertoire, you feel like you can say, ‘I’ve got this.’” — @natesviolin [0:14:43] “Opening up an etude book, trying to play one and just – whether your reaction is just stopping and closing it or breaking down crying, it is actually a pretty common thing.” — @natesviolin [0:26:56] “Great strides are made when there is not a lot else going on.” — @Akiko Tarumoto [0:29:17] “it wasn’t like I was sitting here watching TV and you came up to me and you said, ‘You need to work on your arpeggios.’” — @Akiko Tarumoto [0:47:04] Links from the episode Juilliard Pre-CollegeAspen FestivalThe Virtuoso Master CourseKreutzer SonataHenry SchradieckOtakar ŠevčíkNicolò PaganiniFranz WohlfahrtJacques Féréol MazasGaylord YostCurtis Institute of MusicSuzuki Violin BooksMozart Fifth Concerto in A MajorMozart’s Fourth Concerto in D majorJohannes BrahmsJoachim CadenzaDan MasonVienna Philharmonic OrchestraCarl FleschIvan GalamianPierre Gaviniès Simon FischerMoritz MoszkowskiSaint Paul Chamber OrchestraAnimal FarmRuggiero RicciSergei ProkofievJack Benny William PreucilThe Godfather Transcript [0:00:00.7] NC: Hello and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I am Nathan Cole. [0:00:04.7] AT: I am Akiko Tarumoto. [0:00:18.7] NC: That’s it, it’s just the two of us this time. We’ve had a couple of episodes lately with some very special guests, especially cellists. [0:00:26.6] AT: Yeah, I guess it goes along with my theory that violinists aren’t really friends with other violinists. [0:00:32.9] NC: Well, we’re married to other violinists but just not friends. [0:00:36.3] AT: I said friends. [0:00:37.8] NC: That’s true, it took us a while to become friends. [0:00:39.8] AT: Yeah, right? [0:00:41.7] NC: Because of that, I thought that maybe this episode could be a little bit more violin centric, you know, we talk a lot about the orchestra life, playing in orchestra, obviously Stand Partners refers to the orchestra life but sometime we can nerd out a ...
Today we're talking concertmaster, and what it means to sit in the hot seat. What are the duties and expectations, and what makes "first chair violin" attractive or unattractive to different players? Is playing concertmaster more like being the point guard in basketball, or the quarterback in football? Remember: besides playing all those juicy solos, you have to deal with walk-outs, bowings, section concerns and principal relationships. Just know that even though the concertmaster position puts you in the spotlight, there's a price to pay for all that attention. How happy you are depends not just on the rest of orchestra but your own temperament. As Akiko says, "Let's just say it plainly. I don't like being concertmaster." But should we take her seriously? Key Points From This Episode: The position and duties associated with the title of Concertmaster Walk-outs, hitting the right piano octave and making sure not to fall over Comparing the role of the concertmaster with positions in team sports How the concertmaster relates to the other members of the orchestra The issues that arise when a conductor is ahead or behind Communicating with the conductor; bringing issues up at the right time The importance of solos in getting hired as concertmaster Bowing decisions, and shutting out some of the noise and chatter Leadership principles and focusing on what is most important Our best and worst experiences as a concertmaster Quotes “If you had to pick one leader of the orchestra that isn't the conductor, but a player, it's the concertmaster. They're visible, they're up front.” — Nathan Cole [0:07:29] “No one even really knows I'm technically a concertmaster, so I have to give myself the title of emergency concertmaster!” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:10:15] “It's a fun job. It's fraught with danger, but fun and rewarding and you get those juicy solos too.” — Nathan Cole [0:51:48] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Stand Partners for Life Carnival of the Animals Holly Mulcahy: More than wearing pretty shoes The Suzuki Method Seinfeld David Kim West Side Story Pines of Rome The 14 Leadership Principles that Drive Amazon Jeff Bezos Transcript [INTRO] [0:00:00.6] NC: Hello and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I am Nathan. [0:00:03.5] AT: I'm Akiko. [EPISODE] [0:00:17.5] NC: Today, we thought we'd talk about the concertmaster, the duties of a concertmaster and what it's all about. I mean, should we at least define the concertmaster, the first chair of violinists? [0:00:28.7] AT: Sure. I assumed people know that, but there are times, a lot of times people don't necessarily get what that means. [0:00:36.3] NC: We don't even say that. We don't say concert mistress, right? [0:00:39.4] AT: Not that I know of. [0:00:40.3] NC: Because I hear people say that sometimes. [0:00:42.2] AT: Yes. I think some people still say it. [0:00:44.9] NC: It's like president, right? [0:00:46.0] AT: Well, it's like stewardess. We don't say it anymore. [0:00:49.3] NC: Right. I'm not sure if people ever did say concert mistress, if that was ever really appropriate. [0:00:53.4] AT: Sure, they did. I don't remember. [0:00:56.6] NC: Yeah. Concertmaster, it's the first chair violinist. Both of us get to do that duty sometimes and we both have concertmaster somewhere in our titles, First Associate Concertmaster and your assistant. That's largely the reason we came out to LA from the Chicago Symphony was the chance to do be concertmaster sometimes. Why is this a special position and why? What does the concertmaster do? [0:01:24.8] AT: So are we – start enumerating the duties? [0:01:27.5] NC: Yes. We're going to tell what the concertmaster does. [0:01:30.8] AT: Well, so my first disclaimer is that I don't play concertmaster very often, as you know. I'm drawing on a very small amount of experience.
Today we're talking concertmaster, and what it means to sit in the hot seat. What are the duties and expectations, and what makes "first chair violin" attractive or unattractive to different players? Is playing concertmaster more like being the point guard in basketball, or the quarterback in football? Remember: besides playing all those juicy solos, you have to deal with walk-outs, bowings, section concerns and principal relationships. Just know that even though the concertmaster position puts you in the spotlight, there's a price to pay for all that attention. How happy you are depends not just on the rest of orchestra but your own temperament. As Akiko says, "Let's just say it plainly. I don't like being concertmaster." But should we take her seriously? Key Points From This Episode: The position and duties associated with the title of ConcertmasterWalk-outs, hitting the right piano octave and making sure not to fall overComparing the role of the concertmaster with positions in team sportsHow the concertmaster relates to the other members of the orchestraThe issues that arise when a conductor is ahead or behindCommunicating with the conductor; bringing issues up at the right timeThe importance of solos in getting hired as concertmasterBowing decisions, and shutting out some of the noise and chatterLeadership principles and focusing on what is most importantOur best and worst experiences as a concertmaster Quotes “If you had to pick one leader of the orchestra that isn't the conductor, but a player, it's the concertmaster. They're visible, they're up front.” — Nathan Cole [0:07:29] “No one even really knows I'm technically a concertmaster, so I have to give myself the title of emergency concertmaster!” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:10:15] “It's a fun job. It's fraught with danger, but fun and rewarding and you get those juicy solos too.” — Nathan Cole [0:51:48] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Stand Partners for LifeCarnival of the AnimalsHolly Mulcahy: More than wearing pretty shoesThe Suzuki MethodSeinfeldDavid KimWest Side StoryPines of RomeThe 14 Leadership Principles that Drive AmazonJeff Bezos Transcript [INTRO] [0:00:00.6] NC: Hello and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I am Nathan. [0:00:03.5] AT: I’m Akiko. [EPISODE] [0:00:17.5] NC: Today, we thought we’d talk about the concertmaster, the duties of a concertmaster and what it’s all about. I mean, should we at least define the concertmaster, the first chair of violinists? [0:00:28.7] AT: Sure. I assumed people know that, but there are times, a lot of times people don’t necessarily get what that means. [0:00:36.3] NC: We don’t even say that. We don’t say concert mistress, right? [0:00:39.4] AT: Not that I know of. [0:00:40.3] NC: Because I hear people say that sometimes. [0:00:42.2] AT: Yes. I think some people still say it. [0:00:44.9] NC: It’s like president, right? [0:00:46.0] AT: Well, it's like stewardess. We don’t say it anymore. [0:00:49.3] NC: Right. I'm not sure if people ever did say concert mistress, if that was ever really appropriate. [0:00:53.4] AT: Sure, they did. I don’t remember. [0:00:56.6] NC: Yeah. Concertmaster, it's the first chair violinist. Both of us get to do that duty sometimes and we both have concertmaster somewhere in our titles, First Associate Concertmaster and your assistant. That's largely the reason we came out to LA from the Chicago Symphony was the chance to do be concertmaster sometimes. Why is this a special position and why? What does the concertmaster do? [0:01:24.8] AT: So are we – start enumerating the duties? [0:01:27.5] NC: Yes. We're going to tell what the concertmaster does. [0:01:30.8] AT: Well, so my first disclaimer is that I don't play concertmaster very often, as you know. I'm drawing on a very small amount of experience. I just want to get that out of the way. [0:01:43.5] NC: I mean, you did it before college.
