Asking for Help

When I graduated from college, I was not prepared to be out in the professional world. How was I supposed to navigate this? Was I supposed to be fully formed and ready to enter any situation with knowledge and confidence?

I didn't know what to do, and it didn't even occur to me to ask for help.

(I'm sure I wasn't the only one like this. Why do we musicians think we should be able to handle everything on our own once we leave school?)

At this time of year, many of you are planning out your upcoming academic year. Are you going back to school? Thinking of applying for another degree? Maybe you don't feel quite ready to navigate the professional world just yet.

When I finished my Bachelor's, I didn’t want to go to grad school. I was already in debt up the wazoo and couldn’t afford it anyway.

What I REALLY wanted was a job.

Orchestra work sounded ideal, but I had no idea how to win an audition. I needed someone who could guide me, answer my questions, steer me in the right direction, and give me encouragement as I made my way into this scary, professional world.

I needed a teacher/therapist/mother/excerpt expert. In other words, I needed a coach.

But coaches didn’t exist in those days. So I had to finagle time with teachers who taught me how to play the excerpts, colleagues who listened and practiced with me, friends who would listen to my woes, and several expensive audition experiences under my belt to finally get a job.

There were so many things I didn't know about how to prepare for an audition. Luckily for me, I worked with Ron Leonard, Principal Cello of the LA Philharmonic, who showed me the pitfalls of each excerpt and what the committee specifically wanted to hear.

Without Ron's guidance, I might not have ever won a job.

I have now been in the LA Phil for more years than I can count. The knowledge and experience I have gained as a member of the cello section and through my work with the Auditions Committee have given me a unique perspective on what is required to win a job.

At this point in my life, I've played all the major works many, many times. The most important thing to me these days is passing on my knowledge to the next generation.

I have had a wonderful career. I'd love to show other people how they can do the same thing.

I want to tell you that you don't have to do it alone. If you want to have a free 30-minute strategy session to talk about your next moves, book an appointment here and let's get started on your journey!