Last week I spoke with Karen on Marketing for Musicians, and we discussed boundaries and showing your uniqueness to the world, and understand who you are serving. In today's conversation, I spoke with Karen about another part of her specialty - career coach, and dig into how people have different definitions of success, and to find the answers from within. Karen Cubides is the passionate and engaging founder and CEO of the Karen Cubides Agency based in Nashville, Tennessee. Her holistic approach to coaching her clients allows her to serve a wide range of well-established musicians and young pr ..read more

Conducting auditions are something that's hard to navigate as each organization and ensemble does look for different things, but no one would disqualify a good conductor! Typically, an audition for an assistant conductor would be only 10-15 minutes, while a music director audition might be a full rehearsal (2-3 hour), or even a concert cycle consisting 4-6 rehearsals, depending on the ensemble's schedule. My objective of all conducting auditions is to share my musical ideas with the ensemble while demonstrating a representation of how my typical rehearsal flows. Some Tips: Only verbally ask f ..read more

Today’s episode is the second half of my conversation with a long-time friend, Kevin Fitzgerald, current Associate Conductor of the Jacksonville Symphony. Last week we spoke about preparing for job applications and auditions, and today we will continue the conversation and hear all the behind the scene stories of navigating the business. As 2021 Tanglewood Music Center Conducting Fellow and four-time recipient of Career Assistance Grants from The Solti Foundation U.S., Kevin Fitzgerald is at the forefront of the next generation of conductors. Recently, Kevin was invited as one of the twenty co ..read more

In today's episode, you will hear the first half of my conversation with a long-time friend, Kevin Fitzgerald, current Associate Conductor of the Jacksonville Symphony. We went way back to my years at the Eastman School of Music, and it's such a pleasure to speak with him on the topic of preparing for job applications and auditions. As 2021 Tanglewood Music Center Conducting Fellow and four-time recipient of Career Assistance Grants from The Solti Foundation U.S., Kevin Fitzgerald is at the forefront of the next generation of conductors. Recently, Kevin was invited as one of the twenty conduc ..read more

Should I enter a graduate program? Look for jobs? Go to masterclasses? Those are some questions that I got asked the most. For us conductors, we have to create our own curriculum, our own path, and to make decisions all the time. In today's episode, I will share with you three main factors to consider when figuring out "what's next:" YOUR MUSICIANSHIP You have to be a good conductor, and that includes your techniques and your knowledge. Your being a good conductor is the most important thing you can deliver. So here are the questions I always ask myself: am I a good conductor? Am I continue ..read more

Last week I spoke with social media guru Nicole Riccardo about how musicians can create a meaningful online community through social media. She generously provided a lot of tips and suggestions for my listeners. When we talk about marketing, curating an image of our own for the world, it's unavoidable to discuss one's brand. Are you struggling with defining your "brand" or finding your "niche"? What are some possible ways we can market ourselves better through our social media presences and reach our career goals? In today's episode, you will hear the second half of my conversation with flutis ..read more

I am not a person who is naturally good at social media - when I say I'm an introvert, many people would seem surprised, but I am really awkward starting a conversation with strangers. Flutist turned digital marketer, Nicole Riccardo, the Founder & President of NR Media was introduced to me through a common flutist friend years ago when I was just naively debating whether I should learn more about social media and started to cultivate an online profile. In today's episode, you will hear the first half of our conversation focusing on building a meaningful online community, and she will shar ..read more

Conducting is never about swinging your arms - left and right as you command the flow of music to your delight. Conducting is embracing your personal strengths, expressing it through music and letting it create a rippled effect to its viewers and listeners.  This is one of the reasons why Anna Edwards is beyond passionate in breaking the barriers of the conducting industry. She wants aspiring conductors  to understand that there's more to it than just waving their arms.  Tune in this episode of the Conductor's Podcast and be enlightened on how Anna fosters diversity and indivi ..read more

As the largest body of an orchestra, it's always great to have a string sectional to unify style, articulation, and even phrasing. If you are not a string player yourself, what are the mistakes to avoid when leading a string sectional? Instead of: Get stuck in bowing discussions Not knowing your terms Give instructions on bowing or fingering  Do this: Always have a set of bowings marked in the part before distributing them  Describe the sounds you want Let the principals / concertmaster adjust things as they see fit Get help, be over-prepared, and bring an open mind to see what ..read more

Welcome Back to Season 2 of The Conductor's Podcast!  With a carefully designed season, we will be focusing on Conductors How-To and share all the tips on planning efficient rehearsals, preparing for auditions, giving a great job interview, marketing and branding for musicians, and even more!  All About Chaowen Ting & The Conductor's Podcast (Website ..read more