Today we're talking concertmaster, and what it means to sit in the hot seat. What are the duties and expectations, and what makes "first chair violin" attractive or unattractive to different players? Is playing concertmaster more like being the point guard in basketball, or the quarterback in football? Remember: besides playing all those juicy solos, you have to deal with walk-outs, bowings, section concerns and principal relationships. Just know that even though the concertmaster position puts you in the spotlight, there's a price to pay for all that attention. How happy you are depends not just on the rest of orchestra but your own temperament. As Akiko says, "Let's just say it plainly. I don't like being concertmaster." But should we take her seriously? Key Points From This Episode: The position and duties associated with the title of ConcertmasterWalk-outs, hitting the right piano octave and making sure not to fall overComparing the role of the concertmaster with positions in team sportsHow the concertmaster relates to the other members of the orchestraThe issues that arise when a conductor is ahead or behindCommunicating with the conductor; bringing issues up at the right timeThe importance of solos in getting hired as concertmasterBowing decisions, and shutting out some of the noise and chatterLeadership principles and focusing on what is most importantOur best and worst experiences as a concertmaster Quotes “If you had to pick one leader of the orchestra that isn't the conductor, but a player, it's the concertmaster. They're visible, they're up front.” — Nathan Cole [0:07:29] “No one even really knows I'm technically a concertmaster, so I have to give myself the title of emergency concertmaster!” — Akiko Tarumoto [0:10:15] “It's a fun job. It's fraught with danger, but fun and rewarding and you get those juicy solos too.” — Nathan Cole [0:51:48] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Stand Partners for LifeCarnival of the AnimalsHolly Mulcahy: More than wearing pretty shoesThe Suzuki MethodSeinfeldDavid KimWest Side StoryPines of RomeThe 14 Leadership Principles that Drive AmazonJeff Bezos Transcript [INTRO] [0:00:00.6] NC: Hello and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I am Nathan. [0:00:03.5] AT: I’m Akiko. [EPISODE] [0:00:17.5] NC: Today, we thought we’d talk about the concertmaster, the duties of a concertmaster and what it’s all about. I mean, should we at least define the concertmaster, the first chair of violinists? [0:00:28.7] AT: Sure. I assumed people know that, but there are times, a lot of times people don’t necessarily get what that means. [0:00:36.3] NC: We don’t even say that. We don’t say concert mistress, right? [0:00:39.4] AT: Not that I know of. [0:00:40.3] NC: Because I hear people say that sometimes. [0:00:42.2] AT: Yes. I think some people still say it. [0:00:44.9] NC: It’s like president, right? [0:00:46.0] AT: Well, it's like stewardess. We don’t say it anymore. [0:00:49.3] NC: Right. I'm not sure if people ever did say concert mistress, if that was ever really appropriate. [0:00:53.4] AT: Sure, they did. I don’t remember. [0:00:56.6] NC: Yeah. Concertmaster, it's the first chair violinist. Both of us get to do that duty sometimes and we both have concertmaster somewhere in our titles, First Associate Concertmaster and your assistant. That's largely the reason we came out to LA from the Chicago Symphony was the chance to do be concertmaster sometimes. Why is this a special position and why? What does the concertmaster do? [0:01:24.8] AT: So are we – start enumerating the duties? [0:01:27.5] NC: Yes. We're going to tell what the concertmaster does. [0:01:30.8] AT: Well, so my first disclaimer is that I don't play concertmaster very often, as you know. I'm drawing on a very small amount of experience. I just want to get that out of the way. [0:01:43.5] NC: I mean, you did it before college.
You know how much important is to be connected so it's time to join me on Social Media ! Facebook, Twitter and Instagram ! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LuisdelVillardjTwitter: https://twitter.com/LuisdelVillardjInstagram: https://instagram.com/luisdelvillardj/SHOP ONLINE : https://shop.spreadshirt.es/1126927WEBSITE: http://www.luisdelvillar.comItunes: https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/ibiza-sensations-by-luis-del-villar/id521062568Hearthis.at: https://hearthis.at/L6BkT28Z/Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/luis-del-villarPodbean: https://luisdelvillardj.podbean.com/Mixcloud: http://www.mixcloud.com/LuisdelVillar/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkcPuwNMOLBwaoBzn_VC3A/videosSpotify: https://spoti.fi/2Moqby2Google Podcast: http://bit.ly/2RCu3MZOvercast: https://overcast.fm/itunes521062568/ibiza-sensations-by-luis-del-villar The Tracklist is: 01 Tush, Osunlade - Oh, My (Yoruba Club Mix)02 Reggie Steele - Crazy (Vox Mix) 03 Zimosoul, Faith, Jihad Muhammad - Unsaid (Jihad Muhammad Bang The Drums Mix) 04 Peppe Citarella, India, Terry Hunter - Tacalacateo (Terry Hunter Club World Remix) 05 Louie Vega, Cassio Ware, Cynthia Tucker - Just The Way I Like It (Cassio Ware 2019 Version) 06 The Power Of Three, Vanessa Freeman, Atjazz - The Time Is Coming (Atjazz - Love Soul - Dub) 07 Jon Pierce, Terry Hunter - I Am (Terry Hunter Power Club Mix) 08 Sean McCabe, Jennifer Wallace - Something About You feat. Jennifer Wallace (Extended Vocal Mix) 09 Sebb Junior, Eider - Come Back (Extended Mix) 10 Dave Sam, Mike Dunn - Till The World Blow Up (Mike Dunn BlackBall Classic Soul Extended Mix)
The conclusion of this series covering the Fischoff Competition, including a summary of some of my favorite takeaways, tips, and advice, and with a conversation with my fellow podcaster friend, Nathan Cole, on what it was like for us there! CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OF THE 46TH FISCHOFF NATIONAL CHAMBER MUSIC COMPETITION Grand Prize Aruna Quartet – Texas Tech University Senior Division Strings/Piano Gold Medal Winner: Merz Trio – New York City Silver Medal Winner: Abeo Quartet – Juilliard School Bronze Medal Winner: Dior Quartet – Indiana University ; Jacobs School Senior Division Winds/Brass Gold Medal Winner: Aruna Quartet – Texas Tech University Silver Medal Winner: Khroma Quartet – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Bronze Medal Winner: Catharsis Winds – Cleveland Institute Junior Division Strings/Piano Gold Medal Winner: Fervida Trio – Young Chamber Musicians, Burlingame CA Silver Medal Winner: Éclatante String Quartet – Starling Preparatory String Project, Cincinnati OH Bronze Medal Winner: Meraki Quartet – Crowden Music Center, Berkeley CA Junior Division Winds/Brass Gold Medal Winner: Golden Melody Saxophone Quartet – Middle School of the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China Silver Medal Winner: Quantum Quartet – Hebron High School, Carrollton Texas Bronze Medal Winner: The Bone Rangers – Merit School of Music Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition: https://www.fischoff.org/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fischoffchambermusic/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFischoff/ Nathan Cole: https://www.natesviolin.com/ Stand Partners for Life: https://www.natesviolin.com/the-stand-partners-for-life-podcast/ If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review on iTunes! I truly appreciate your support! Visit www.mindoverfinger.com for information about past and future podcasts, and for more resources on mindful practice. THANK YOU: Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme! Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson. Also a huge thank you to my producer, Bella Kelly! MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/ Join the Mind Over Finger Tribe here! https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfingertribe/
If it seems like we've been silent the last couple of months, that's because Akiko's life has been pretty different since early March! One moment she was working out at the gym like she did five times a week, and the next she was flat on her back with paramedics on the way. Suffice it to say that she hasn't been playing with the LA Phil since then, but we can see the way back at least! Midway through her recovery, we talk about her time in the hospital and back at home. We also take the opportunity to answer some fantastic questions that you emailed during our time away, including what audition recordings are all about, whether we'd fake Prokofiev's Cinderella suite, and how we deal with audience distractions! Transcript Nathan Cole: Hi, and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. Nathan Cole: And this time, after a bit of a long break… we took a long break last summer. This one was a little different. Akiko, do you want to tell us why? Akiko Tarumoto: I have been recuperating from an unfortunate incident at the gym. I took a bad step, fell on my bottom, and spent the next eight weeks recovering. Nathan Cole: Eight weeks and counting. Akiko Tarumoto: Seven weeks and counting. Nathan Cole: Oh, okay. And not working, not playing in the Philharmonic. Akiko Tarumoto: Not playing. I'm playing but not playing at work. Nathan Cole: Take us back to the incident a little bit. Akiko Tarumoto: People keep kind of guessing what it was, and they'll be like, "Oh, were you…?" I don't know why it bothered me at the hospital. The doctors kept talking about how I was doing step aerobics, and I was like- Nathan Cole: That makes you sound like a- Akiko Tarumoto: I didn't take a time machine back to the '80s and don skintight, shiny spandex… Nathan Cole: "And one, and two…" Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah, no. So I was not doing step aerobics. It did involve a box, one of those foam boxes. They come in various heights, and this one was the lowest one. It was a 12-inch box, and I was just trying to do something to keep my heart rate up between weight lifting rounds. And yeah, just, it was one of those weird things that just, I guess I was kind of tired, and my foot didn't come cleanly down from the box. My other foot was already on the way up. So the box slid toward me, and I landed. I had nowhere to go but on my bottom. Nathan Cole: And I've had other people ask me, people who don't know you very well -- But just to make it clear, I mean, you were probably at the gym or were, at that time, five times a week, doing these kinds of classes. Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah, yeah. In fact, I was joking that I should probably spend as much time playing the violin as I did at the gym. Because at that point, just working out, and running… if you added up all the time I spent exercise-wise, it, yeah, dwarfed my actual time practicing on my instrument. So yeah, it was a little bit sobering. So now, finally, my practicing found a way to reverse that proportion. Nathan Cole: Against your will. And yeah, I think just the day before you had run 10 miles. Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah, that was disappointing, because it's been a while since I ran that far, as you know. And so it felt like a milestone to get back there, and it was. Won't be seen again for a while. Nathan Cole: Well, I'm looking forward to you getting back to it, because you will. I know they didn't like the look of the fall and all that. So they called some paramedics who… Akiko Tarumoto: They talked to me as if I were probably about 60 years old or older. Nathan Cole: Wait. Did they ask you who was president and expect you to say it was Ronald Reagan? Akiko Tarumoto: No. (I do remember that, by the way.) No, they asked me if I was on any medications, and when I said no, they looked really encouraging, and they said, "Ooh, very healthy.
