The Modern Classical Musician

Lara St. John is a Canadian-American violinist who has successfully adapted to embrace the internet as part of her career strategy. 

She produces her own CDs and sells them through CD Baby, publishes a number of creative videos on YouTube and combines classical and non-classical music in her performances and recordings. For example, her last CD features Vivaldi's 17th century Four Seasons followed by Astor Piazzola's 20th century Four Seasons.

Elisha Abas and Duke Amayo

As I wrote in my last post about combining rock and classical music, I came across a fascinating cooperation between Elisha Abas, a world famous concert pianist and Duke Amayo, the band leader of the Afro-beat ensemble, Anti Balas.

Abas and Mayo both believe that music is for everyone and they held a joined concert at the performing and music education space Afro-Spot in Brooklyn.

The aim was to attract many young people to hear music of all genres. Abas played pieces by the classical composers Chopin and Rachmaninoff and Amayo followed Abas' performance with a dance set of Afro-beat music.

The Wordless Music Series

The Wordless Music Series is a very innovative music series that combines rock and classical music. Its aim is to show through its concerts the continuity and the connection between rock and classical music genres.

Its concerts take place in intimate spaces such as Le Poisson Rouge or different churches and feature rock artist and traditional classical musicians playing together.

YouTube Orchestra

YouTube is creating a symphony orchestra called the Internet Orchestra. This orchestra will be meeting in April this year in New York and will perform in Carnegie Hall.

Musicians had to submit their audition videos to YouTube by January 28th. Those selected to participate will work with composer Tan Dun and conductor Michael Tilson Thomas. The performance will be broadcast live globally through the internet.

Indaba

Indaba is an online community of musicians that allows musicians to learn about each other and each other's work.

It is also a place where musicians can expose themselves and their work. They can submit a recording of their playing or of their original piece. They can find and connect with other musicians and they can chat or blog about their work or about anything that may interest other musicians.

White Nights Around the Globe

The "White Nights" music celebration, celebrated originally in St. Petersburg thanks to its northern geographic location and its large population's interest in music is becoming a world wide celebration Thanks to the Internet.

During the months of May to July, when the sun never fully sets in St. Petersburg, the city holds hundreds of concerts that start at 12:00 midnight and continue through the night. New York is joining the celebration this summer, even without sun light, and New York musicians are going to play concerts starting at midnight during this period of time.

In addition to the excitement of White Nights celebration, some New York artists are going to stream the music live to St. Petersburg and other cities, which allow people to celebrate White Nights around the clock.

Video Conference MSM and Columbia

A collaboration between Manhattan School of Music, MSM, and Columbia University changes the ability of musicians to reach their audience.

By using Columbia's high speed connection to Internet2 teachers at MSM, who are busy performers, can keep their tour schedule and still teach students by using video conference. They can also teach students in more remote places where the chance of students to study with such artists without the new technology is rare.

Performances are also streamed live and a concert played in NY can be heard and viewed simultaneously at a number different geographic locations.

So who and where is your audience now?

Music Business Radio

Here is a very interesting interview broadcast on Music Business Radio with the best selling author and advocate for change, Seth Godin. In the Interview Godin talks about the change in the music industry due to the Internet and how musicians and music industry can adapt to it.

Interview with bassist-composer Pawel Knapik

Pawel Knapik is an established double bass player and composer who lives in New York City and has performed in four continents.

When did you start playing the bass?

Pawel: Initially, I was supposed to be a physicist. While attending a special school for math and physics our math teacher, who was an avid harmonica player, suggested that my friends and I form a blues band. I was always drawn to the low register’s depth and richness, so I picked up the bass guitar. I was 15 years old then and lived in Wroclaw, Poland. As I was coming from a scientific background, I felt a need for a formal music education, so I applied to a music school. But to my dismay, there was no bass guitar taught at the school and I was offered the double bass instead. I like challenges so I decided to pick up the double bass. I immediately fell in love with it and never looked back. I find performing much more interesting and rewarding than solving mathematical riddles and equations.

How did you end up coming to the United States?

Pawel: After finishing my Master of Arts degree in Poland in an accelerated path I was offered scholarships in three different places: Oslo, Berlin, and New York. As I always wanted to come to New York as a musician, I chose the latter. And in 1999, I proceeded to receive my Master’s of Music at Manhattan School of Music in New York City.

