Let's Quartet

The musical landscape is vast with many areas you can express yourself. But how do you figure out where you should be?Doug Balliett is a musician based in NY who has found fulfillment in early music, composing, and teaching courses on the Beatles. In this episode we talk about:University vs. ConservatoryThe 'orchestra life'The language of early musicThe difficulty most people have with early musicDoing what you love (after deep thought and reflection)Read the transcript at: nathanco...

In this episode, we talk with David Shifrin. Renowned clarinetist, artistic director, and wonderful artist. Early beginning in music Teaching philosophyHow he approaches performancesThe role of an artistic directorFinding intent in the musicLearn more about David hereThanks for listening! If you enjoy it, please share :)

In this episode I talk about sound - it was the big takeaway for me (besides the special prize we won!) after hearing some amazing quartets at the Wigmore competition. Sound is at once simple yet so complicated and finding a group sound is very difficult, but I'll give you everything you need to get started. I'll break down why a group sound is so important for every group, how to practice finding your group sound, and what it should feel like when you've got it.You can find the workshop that...

View transcript Today, I'll be answering a question from a musician just like you! And in the process we'll talk about how to format your rehearsals so you can work on the right thing at the right time.

View transcriptRecording. We all know we should do it, but how do we make it a regular part of our rehearsals and, most importantly, how do we listen back so that it's helpful and not just painful.

To download the worksheet, click here.View the transcriptMany of us start rehearsing without having thought about what the exact goal of that specific rehearsal is. The result? Some wasted time and a foggy idea of what was actually accomplished.In this episode I'm going to break down what setting goals looks like and how they can transform your rehearsals and performances. It's not complicated, but it does take a little thought and effort.Have a question or topic you'd like me to talk about o...

Hello and welcome to Let’s Quartet!I’m Nathan Cottrell and this show is all about chamber music. Making great music in a small ensemble is hard, really hard, and for so long it was a mystery to me. Why did some groups seem to work really well instantly and why did others totally fall apart?25ish years of playing the cello and dozens of different ensembles later, I’ve wasted a lot of time, made a lot of mistakes, and most importantly - learned a lot. I’m excited to share these tips and in...