If it seems like we've been silent the last couple of months, that's because Akiko's life has been pretty different since early March! One moment she was working out at the gym like she did five times a week, and the next she was flat on her back with paramedics on the way. Suffice it to say that she hasn't been playing with the LA Phil since then, but we can see the way back at least! Midway through her recovery, we talk about her time in the hospital and back at home. We also take the opportunity to answer some fantastic questions that you emailed during our time away, including what audition recordings are all about, whether we'd fake Prokofiev's Cinderella suite, and how we deal with audience distractions! Transcript Nathan Cole: Hi, and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. Nathan Cole: And this time, after a bit of a long break… we took a long break last summer. This one was a little different. Akiko, do you want to tell us why? Akiko Tarumoto: I have been recuperating from an unfortunate incident at the gym. I took a bad step, fell on my bottom, and spent the next eight weeks recovering. Nathan Cole: Eight weeks and counting. Akiko Tarumoto: Seven weeks and counting. Nathan Cole: Oh, okay. And not working, not playing in the Philharmonic. Akiko Tarumoto: Not playing. I'm playing but not playing at work. Nathan Cole: Take us back to the incident a little bit. Akiko Tarumoto: People keep kind of guessing what it was, and they'll be like, "Oh, were you…?" I don't know why it bothered me at the hospital. The doctors kept talking about how I was doing step aerobics, and I was like- Nathan Cole: That makes you sound like a- Akiko Tarumoto: I didn't take a time machine back to the '80s and don skintight, shiny spandex… Nathan Cole: "And one, and two…" Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah, no. So I was not doing step aerobics. It did involve a box, one of those foam boxes. They come in various heights, and this one was the lowest one. It was a 12-inch box, and I was just trying to do something to keep my heart rate up between weight lifting rounds. And yeah, just, it was one of those weird things that just, I guess I was kind of tired, and my foot didn't come cleanly down from the box. My other foot was already on the way up. So the box slid toward me, and I landed. I had nowhere to go but on my bottom. Nathan Cole: And I've had other people ask me, people who don't know you very well -- But just to make it clear, I mean, you were probably at the gym or were, at that time, five times a week, doing these kinds of classes. Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah, yeah. In fact, I was joking that I should probably spend as much time playing the violin as I did at the gym. Because at that point, just working out, and running… if you added up all the time I spent exercise-wise, it, yeah, dwarfed my actual time practicing on my instrument. So yeah, it was a little bit sobering. So now, finally, my practicing found a way to reverse that proportion. Nathan Cole: Against your will. And yeah, I think just the day before you had run 10 miles. Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah, that was disappointing, because it's been a while since I ran that far, as you know. And so it felt like a milestone to get back there, and it was. Won't be seen again for a while. Nathan Cole: Well, I'm looking forward to you getting back to it, because you will. I know they didn't like the look of the fall and all that. So they called some paramedics who… Akiko Tarumoto: They talked to me as if I were probably about 60 years old or older. Nathan Cole: Wait. Did they ask you who was president and expect you to say it was Ronald Reagan? Akiko Tarumoto: No. (I do remember that, by the way.) No, they asked me if I was on any medications, and when I said no, they looked really encouraging, and they said, "Ooh, very healthy.
A recent change of plans at the LA Phil leads us to reminisce on other times we've had conductors cancel. What happens when the audience is waiting and the show must go on? Transcript Nathan Cole: Hello, and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life with "The show must go on." That's the name of this episode, not just saying that about our show… But thanks, as always, for being here with me for, I think this will be, a great episode. It's about, well, the show must go on. We were kind of thinking that this past week. We played the entire Romeo and Juliet ballet with dancers, and video, and everything, and the concert stretched to three hours. Right before some of those performances, I was almost wondering, "Must I go on?" I love the music, and I know you do too. That's one of your favorite pieces. Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah. Nathan Cole: It's a big- Akiko Tarumoto: The music is so good that I've almost already forgotten how long it felt. It's like childbirth. Nathan Cole: Obviously, I wouldn't know, but I've heard. Yeah, today, this being the first day that we didn't play the Prokofiev. I've just had all the tunes running through my head all day, so I guess that's proof of how great the music is, although I do … I mean, I guess I get bad music stuck in my head, too, but this is undoubtedly great. Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah. Well, right now, I have Wheels on the Bus stuck in my head, so not a good person to ask. Nathan Cole: Okay. Well, I mean, that's an effective tune, also. Looking at this week coming up, we've got a bit of a conundrum. I mean, not that we have to solve it, but- Akiko Tarumoto: Oh, it's been- Nathan Cole: … our- Akiko Tarumoto: … solved. Nathan Cole: That's right. It just was solved today, but rehearsals start the day after tomorrow, and up until today, we had no conductor and no real program for the coming week. That's because the conductor canceled. Daniel Harding, who we've spoken about on this podcast before, actually, I hope you're doing well. I heard there was some sickness or … Sickness or injury? Akiko Tarumoto: Injury. Nathan Cole: Okay. Well, we definitely wish him the best, but yeah, it was a pretty short-notice change of plans for the orchestra. Usually, these things get solved instantaneously. It's like as soon as someone canceled, they've got 20 people lined up who can just drop everything and come, for an orchestra like LA anyway, but in this case, it took some doing. It seemed like everybody was engaged. I guess it's not like it's the summer, where plans are loosey-goosey. I think all the conductors had stuff going on in October, so … Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah. In fact, I think a few times, it's worked out great. I can't remember who it was who canceled, but Jaap van Zweden was able to come in … Was that in Chicago? Nathan Cole: That was in Chicago. He interrupted his honeymoon, as I recall. He came back from Hawaii early, and he was all bronzed and- Akiko Tarumoto: Right, and that was the first time we'd seen him, and we thought he was great. It was, it was really fun having him conduct. Nathan Cole: Yeah. You never know what you're going to get, and just for the curious, for this coming week, it's turned out that one of the so-called Dudamel Fellows, we have several that rotate throughout the season, Paolo … Akiko Tarumoto: I can't say it… Nathan Cole: I'm laughing at myself stumbling over his name, because when I ask him to say his own name, he says it so fast that I can't make enough sense of it, so I'll have to get him to record it, but it's spelled Bortolameolli, but it does not sound like five syllables when I hear him pronounce his own name- Akiko Tarumoto: Right. Nathan Cole: … so- Akiko Tarumoto: Got to practice. Nathan Cole: I know. I need some practice, but Paolo is going to take over next week,
A recent change of plans at the LA Phil leads us to reminisce on other times we've had conductors cancel. What happens when the audience is waiting and the show must go on? Transcript Nathan Cole: Hello, and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life with "The show must go on." That's the name of this episode, not just saying that about our show… But thanks, as always, for being here with me for, I think this will be, a great episode. It's about, well, the show must go on. We were kind of thinking that this past week. We played the entire Romeo and Juliet ballet with dancers, and video, and everything, and the concert stretched to three hours. Right before some of those performances, I was almost wondering, "Must I go on?" I love the music, and I know you do too. That's one of your favorite pieces. Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah. Nathan Cole: It's a big- Akiko Tarumoto: The music is so good that I've almost already forgotten how long it felt. It's like childbirth. Nathan Cole: Obviously, I wouldn't know, but I've heard. Yeah, today, this being the first day that we didn't play the Prokofiev. I've just had all the tunes running through my head all day, so I guess that's proof of how great the music is, although I do … I mean, I guess I get bad music stuck in my head, too, but this is undoubtedly great. Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah. Well, right now, I have Wheels on the Bus stuck in my head, so not a good person to ask. Nathan Cole: Okay. Well, I mean, that's an effective tune, also. Looking at this week coming up, we've got a bit of a conundrum. I mean, not that we have to solve it, but- Akiko Tarumoto: Oh, it's been- Nathan Cole: … our- Akiko Tarumoto: … solved. Nathan Cole: That's right. It just was solved today, but rehearsals start the day after tomorrow, and up until today, we had no conductor and no real program for the coming week. That's because the conductor canceled. Daniel Harding, who we've spoken about on this podcast before, actually, I hope you're doing well. I heard there was some sickness or … Sickness or injury? Akiko Tarumoto: Injury. Nathan Cole: Okay. Well, we definitely wish him the best, but yeah, it was a pretty short-notice change of plans for the orchestra. Usually, these things get solved instantaneously. It's like as soon as someone canceled, they've got 20 people lined up who can just drop everything and come, for an orchestra like LA anyway, but in this case, it took some doing. It seemed like everybody was engaged. I guess it's not like it's the summer, where plans are loosey-goosey. I think all the conductors had stuff going on in October, so … Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah. In fact, I think a few times, it's worked out great. I can't remember who it was who canceled, but Jaap van Zweden was able to come in … Was that in Chicago? Nathan Cole: That was in Chicago. He interrupted his honeymoon, as I recall. He came back from Hawaii early, and he was all bronzed and- Akiko Tarumoto: Right, and that was the first time we'd seen him, and we thought he was great. It was, it was really fun having him conduct. Nathan Cole: Yeah. You never know what you're going to get, and just for the curious, for this coming week, it's turned out that one of the so-called Dudamel Fellows, we have several that rotate throughout the season, Paolo … Akiko Tarumoto: I can't say it… Nathan Cole: I'm laughing at myself stumbling over his name, because when I ask him to say his own name, he says it so fast that I can't make enough sense of it, so I'll have to get him to record it, but it's spelled Bortolameolli, but it does not sound like five syllables when I hear him pronounce his own name- Akiko Tarumoto: Right. Nathan Cole: … so- Akiko Tarumoto: Got to practice. Nathan Cole: I know. I need some practice, but Paolo is going to take over next week,
Happy New Year and new season of Stand Partners for Life! In this episode, we take a look back at resolutions we've made about our playing... and not all of them stuck! From scale practice to solo Bach, counting rests to keeping a practice journal, each of us had critical moments in our violin past where we made fateful decisions. Which ones made a lasting impact? Transcript Nathan Cole: Hello and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I am Nathan Cole. Akiko Tarumoto: I am Akiko Tarumoto. Nathan Cole: Well, since this is the new year, happy new year and happy second season of Stand Partners for Life! We released our first 15 episodes last year and had a blast doing it, and kind of took a long summer break that extended into the holidays. Now we're ready to get going again, so this is the perfect day to get back into the spirit of podcasting. Akiko Tarumoto: Yes, get back into the swing of thinking about music. Nathan Cole: Tomorrow we actually go back to work after our holiday break, that being the LA Philharmonic. Actually if you were with us last season, you'll know that we spend our days and many of our nights with the LA Phil at Disney Hall here in Los Angeles. If you're joining us, this is what we call "The secrets of the symphony from two violinists who live together, play together and work together", because we are married with three young kids here in the house, who should all be sleeping. Although, I sort of hear that they're not. Akiko Tarumoto: It might be our neighbors. Nathan Cole: Are they out reveling? Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah, I think it makes more sense that kids would be up acting rowdy because they're not even four. In the case of the neighbors, they don't have that excuse, because I think that guy's in his 20s. Nathan Cole: They do have a hot tub. Akiko Tarumoto: They do, well yeah or something, a trampoline. Nathan Cole: We give you an inside look at the symphony and the life of, well, the life with the violin. In that spirit we're not going to give you a whole bunch of new year's resolutions exactly. My idea anyway was that we'd talk today about some playing resolutions, practicing resolutions that we'd made over the course of our lives and see what stuck and what didn't. I did want to … Akiko Tarumoto: What stuck and what stunk. Nathan Cole: Okay, that's good, that's better. I wanted to thank each and every one of you for listening and especially those of you who have gone and left us a rating or a review on iTunes. It's the best way for us to get found and hopefully enjoyed by other listeners like you. If you have a moment and can go to standpartnersforlife.com, you'll see how you can visit iTunes and just take those 60 seconds to leave us a review. I read all of them. I don't think you read any of them, right? Akiko Tarumoto: No, I can't handle the truth. Nathan Cole: Well what I was going to say is that so many of the reviews, I've told you this a couple times, but they really feel like people go out of their way to mention that really enjoy the commentary. Especially Akiko's! What they'll say is, "I especially like hearing what Akiko has to say." I try not to take that personally. Akiko Tarumoto: Well I get to be the person who sort of riffs off of you, I think you're the straight man, so it's not entirely fair probably. Nathan Cole: I think people trust you, they know you speak the truth. Akiko Tarumoto: Well thank you, I appreciate it. Nathan Cole: We read them all. Well anyway, I read all of them and I pass them along to Akiko. Akiko Tarumoto: He doesn't pass on the bad stuff. Nathan Cole: Here we are, we've got our resolutions. I just remembered -- I said I wasn't going to do this, but I think one of my only resolutions I thought of for the new year as far as music is to play our kids more concerts.
Happy New Year and new season of Stand Partners for Life! In this episode, we take a look back at resolutions we've made about our playing... and not all of them stuck! From scale practice to solo Bach, counting rests to keeping a practice journal, each of us had critical moments in our violin past where we made fateful decisions. Which ones made a lasting impact? Transcript Nathan Cole: Hello and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I am Nathan Cole. Akiko Tarumoto: I am Akiko Tarumoto. Nathan Cole: Well, since this is the new year, happy new year and happy second season of Stand Partners for Life! We released our first 15 episodes last year and had a blast doing it, and kind of took a long summer break that extended into the holidays. Now we're ready to get going again, so this is the perfect day to get back into the spirit of podcasting. Akiko Tarumoto: Yes, get back into the swing of thinking about music. Nathan Cole: Tomorrow we actually go back to work after our holiday break, that being the LA Philharmonic. Actually if you were with us last season, you'll know that we spend our days and many of our nights with the LA Phil at Disney Hall here in Los Angeles. If you're joining us, this is what we call "The secrets of the symphony from two violinists who live together, play together and work together", because we are married with three young kids here in the house, who should all be sleeping. Although, I sort of hear that they're not. Akiko Tarumoto: It might be our neighbors. Nathan Cole: Are they out reveling? Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah, I think it makes more sense that kids would be up acting rowdy because they're not even four. In the case of the neighbors, they don't have that excuse, because I think that guy's in his 20s. Nathan Cole: They do have a hot tub. Akiko Tarumoto: They do, well yeah or something, a trampoline. Nathan Cole: We give you an inside look at the symphony and the life of, well, the life with the violin. In that spirit we're not going to give you a whole bunch of new year's resolutions exactly. My idea anyway was that we'd talk today about some playing resolutions, practicing resolutions that we'd made over the course of our lives and see what stuck and what didn't. I did want to … Akiko Tarumoto: What stuck and what stunk. Nathan Cole: Okay, that's good, that's better. I wanted to thank each and every one of you for listening and especially those of you who have gone and left us a rating or a review on iTunes. It's the best way for us to get found and hopefully enjoyed by other listeners like you. If you have a moment and can go to standpartnersforlife.com, you'll see how you can visit iTunes and just take those 60 seconds to leave us a review. I read all of them. I don't think you read any of them, right? Akiko Tarumoto: No, I can't handle the truth. Nathan Cole: Well what I was going to say is that so many of the reviews, I've told you this a couple times, but they really feel like people go out of their way to mention that really enjoy the commentary. Especially Akiko's! What they'll say is, "I especially like hearing what Akiko has to say." I try not to take that personally. Akiko Tarumoto: Well I get to be the person who sort of riffs off of you, I think you're the straight man, so it's not entirely fair probably. Nathan Cole: I think people trust you, they know you speak the truth. Akiko Tarumoto: Well thank you, I appreciate it. Nathan Cole: We read them all. Well anyway, I read all of them and I pass them along to Akiko. Akiko Tarumoto: He doesn't pass on the bad stuff. Nathan Cole: Here we are, we've got our resolutions. I just remembered -- I said I wasn't going to do this, but I think one of my only resolutions I thought of for the new year as far as music is to play our kids more concerts.