How do you promote yourself as a musician?

Pawel: Besides all old-world networking techniques, I keep a very active online profile. Since the year 2000, I have a website and I maintain it quite regularly. In fact, I just updated it yesterday following last Sunday’s premiere of my original piece for double bass solo entitled “Westbeth Capriccio” at the St. Mark’s in-the-Bowery Church.

What else?

Pawel: I also belong to several social and professional online communities such as: MySpace music, which allows musicians to post sound files, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.

What do you do on Facebook?

Pawel: I keep in touch with friends through messages, wall posts, and image exchange. But I don’t like to get obsessive about it, meaning I don’t inform everybody when I barbecue my chicken, water my plants, or rosin my bow. That's what Twitter is for.

Do you promote yourself on Facebook?

Pawel: Yes, I do, but in moderation.

So how?

Pawel: I post my most important performances as posters or fliers and I invite people to those events by using Facebook’s applications that allow me to reach people across the globe easily. As a result, even those who are not able to attend the performance are aware of it; they can see the images and virtually participate.

Do you prefer one social network to another?

Pawel: These days social networks are mushrooming at an amazing pace. You are being inundated with invitations to join every week. My take on it is that more and more desperate people realize that there is money to be made and that’s why they create those websites. It seems to me that at the moment Facebook is the best alternative because it’s more direct and user friendly than other sites.

How do you know that your efforts online make a difference in your career?

Pawel: I know that it saves me time and that it has a global grasp. Also, it gives me the tools to promote myself in a more efficient manner that otherwise I would not have done.

Do you notice other musicians’ promotion online?

Pawel: Yes, they promote themselves in a similar way, but some overdo it. They may flood your mailbox, and the tackiest ones might flood your cell phone inbox, which you have to pay for, with tons of their promotional material. It’s like in the story about a boy calling to be rescued from a non-existing wolf. When the wolf finally shows up nobody bothers to listen to the boy’s cry for help. I think that there is a fine line that one should be close to, but not overstep in promoting yourself.

Would you like to see an application that helps measure how effective your online efforts are?

Pawel: It could be helpful, but it’s not necessary.  For musicians, awareness is as important as attendance, as it can lead to future performance opportunities. As with all technology or advance, you really benefit from it only when you are one of the very first few to have it at your disposal.

Anything to add or any suggestions?

Pawel: Don’t forget to live your lives! 

Update to interview with cellist Yoed Nir

Just wanted to post the link to Yoed Nir's Myspace profile. http://www.myspace.com/yoednir

To Be Creative

Miri Ben Ari is a very famous hip hop violinist.

Miri Ben Ari started her violin studies in Israel as a classical violinist. She attended the Thelma Yelin art high school, the same high school as I did in Israel. She was always a decent violinist and was a shy, modest person.

When she came to the US no one though much of her. She was poor and barely spoke English. But after a few years she started befriending the hip hop musician community and quickly became a huge success story. The audience she targets is definitely an Internet friendly audience. She promotes herself online actively through her website and YouTube videos and has a large young fan group both on and off line.

You can find some links to her videos:
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Economic crisis in music

As the economical crisis continues the arts are suffering some of the consequences as well. Some small orchestras fold and art foundations disappear. Existing orchestras reduce the number of players and schedule fewer concerts. But nobody really expected such sign of trouble from The Metropolitan Opera company in Lincoln Center. 

It was shocking to hear that the opera company borrowed money against the giant Chagall paintings hanging in the opera house's lobby. This year's deficit is apparently $40 million and the endowment shrank from over $300 million to about $200 million.

This is some scary news to the music world.

Is this the future of concert halls?

Following my interview with Anna, who mentioned the venue "Le Poisson Rouge," I became very curious about it and some research. I learned that Le Poisson Rouge is a place that combines art in all forms as long as they are innovative.

It is in a great location, situated on 158 Bleecker Street at the corner of Thompson, a spot that used to be the historic Bleecker Street club "The Village Gate." And the place offers a winning combination of art, food and alcohol.

