Notes From Backstage

You asked, we answered: today’s episode is a Q&A before we sign off for the summer! We are so appreciative of every single comment and conversation we’ve had so far, and today we answer questions about our childhoods, finding motivation when you’re in a slump, advice we'd give soon-to-be music school graduates, and more. We’ll be back in the autumn for Season 2; until then, we hope you have a wonderful & music-filled summer! 

Cost isn’t the only barrier to live classical music. The stigma surrounding concert hall etiquette and expectations is doing more harm than good, so what do we need to change to make everyone feel welcome? In this episode we talk about our own negative experiences in concert venues, what we want to change, and highlight artists, venues, and programs that are prioritizing the audience experience in new and exciting ways. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/apr/10/classicalmusicandopera.comment1

How do we take care of our bodies in careers that don’t historically support physical health? If it’s a choice between practicing and working out, how do we make that choice? Today we talk about our own journeys with physical health, the injuries we’ve experienced when we’ve neglected it, and how we realistically incorporate fitness into our chaotic schedules. Study Mentioned: "From Mental Power to Muscle Power -Gaining Strength by Using the Mind" by Ranganathan, Siemionow, Liu, Sahgal & Yue https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7247969_From_Mental_Power_to_Muscle_Power-Gaining_Strength_by_Using_the_Mind

How do you avoid burnout as a musician? How do you take a hold of life before life takes a hold of you? And how do you find what actually brings you joy and inspires you as an artist? In this episode we’re talking about the importance of rest, how to realistically make time for rest in your life, and perspectives we’ve gained from spending time away from the instrument. Resources mentioned:Do Pause: You are not a To Do list by Robert Poynton Stolen Focus by Johan Hari⁠Michelle Obama Has Advice Every Woman Needs to Hear on Baby, This is Keke Palmer⁠ ⁠Alysa Liu Olympic Gold Medal Performance⁠ ⁠Alysa Liu rewiring your neural pathways for 4 minutes⁠

Traveling with a cello is not for the faint of heart. It seems no matter what you do something will always go wrong, and there’s not one straightforward way to book tickets for the cello. In this episode we talk about our personal flying horror stories; which airlines to use and which ones to avoid; and a step-by-step guide to flying with a cello, from booking your ticket to takeoff.