The deeper mysteries of Oblivion are beginning to reveal themselves as Nathan Cole's problems on Earth grow more and more dire. Oblivion Song
In this episode of Oblivion Song we review issues 7 and 8. Issue 7: In the wake of last issue’s startling revelation, Nathan Cole’s world comes crashing down around him. For the sake of two worlds, he must pick up the pieces and carry on. Issue 8: Nathan Cole is reminded, once again, that actions have consequences.
First Associate Concertmaster with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the creative mind behind Natesviolin, Nathan Cole has incredible insight on practice and performance preparation! In this episode, he discusses: His path, from Suzuki beginner, to Curtis student, to the LA Phil, via the St-Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony How he organizes his time for productivity The importance of scheduling Utilize small pockets of time Know when you are the most productive How he prepares for practice – the importance of having the right environment Not separating the warm up from “playing” Not separating practicing from performing The importance of paying attention every time you are about to start a note The importance of choosing repertoire suited to our level How he takes a piece from start to ready The importance of practicing etudes and to understand what the point of each etude is so we can focus on the proper skill to be worked on How he problem-solves difficult passages The importance of paying close attention to how things sound and feel – being present Why it's important to develop good communication skills with colleagues ALL ABOUT guest: Website: https://www.natesviolin.com/ Podcast Stand Partners for Life: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/stand-partners-for-life/id1328799919?mt=2 Nathan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natesviolin/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natesviolin/ The Inner Game of Golf by W. Timothy Gallwey The Inner Game of Tennis, also by Gallwey The Inner Game of Music by Barry Green Nathan Cole, First Associate Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, has appeared as guest concertmaster with the orchestras of Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Houston, Ottawa, Seattle, and Oregon. He was previously a member of the Chicago Symphony and Principal Second Violin of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. A native of Lexington, KY, he made his debut with the Louisville Orchestra at the age of ten while studying with Donna Wiehe. After eight years working with Daniel Mason, Cole enrolled at the Curtis Institute of Music. In addition to his studies there with Pamela Frank, Felix Galimir, Ida Kavafian, and Jaime Laredo, Cole formed the Grancino String Quartet, debuting in New York's Weill Hall. Several summers at Marlboro enriched his love of chamber music. While in Chicago, Nathan taught at Roosevelt University and coached the Chicago Civic Orchestra. He is currently on the faculty at the Colburn School for the Performing Arts, with classes at the Colburn Conservatory and USC. His articles and photographs have appeared in Strings, Symphony, and Chamber Music magazines. Nathan's articles and videos on practicing, performing, teaching, and auditioning have helped thousands of violinists worldwide. In addition to his online teaching, Nathan is currently on faculty at the Colburn School for the Performing Arts, with classes at the Colburn Conservatory and USC. His articles and photographs have also appeared in Strings, Symphony, and Chamber Music magazines. Nathan is married to Akiko Tarumoto, the LA Phil's Assistant Concertmaster. Together they host the weekly podcast Stand Partners for Life, an inside look at orchestra life, which can be heard at standpartnersforlife.com. Nathan and Akiko live in Pasadena with their three children. If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review on iTunes! I truly appreciate your support! Visit www.mindoverfinger.com for information about past and future podcasts, and for more resources on mindful practice. THANK YOU: Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme! Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson. Also a huge thank you to my producer, Bella Kelly! MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, which helps cover some of the costs associated with the production of the podcast. Thank you for your support.)
About the Performance: Dudamel takes the podium on the first night of our new-music series to showcase our own virtuosos and leading lights of Southern California's living music scene, including a new Garden installation by composer and sound artist Ellen Reid. (*World premiere, LA Phil commission) Program: Ethan BRAUN: The Lost Ones* Natacha DIELS: Laughing to Forget* (with generous support from the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation) Daniel ALLAS: to be tender* (with generous support from Nancy S. and Barry Sanders) Intermission Tina TALLON: …for we who keep our lives in our throats…* (with generous support from the Hillenburg Family) Carolyn CHEN: The Sleeper and the Drinker* (with generous support from the Deborah Borda Women in the Arts Initiative) Artists: LA Phil New Music Group Gustavo Dudamel conductor Paolo Bortolameolli conductor Nuno Coelho conductor Boris Allakhverdyan clarinet Denis Bouriakov flute Nathan Cole violin Andrew Norman curator TUE / OCT 9, 2018 - 8:00PM Upcoming concerts: www.laphil.com/calendar Upbeat Live schedule, details, and speaker bios: www.laphil.com/ubl
… Read more The post Nathan Cole Tells Us How the L.A. Phil Picks an Audition Winner [PSP42] appeared first on Orchestra Excerpts.
Husband and wife meet up with Logan, the organizing force behind the retrowowtcg group and Gen Con events, and Nathan Cole the runner up at the GenCon 2018 WoWTCG championship. facebook.com/randomsthoughtspodcast twitter: @randthoughtpod randomsthoughts.wordpress.com
Ever have one of those days where you question if it's possible to balance practicing, performing, and having a life? In this week's chat, LA Phil violinists (and husband/wife) Nathan Cole and Akiko Tarumoto share their thoughts on practicing and auditioning after kids, what they've learned from each other, and more. For full transcript and links, go to: Nathan Cole & Akiko Tarumoto: On Practice, Lifelong Learning, and Balancing Life With Work and Audition Preparation
Nathan Cole is taken deeper into Oblivion than he's ever journeyed before...and what he finds there is astounding. - Oblivion Song
Some people were just born to do what they do, and Hugh Fink was born to be funny. Or was he born to play the violin? Because even though comedy has set the course of Hugh's life, he has performed violin solos to a packed Carnegie Hall, something I can't boast about! Hugh is one of a very few comics who has been able to fuse his musical life with his stage persona, much like the late great Jack Benny, whose violin I'm fortunate to play. Ever since he was a child, Hugh loved getting up in front of people and performing, no matter what form it took. Eventually, he discovered that not only could he create material for himself, but he had a talent for writing material that would suit any number of other talented performers! And that was the key that unlocked doors throughout show business, most notably at Saturday Night Live, where Hugh enjoyed a seven-year tenure and wrote more opening monologues than any other SNL writer. Hugh and I talk about growing up alongside Joshua Bell (and later using him in a wicked stage act with Tracy Morgan), how stand-up relates to musical performance, and how TV shows get made. Of course I also sit back and listen to behind-the-scenes tales from SNL! Transcript Nathan Cole: Hi and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. This is Nathan Cole and today with me, really excited to have as my guest, Hugh Fink, comic, writer, violinist. He's been gracious enough to join me here at Disney Hall for a change. Welcome to Stand Partners For Life, Hugh. Hugh Fink: Thank you. It's great to be here, Nathan, instead of taping a podcast at a smoke filled comedy club, to be in a classy concert hall. I like it. Nathan Cole: We try to keep it classy here at Disney most of the time. Well, we can just jump right into that. I mean, you've spent so much of your life in those clubs performing, writing, but what's not usual for a comic is that you have a serious history as a violinist. We were talking about that just a bit ago, you and I, but give us the quick version of your violin life, because that was either came before or maybe concurrently with your life in comedy. Hugh Fink: Sure. My parents were classical music lovers. My dad was the Attorney for the Indianapolis Symphony, the Musicians Union. As a very young kid I would be taken to these concerts at the orchestra and I loved it. I guess I told my parents at age four or five that I wanted to study violin. They were not so sure about that because they knew it was a tough instrument. They already owned a piano, but they were friends with the concertmaster of the Indianapolis Symphony at the time, Eric Rosenblith. He had known a little about this new Suzuki method, although he was not a proponent of it at all because he was like a pupil of Carl Flesch or some of these old- Nathan Cole: Old school. Hugh Fink: He was super old school, but he wasn't sure how to tell my parents to start off a five year old with lessons. He wasn't going to do it. There was a Suzuki teacher, one in Indianapolis, and that's who I studied with. Nathan Cole: This would have been not so long I bet, after the method really took hold in the U.S. because I started Suzuki and that was early 80's. Hugh Fink: You are right. I started in the late '60s. I ended up studying Suzuki for eight years, and going to the Suzuki Summer Institute at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. Nathan Cole: Stevens Point. Okay. Hugh Fink: Right. Shinichi came. Nathan Cole: Wow. Hugh Fink: Yes. I actually was part of the generation where I got to see him live. Nathan Cole: Well, that's extraordinary. Hugh Fink: It was extraordinary. I didn't have much interaction with him, but I remember, I think he was chain smoking and he looked like a ripe old age and very Buddha-esque just this is why He didn't speak much English either, but that was a great experience. I think what it taught me, Nathan, was beyond the violin part, to meet other young violinists who are just normal kids. It was a camp,