At Le Poisson Rouge audiences can hear a rock band or a classical string quartet, watch an Ingmar Bergman movie or see a 2008 documentary all during the same week. It was founded by musicians and its target audience is very diverse and large. But it seems like they really target a younger crowd. Not surprisingly, on their website I found out that Le Poisson Rouge has a profile on Facebook and Twitter. It publishes itself on YouTube, has an RSS feed and users can listen to some of its featured music through the internet radio station, last.fm.

I think that I'll go to see one of their shows next week.

Interview with violinist Anna Elashvili

Anna Elashvili is a great violinist that lives in New York and recently joined the Bryant Park Quartet as the first violinist.

When did you start playing the violin and why?

Anna: I started when I was three years old. I actually went to a concert of the Baltimore symphony and the violinist Itzhak Perlman was playing solo. After the concert my sister and I both declared that we wanted to play the violin. I was two at the time so I was too young to start but my mom made me a cardboard violin, it was pink and red and I played with it until they got me a real violin for my third birthday

What did you end up doing with the cardboard violin?

Anna: I kept it for a long time but eventually I got rid of it, I still remember exactly what it looked like. I also remember my mom sitting on the porch and making it for me.

So how was it at the beginning?

Anna: I really loved it, I guess I had a stage personality. Something about playing for public inspires me.

Do you get nervous when you perform today?

Anna: Of course, sometimes more and sometimes less. I usually get more nervous for house concerts than for anything else. But it’s always worth the nerves.

What are your career goals?

Anna: Now that I’m a member f the Bryant Park Quartet I hope that this will fill the majority of my performance. I see myself as a chamber musician!

How do you promote yourself?

Anna: As a quartet a lot of our promotion is through contacts that are already established. For myself I have a website and I try to play for a lot of people. I don’t feel that I do PR staff, I think I should do more of it. I always felt that I present myself better when I’m part of something I really believe in, like the quartet.

Do you use social networks to promote yourself?

Anna: I use them a little bit. I don’t like to spend a lot of time on the Internet. I prefer face to face contact. I have a profile on Myspace but I don’t really use it anymore.

Why?

Anna: I don’t talk the Internet talk. I also prefer Facebook to Myspace. In Myspace you get a lot of junk. Facebook is a more connected system. It somehow seems different to me. Facebook helps me to reconnect with old friends. I usually don’t look at Facebook invites. I prefer email or phone invitation. I’m lazy about the Internet.

Do you notice other musicians’ promotion online?

Anna: Yes, some people , especially the independent rock groups do a lot of promotion online and it really works for them. The classical world still functions more by word of mouth and reputation. It’s really a different energy.

Do yo think it’s good that classical music is behind?

Anna: It’s probably not good, but it’s a package deal. For example Le Poisson Rouge, a venue space down town, almost always packs the space. They combine new classical music with independent Rock. It’s packed because it’s hip and experimental. SO I think it's very important to remember that your venue and its presentation should connect to how you promote yourself especially online.

Interview with oboist Roni Gal-Ed

Roni Gal-Ed is a very accomplished oboist who plays as an orchestral as well as a chamber musician in all continents. She is currently an oboist with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra in Israel.

When did you start playing?

Roni: I started playing when I was twelve years old. I was eight when my dad took me to a concert of a baroque oboe player and I fell in love with the oboe. My dad took me back stage and I tried playing the oboe there and by sheer luck I made a good sound immediately. Since then, I was obsessed with the oboe until I was old enough to start playing it.

So how was it at the beginning?

Roni: I didn’t actually love it at the beginning. It was difficult to make a goods sound and my brothers made fun of me all the time. They would stand outside of my room and imitate my sound when I practiced and they kept telling me that I sounded like a dying duck.

Do you use Facebook?

Roni: I have a profile on Facebook but I don't promote myself as a musician on it. If someone google me he sees a program or a festival I participated in and there he can see my CV and all the relevant information. I also don’t have a website.

Do you promote yourself online?

Roni: I have a fixed orchestra job and after studying in Europe and working there for a few years I have my connections there as well, so I don’t feel that I need to promote myself online.

What do you use Facebook for?

Roni: I use it just so I can stay in touch with friends.

Do you use any other social networks?

Roni: No.

Do you notice other musicians’ promotion online?

Roni: I noticed that other musicians write on their Facebook profile what they play, where they perform or with which orchestra. I think it’s a good thing. But I don’t think it’s really necessary.