Some people were just born to do what they do, and Hugh Fink was born to be funny. Or was he born to play the violin? Because even though comedy has set the course of Hugh’s life, he has performed violin solos to a packed Carnegie Hall, something I can’t boast about! Hugh is one of a very few comics who has been able to fuse his musical life with his stage persona, much like the late great Jack Benny, whose violin I’m fortunate to play. Ever since he was a child, Hugh loved getting up in front of people and performing, no matter what form it took. Eventually, he discovered that not only could he create material for himself, but he had a talent for writing material that would suit any number of other talented performers! And that was the key that unlocked doors throughout show business, most notably at Saturday Night Live, where Hugh enjoyed a seven-year tenure and wrote more opening monologues than any other SNL writer. Hugh and I talk about growing up alongside Joshua Bell (and later using him in a wicked stage act with Tracy Morgan), how stand-up relates to musical performance, and how TV shows get made. Of course I also sit back and listen to behind-the-scenes tales from SNL! Transcript Nathan Cole: Hi and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. This is Nathan Cole and today with me, really excited to have as my guest, Hugh Fink, comic, writer, violinist. He’s been gracious enough to join me here at Disney Hall for a change. Welcome to Stand Partners For Life, Hugh. Hugh Fink: Thank you. It’s great to be here, Nathan, instead of taping a podcast at a smoke filled comedy club, to be in a classy concert hall. I like it. Nathan Cole: We try to keep it classy here at Disney most of the time. Well, we can just jump right into that. I mean, you’ve spent so much of your life in those clubs performing, writing, but what’s not usual for a comic is that you have a serious history as a violinist. We were talking about that just a bit ago, you and I, but give us the quick version of your violin life, because that was either came before or maybe concurrently with your life in comedy. Hugh Fink: Sure. My parents were classical music lovers. My dad was the Attorney for the Indianapolis Symphony, the Musicians Union. As a very young kid I would be taken to these concerts at the orchestra and I loved it. I guess I told my parents at age four or five that I wanted to study violin. They were not so sure about that because they knew it was a tough instrument. They already owned a piano, but they were friends with the concertmaster of the Indianapolis Symphony at the time, Eric Rosenblith. He had known a little about this new Suzuki method, although he was not a proponent of it at all because he was like a pupil of Carl Flesch or some of these old- Nathan Cole: Old school. Hugh Fink: He was super old school, but he wasn’t sure how to tell my parents to start off a five year old with lessons. He wasn’t going to do it. There was a Suzuki teacher, one in Indianapolis, and that’s who I studied with. Nathan Cole: This would have been not so long I bet, after the method really took hold in the U.S. because I started Suzuki and that was early 80’s. Hugh Fink: You are right. I started in the late ’60s. I ended up studying Suzuki for eight years, and going to the Suzuki Summer Institute at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. Nathan Cole: Stevens Point. Okay. Hugh Fink: Right. Shinichi came. Nathan Cole: Wow. Hugh Fink: Yes. I actually was part of the generation where I got to see him live. Nathan Cole: Well, that’s extraordinary. Hugh Fink: It was extraordinary. I didn’t have much interaction with him, but I remember, I think he was chain smoking and he looked like a ripe old age and very Buddha-esque just this is why He didn’t speak much English either, but that was a great experience. I think what it taught me, Nathan, was beyond the violin part, to meet other young violinists who are just normal kids. It was a camp,
In this day and age, when an orchestra can broadcast its performances worldwide (as the Berlin Philharmonic does with its Digital Concert Hall), why would a group like the LA Phil pack up and lumber around the world? That question was on our minds since we just returned from a two-week international tour. Remember, when an orchestra travels, it's not just the 100-odd musicians and perhaps their spouses (and even children)! It's all their instruments as well, the music, luggage, and all kinds of other orchestral detritus. Then you've got the librarians, administrative staff, stage crew, and everyone else who makes the tour go 'round. So in this episode, we talk about the whys, and then the hows. How do you get ready for tour, how do you deal with the strange meal times, how do you adjust for the different halls? We also discuss how tour performances are different from “home base” shows, and what touring does for the orchestra musically. Don't forget, if you haven't yet picked up our free guide to evaluating violin sound, make sure you click here to get it! Transcript Nathan Cole: Hello, and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I am Nathan Cole. Akiko Tarumoto: I'm Akiko Tarumoto. Nathan Cole: And good to have you back. Back in the home studio here in Pasadena. We are recovering from tour. Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah, that's me being jet lagged. Sorry. Nathan Cole: You mean the long pause? Akiko Tarumoto: The long pause and glazed silence. Nathan Cole: Yeah, that's going to be the topic of this episode, all about touring. Just before we dive into it, I did want to remind all of our listeners that if you haven't got our free guide to choosing instruments or upgrading instruments, do make sure you pick that up. That's at standpartnersforlife.com/guide. I'm actually helping someone right now find a new instrument, and it's taken a lot of years and a lot of searches to come up with just how to listen to new instrument sound, unfamiliar instrument sound. You had a hand in putting that together, you've done your own searches. Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah, a few. For the most part I- Nathan Cole: We're not dealers. We're not buying and selling these things all the time. Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah, we don't have the disposable income to be high-end instrument shopping on a regular basis. Nathan Cole: But it was a really fun guide to put together and it'll give you a system, our system, for listening and evaluating. Whether you're looking for an instrument right now or not, it's just great to have a way to organize your thoughts on that. Go ahead and pick that up. Standpartnersforlife.com/guide. It's free and tons of fun, if I do say so myself. We're going to talk about tour today. Just to maybe color our conversation a little bit, I wanted to read a little something that someone wrote to us on iTunes, a review, which I'd love to read. This listener shares a lot of good thoughts. All this is in a constructive vain, but they do mention, “My only comment.” Well, this comes halfway through the comments, so it's not really their only comment. Nathan Cole: But, I think they mean the only criticism would be, “That sometimes the problems you describe regarding your playing and work-life can be seen as a little as ‘first world problems.' I believe that if you've made it to LA Phil and have this amazing job, which is rare in our profession, I would think that anyone would feel accomplished. I feel a lot of negativity coming from the outcome, almost as though all this practice brought you to a place where all the insecurities and frustrations are still the same. I'm sure that you both love what you do. Don't want to come off as though you're better than anyone else, but I hear a lot of complaining.” I think that's fair enough. I think, for me, the phrase in there that sticks out is, “Almost as though all this practice brought you to a place where all the insecurities and frustrations are still the same.” In a way, I think that's true.
In this day and age, when an orchestra can broadcast its performances worldwide (as the Berlin Philharmonic does with its Digital Concert Hall), why would a group like the LA Phil pack up and lumber around the world? That question was on our minds since we just returned from a two-week international tour. Remember, when an orchestra travels, it’s not just the 100-odd musicians and perhaps their spouses (and even children)! It’s all their instruments as well, the music, luggage, and all kinds of other orchestral detritus. Then you’ve got the librarians, administrative staff, stage crew, and everyone else who makes the tour go ’round. So in this episode, we talk about the whys, and then the hows. How do you get ready for tour, how do you deal with the strange meal times, how do you adjust for the different halls? We also discuss how tour performances are different from “home base” shows, and what touring does for the orchestra musically. Don’t forget, if you haven’t yet picked up our free guide to evaluating violin sound, make sure you click here to get it! Transcript Nathan Cole: Hello, and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. I am Nathan Cole. Akiko Tarumoto: I’m Akiko Tarumoto. Nathan Cole: And good to have you back. Back in the home studio here in Pasadena. We are recovering from tour. Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah, that’s me being jet lagged. Sorry. Nathan Cole: You mean the long pause? Akiko Tarumoto: The long pause and glazed silence. Nathan Cole: Yeah, that’s going to be the topic of this episode, all about touring. Just before we dive into it, I did want to remind all of our listeners that if you haven’t got our free guide to choosing instruments or upgrading instruments, do make sure you pick that up. That’s at standpartnersforlife.com/guide. I’m actually helping someone right now find a new instrument, and it’s taken a lot of years and a lot of searches to come up with just how to listen to new instrument sound, unfamiliar instrument sound. You had a hand in putting that together, you’ve done your own searches. Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah, a few. For the most part I- Nathan Cole: We’re not dealers. We’re not buying and selling these things all the time. Akiko Tarumoto: Yeah, we don’t have the disposable income to be high-end instrument shopping on a regular basis. Nathan Cole: But it was a really fun guide to put together and it’ll give you a system, our system, for listening and evaluating. Whether you’re looking for an instrument right now or not, it’s just great to have a way to organize your thoughts on that. Go ahead and pick that up. Standpartnersforlife.com/guide. It’s free and tons of fun, if I do say so myself. We’re going to talk about tour today. Just to maybe color our conversation a little bit, I wanted to read a little something that someone wrote to us on iTunes, a review, which I’d love to read. This listener shares a lot of good thoughts. All this is in a constructive vain, but they do mention, “My only comment.” Well, this comes halfway through the comments, so it’s not really their only comment. Nathan Cole: But, I think they mean the only criticism would be, “That sometimes the problems you describe regarding your playing and work-life can be seen as a little as ‘first world problems.’ I believe that if you’ve made it to LA Phil and have this amazing job, which is rare in our profession, I would think that anyone would feel accomplished. I feel a lot of negativity coming from the outcome, almost as though all this practice brought you to a place where all the insecurities and frustrations are still the same. I’m sure that you both love what you do. Don’t want to come off as though you’re better than anyone else, but I hear a lot of complaining.” I think that’s fair enough. I think, for me, the phrase in there that sticks out is, “Almost as though all this practice brought you to a place where all the insecurities and frustrations are still the same.” In a way, I think that’s true.
Nathan Cole finds out that some of the people stranded in Oblivion don't want to leave and will fight to the death in order to stay.Nathan Cole finds out that some of the people stranded in Oblivion don't want to leave and will fight to the death in order to stay.
Summary What would you do if you showed up to an audition and heard, “OK, when I give you the signal, play something intense. Then on the next signal, more intensity!” Well, that's exactly what happened to double bassist Nate Farrington. Except he was auditioning for a national Honda TV spot, and the mysterious voice belonged to the director! Nate is one of those friends who's always up for a project: he's the guy I'd call if I needed to paint a fence, set up a gas grill, or transport a big piece of furniture. Come to think of it, isn't that last one a big part of the double bassist's life? But Nate is also the guy I'd call if I needed to whip up a duo program in two hours' time. Or if I needed a pair of expert ears to hear an audition list. He's always ready to go, and he has a broad array of musical and extra-musical skills that makes him the perfect fit out here in Hollywood. So even though he spends much of his time playing in symphonies (he's the new principal bass of the LA Opera Orchestra), his interests range far and wide, and he's equally at home creating music as he is re-creating it. He's a frequent collaborator with Rocket Jump Studios, and as you'll discover, he's already spent some time on camera out here as well. Nate and I talk about how to win those juicy commercial roles, as well as the (also juicy?) orchestra auditions. Here's a hint: they both involve lots of preparation and then a letting-go of control! We also get into the differences between some of the big symphony orchestras. Nate has played with just about all of them over the years. He's a real inspiration for finding your own musical voice, or deciding where you fit in the ever-expanding musical universe. Transcript Nathan: [00:00:01] Hi, and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. Along with my wife Akiko Tarumoto, I am Nathan Cole and we are stand partners for life. But today I'm here instead with Nate Farrington, a good friend ever since I moved to L.A. five years ago. So Nate, thanks for being with us today. Nate: [00:00:39] It's my pleasure. Nathan: [00:00:39] Thanks for being with me today. It's not the “royal we” here. Nate is a bass player extraordinaire, and although we went to the same school the Curtis Institute we weren't there at the same time. We met only five years ago when I moved out here to L.A. Nate: [00:00:54] But I felt I'd known you since I was in school… you were, you know, the Nate before me at Curtis that everyone talked about. So it was interesting to connect, you know, to put a face with the name–that's my name. Nathan: [00:01:06] Back then everybody it seemed like all the adults called me Nate and everybody my age called me Nathan. So I sort of hedge my bets I go by Nathan but my website is natesviolin.com. So there's the confusion but you're always Nate. Nate: [00:01:19] I am. Nathan: [00:01:20] Now, you play bass and you play so much of the time in symphony orchestras as I do and a lot of the time with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. But you're a traveling musician. You live in L.A. but you're really all over the place. Tell me a little about how that works. Nate: [00:01:37] In the past five years I've played with Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Columbus, Philadelphia, New York Chicago, Cleveland. I've done concerts in the past with Boston and National and Baltimore and so it's been a pretty interesting ride to me. The Cincinnati Symphony as well and I was slated to play with the San Diego Symphony but but wasn't able to make it that week. It's an incredible variety of music making that happens all over the country. And you know the basic skill set is always the same. The same thing I've been doing since we were little children. But it's interesting to go from spot to spot and see what drives each group differently and how they make their sound the way they do it. It all becomes evident pretty quickly once you start playing with a new group. Nathan: [00:02:24] Now me,
Summary What would you do if you showed up to an audition and heard, “OK, when I give you the signal, play something intense. Then on the next signal, more intensity!” Well, that’s exactly what happened to double bassist Nate Farrington. Except he was auditioning for a national Honda TV spot, and the mysterious voice belonged to the director! Nate is one of those friends who’s always up for a project: he’s the guy I’d call if I needed to paint a fence, set up a gas grill, or transport a big piece of furniture. Come to think of it, isn’t that last one a big part of the double bassist’s life? But Nate is also the guy I’d call if I needed to whip up a duo program in two hours’ time. Or if I needed a pair of expert ears to hear an audition list. He’s always ready to go, and he has a broad array of musical and extra-musical skills that makes him the perfect fit out here in Hollywood. So even though he spends much of his time playing in symphonies (he’s the new principal bass of the LA Opera Orchestra), his interests range far and wide, and he’s equally at home creating music as he is re-creating it. He’s a frequent collaborator with Rocket Jump Studios, and as you’ll discover, he’s already spent some time on camera out here as well. Nate and I talk about how to win those juicy commercial roles, as well as the (also juicy?) orchestra auditions. Here’s a hint: they both involve lots of preparation and then a letting-go of control! We also get into the differences between some of the big symphony orchestras. Nate has played with just about all of them over the years. He’s a real inspiration for finding your own musical voice, or deciding where you fit in the ever-expanding musical universe. Transcript Nathan: [00:00:01] Hi, and welcome back to Stand Partners for Life. Along with my wife Akiko Tarumoto, I am Nathan Cole and we are stand partners for life. But today I’m here instead with Nate Farrington, a good friend ever since I moved to L.A. five years ago. So Nate, thanks for being with us today. Nate: [00:00:39] It’s my pleasure. Nathan: [00:00:39] Thanks for being with me today. It’s not the “royal we” here. Nate is a bass player extraordinaire, and although we went to the same school the Curtis Institute we weren’t there at the same time. We met only five years ago when I moved out here to L.A. Nate: [00:00:54] But I felt I’d known you since I was in school… you were, you know, the Nate before me at Curtis that everyone talked about. So it was interesting to connect, you know, to put a face with the name–that’s my name. Nathan: [00:01:06] Back then everybody it seemed like all the adults called me Nate and everybody my age called me Nathan. So I sort of hedge my bets I go by Nathan but my website is natesviolin.com. So there’s the confusion but you’re always Nate. Nate: [00:01:19] I am. Nathan: [00:01:20] Now, you play bass and you play so much of the time in symphony orchestras as I do and a lot of the time with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. But you’re a traveling musician. You live in L.A. but you’re really all over the place. Tell me a little about how that works. Nate: [00:01:37] In the past five years I’ve played with Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Columbus, Philadelphia, New York Chicago, Cleveland. I’ve done concerts in the past with Boston and National and Baltimore and so it’s been a pretty interesting ride to me. The Cincinnati Symphony as well and I was slated to play with the San Diego Symphony but but wasn’t able to make it that week. It’s an incredible variety of music making that happens all over the country. And you know the basic skill set is always the same. The same thing I’ve been doing since we were little children. But it’s interesting to go from spot to spot and see what drives each group differently and how they make their sound the way they do it. It all becomes evident pretty quickly once you start playing with a new group. Nathan: [00:02:24] Now me,
Recorded on March 22, 2018. Episode 370: Oblivion Song A decade ago, 300,000 citizens of Philadelphia were suddenly lost in Oblivion. The government made every attempt to recover them, but after many years, they gave up. Nathan Cole…won’t. He makes daily trips, risking his life to try and rescue those still living in the apocalyptic … Continue reading
With wife snowed out, husband talks with Nathan Cole about his Mogdar the Frozenheart deck that he played at Gen Con. www.facebook.com/Randoms-Thoughts-1847242575291477 @randomsthoughtspodcast randomsthoughts.wordpress.com/ Twitter: @RandThoughtPod www.youtube.com/channel/UCs6i0Zc-yyGpoSXh9CJv9Zw
A decade ago, 300,000 citizens of Philadelphia were suddenly lost in Oblivion. The government made every attempt to recover them, but after many years, they gave up. Nathan Cole...won't. He makes daily trips, risking his life to try and rescue those still living in the apocalyptic hellscape of Oblivion. But maybe...Nathan is looking for something else? Why can't he resist the siren call of the Oblivion Song? With your hosts Brian, Joe, Rebekah and Rod from Number One Comic Books podcast
Welcome to the inaugural episode of Number One Comic Books! In Issue #1 each of our 4 hosts bring a book to a roundtable discussion. 4 books are Oblivion Song, Shade The Changing Woman, Prism Stalking and Gideon Falls. We'll let you know if these books are something you should jump on or if it's something you should jump off. (Joe's Pick) GIDEON FALLS from Image Comics Story: Jeff Lemire Art / Cover: Andrea Sorrentino A brand-new ongoing series from the acclaimed bestselling creative team of Old Man Logan and Green Arrow! The lives of a reclusive young man obsessed with a conspiracy in the city’s trash, and a washed-up Catholic priest arriving in a small town full of dark secrets, become intertwined around the mysterious legend of TheBlack Barn, an otherworldly building that is alleged to have appeared in both the city and the small town, throughout history, bringing death and madness in its wake. Rural mystery and urban horror collide in this character-driven meditation on obsession, mental illness, and faith. (Rod's Pick) PRISM STALKER from Image Comics Story / Art: Sloane Leong PRISM STALKER, an ongoing sci-fi adventure series by SLOANE LEONG. Vep is a young refugee raised away from her devastated home planet as an indentured citizen in a foreign colony. She works tirelessly for her insectoid hosts, but there is no exit in sight in this viscous, dripping citynest. The eye of opportunity is closing. Her duty is to her family and her siblings, but what more can she do for them here? The answer appears faster than she is ready for. (Rebekah's Pick) SHADE THE CHANGING WOMAN from DC's Young Animal Written by: Cecil Castellucci Art by: Marley Zarcone Shade has shed her alien identity. She’s stepped out of her original Earth body and into another one. Now, free of the burdens of any past life, and finally on her own,she sets out to see more of her new home. But how does she cope when the madness takes all the human emotions she was forced to confront in the Milk Wars and turns them into a bouillabaisse of memory and confusion? And to make it even more challenging, Shade must also face her namesake, the original Changing Man. (Brian's Pick) OBLIVION SONG from Robert Kirkman Story: Robert Kirkman Art: Lorenzo De Felici A decade ago, 300,000 citizens of Philadelphia were suddenly lost in Oblivion. The government made every attempt to recover them, but after many years, they gave up. Nathan Cole...won't. He makes daily trips, risking his life to try and rescue those still living in the apocalyptic hellscape of Oblivion. But maybe...Nathan is looking for something else? Why can't he resist the siren call of the Oblivion Song?