What if you don’t have an orchestra job?

Roni: I think I’ll have to promote myself online when I move here to New York because I won't have an orchestra job and I'll be new here.

What will you do?

Roni: I'll probably have a website. I’ll also get in touch with musicians I know here and let them know that I’m here and looking for work.

How do you explain performing a lot without promotion?

Roni: I was never trying to be a big soloist and in Germany I was in a really good oboe class so if someone needed an oboist they knew about me through the class.

My network was basically created through word of mouth. I played in the Munich Philharmonic under James Levine so this gave me a good reputation in Germany and in Europe.

I also think that when someone promotes themselves too much or in an aggressive way it makes people suspect that they are not too good. It can really get to you when one sends pictures and messages constantly.

The most important thing is how you play.

How about networking?

Roni: I think it's important to network. You can do it by playing for conductors and leading musicians. But mostly when you’re young. I used to do that before I was 20. That’s when you build your career and these people can help give your career the desired direction.

Since the age of 23 my aim was to be a principle oboist in an orchestra. Before than I played some solo. When you play principle oboe you can play in orchestra and play some solo as well.

Any suggestions for musicians?

Roni: Young musicians should try to participate in many festivals so they can play for important soloists and teachers and create connections. They should play chamber music with musicians that are on their level and higherr. And it’s very important to be on good terms with everybody because the music world is a small world and you end up meeting the same people over and over. You never know who you’ll need one day.

Buy or Print?

Musicians don't have to run to the music store and buy expensive scores each time they want to learn a new piece or prepare an excerpt for an orchestra audition.  They don't even have to order the score online from Amazon, and pay for shipping and wait 4-10 days until it arrives.

There are a number of websites that offer downloadable music scores for a reasonable price. Sheet Music Direct is one site that allows a user to listen to music, print it and transpose it.

Another website is FreeHand which allows the user to, in addition to downloading and printing, also manipulate and change the tempo, key and instrumentation of the piece to suit a musician's needs.

I browsed the Internet a little longer and discovered many more websites where a user can download music scores, but most of them offered only pop music. Finding a Mozart violin concerto score for download was much more difficult. I found Scribd, a website that allowed users to download music, but there was no option to manipulate or change the score in any way.

Publishing companies, who own the rights to the printed music, are the biggest barrier to publishing scores online. They are afraid to be in the record companies' position having to sue people who break the copyright laws and copy the part. Further, publishing companies won't be bale to charge as much money for their parts sold online, because their customers will shoulder the burden of printing and binding their own scores.

Buying the parts of Mozart's ten celebrated string quartets on the Internet costs at least $40 without shipping. The parts of three Beethoven string quartets published by Henle costs, when ordering online and after a price reduction, $63.96.

Isn't it about time that classical musicians will benefit from modern technology and stop being held by the greed of publishing giants and record companies?

Musical Network

One of my homework assignments this week was to map out my social network within my program in school. And since I am a violinist and most people in my program work within the communications field, I thought this assignment was going to be really hard and humiliating for me. I thought I didn't make many contacts throughout my years in the program and expected to sit in front of a blank page and wonder which name I could write in my non-existent network.

But to my surprise, I was wrong. I sat down in front of a page and the names just kept pouring out. One after another, I remembered people I worked with on various group projects, people I sat next to throughout a semester and people with whom I went out for a drink on different occasions.

The page filled up quickly and when I typed the map on a power point slide I ran out of space and had to use different sizing and spacing tricks in order to fit at least some of my network's nodes on the slide.

Then I realized how easy it is to network and how natural it is for people to create ties with each other. Without a consious effort, it seems I have created a network of connections in my program in school. This makes me wonder how big my network is in the music world. I've been playing the violin since I was seven years old, and for many years all the people I met were only musicians.

The classical music world is relatively small. And even though the network is spread out across many continents, it's easy for musicians to meet each other because they travel often and perform in different countries. Almost in every concert I play I meet someone who performed with another musician with whom I've worked. Recently, thanks to social networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace, it's easier to keep in touch with the different musicians I work with, even if they live on a different continent.

I think that if I tried to map out my music network it would be very large and extremely complicated, something resembling a Bach fugue. So I think I'm I am going to try.