We’re chatting with violinist Nathan Cole on today’s podcast. Nathan is a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and has just released a new podcast called Stand Partners for Life. Nathan and his wife Akiko (also a member of the LA Phil) have all sorts of exciting plans for this new venture. We dig into Nathan’s journey through music, getting into tech, the motivations behind launching a podcast, and much more. Enjoy, and be sure to subscribe to this new podcast! About Nathan Cole: First Associate Concertmaster Nathan Cole, who joined the LA Phil in 2011, has appeared as guest concertmaster with the orchestras of Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Houston, Ottawa, Seattle, and Oregon. He was previously a member of the Chicago Symphony and Principal Second Violin of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. A native of Lexington, KY, he made his debut with the Louisville Orchestra at the age of ten while studying with Donna Wiehe. After eight years working with Daniel Mason, Cole enrolled at the Curtis Institute of Music. In addition to his studies there with Pamela Frank, Felix Galimir, Ida Kavafian, and Jaime Laredo, Cole formed the Grancino String Quartet, debuting in New York’s Weill Hall. Several summers at Marlboro enriched his love of chamber music. Nathan’s articles and videos on practicing, performing, teaching, and auditioning have helped thousands of violinists worldwide. Visit natesviolin.com for the complete collection. In addition to his online teaching, Nathan is currently on faculty at the Colburn School for the Performing Arts, with classes at the Colburn Conservatory and USC. His articles and photographs have also appeared in Strings, Symphony, and Chamber Music magazines. Nathan is married to Akiko Tarumoto, the LA Phil’s Assistant Concertmaster. Together they host the podcast Stand Partners for Life, which is a weekly “inside look” at the symphony life. Visit standpartnersforlife.com to listen. Nathan and Akiko live in Pasadena with their three children Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle! Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by: Robertson & Sons Violins For more than four decades, Robertson & Sons has specialized in providing the highest quality stringed instruments and bows to collectors, professional musicians, music educators, and students of all ages. Their modern facility is equipped with three instrument showrooms as well as a beautiful Recital Hall available to our clients to in their search for the perfect instrument and/or bow. D'Addario Strings This episode is brought to you by D'Addario Strings! Check out their Kaplan strings, which have versatility and control throughout the dynamic spectrum, rich tonal color palette, superb bow response, and beautiful balance. Upton Bass String Instrument Company Upton's Karr Model Upton Double Bass represents an evolution of our popular first Karr model, refined and enhanced with further input from Gary Karr. Since its introduction, the Karr Model with its combination of comfort and tone has gained a loyal following with jazz and roots players. The slim, long “Karr neck” has even become a favorite of crossover electric players. A440 Violin Shop An institution in the Roscoe Village neighborhood for over 20 years, A440's commitment to fairness and value means that we have many satisfied customers from the local, national, and international string playing communities. Our clients include major symphony orchestras, professional orchestra and chamber music players, aspiring students, amateur adult players, all kinds of fiddlers, jazz and commercial musicians, university music departments, and public schools. Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!
With the 10th annual Chamber Music Festival of Lexington getting started, we called up artistic director Nathan Cole to talk about his memories of the festival's beginning, how it has evolved, and his hopes for the future. The festival runs Aug. 18-28, 2016. Visit LexGo.com or Chambermusiclex.com to learn more. Photo from the 2013 festival by Rich Copley.
Swag - Version 9 [Jus' Trax] C-Soul - Do The Funk [Is This] Metta & JT Love - 4 Day Shuffle [HDS] Tribalation - Skywalking [Loaded] Boom! - Boy Versus Girls (Peace Division's Boomin' Dub) [London Records] Impossible Beings - Greasy Kittens [End Recordings] Nathan Cole & David Coker - Summer Acid [Wiggle] Mr C. - Tech House [End Recordings] G Flame & Mr G - Hustle [Phoenix G] Pure Science - Ooaahh [Pure Science Communications] Viper - The Twister (Terry Francis Ruff Tuff Dub) [Hooj Choons] Terry Francis - Two Point Five [Pagan] Eddie Richards - Droids [Tronic Soundz] Rocket - People (Rob Mello's No Ears Dub) [NRK] Nathan Coles & David Coker - Bing Bong [Wiggle] Get Fucked - De Icing [Eukahouse] Daniel Stefanik - Confidence (Mr G Remix) [Cocoon] Joeski - Method [Siesta] Layo & Bushwacka! - Love Story [XL] The Producers - Flying The Funky Path [End Recordings] Soul Grabber - Release [Loaded] Green Velvet - Flash (Timo Maas Dirty Dub) [F-111] Pascal Vegas - I Know You Like It (Raw Fuzz Mix) [Yoshitoshi] Cevin Fisher - Music Saved My Life (Pete Heller's Groovejet Moment Mix) [Sm:)e]
Swag - Version 9 [Jus' Trax] C-Soul - Do The Funk [Is This] Metta & JT Love - 4 Day Shuffle [HDS] Tribalation - Skywalking [Loaded] Boom! - Boy Versus Girls (Peace Division's Boomin' Dub) [London Records] Impossible Beings - Greasy Kittens [End Recordings] Nathan Cole & David Coker - Summer Acid [Wiggle] Mr C. - Tech House [End Recordings] G Flame & Mr G - Hustle [Phoenix G] Pure Science - Ooaahh [Pure Science Communications] Viper - The Twister (Terry Francis Ruff Tuff Dub) [Hooj Choons] Terry Francis - Two Point Five [Pagan] Eddie Richards - Droids [Tronic Soundz] Rocket - People (Rob Mello's No Ears Dub) [NRK] Nathan Coles & David Coker - Bing Bong [Wiggle] Get Fucked - De Icing [Eukahouse] Daniel Stefanik - Confidence (Mr G Remix) [Cocoon] Joeski - Method [Siesta] Layo & Bushwacka! - Love Story [XL] The Producers - Flying The Funky Path [End Recordings] Soul Grabber - Release [Loaded] Green Velvet - Flash (Timo Maas Dirty Dub) [F-111] Pascal Vegas - I Know You Like It (Raw Fuzz Mix) [Yoshitoshi] Cevin Fisher - Music Saved My Life (Pete Heller's Groovejet Moment Mix) [Sm:)e]
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