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 professionals alike in unique and personal ways. Through her intimate understanding of the relationship between personal growth and professional achievement, Karen builds up the individual, the artist, and the professional within each of her clients as they master goal-setting, lifestyle balance, and the nuances of our evolving industry. Her commitment, care, and creativity have connected her with incredible individuals and organizations across the world. Karen founded her agency early in her career out of her empathy for the people she worked with and admired. She firmly believes that musicians do not have to choose between promising careers and fulfilling personal lives. Her compassion has driven her time and again to better herself and her agency to bring out the best in each of her clients, both personally and professionally. By understanding and assessing the whole individual and not the performer exclusively, her clients continue to thrive in their creative passions and In their personal relationships. Karen has had the privilege of working with musicians of all backgrounds, from bird land to Broadway and from the Philharmonic to the Blair School of Music.All About Chaowen Ting

Today's episode is a must listen for musicians as we learn marketing for ourselves, create opportunities and put ourselves out there for business!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 professionals alike in unique and personal ways. Through her intimate understanding of the relationship between personal growth and professional achievement, Karen builds up the individual, the artist, and the professional within each of her clients as they master goal-setting, lifestyle balance, and the nuances of our evolving industry. Her commitment, care, and creativity have connected her with incredible individuals and organizations across the world. Karen founded her agency early in her career out of her empathy for the people she worked with and admired. She firmly believes that musicians do not have to choose between promising careers and fulfilling personal lives. Her compassion has driven her time and again to better herself and her agency to bring out the best in each of her clients, both personally and professionally. By understanding and assessing the whole individual and not the performer exclusively, her clients continue to thrive in their creative passions and In their personal relationships. Karen has had the privilege of working with musicians of all backgrounds, from bird land to broadway and from the Philharmonic to the Blair School of Music.All About Chaowen Ting

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 for things that you’ve already shown in your conducting (and not getting)Refrain from talking too much about the historical background, stories, etc. unless it’s necessarily and absolutely related to your pointHave a structure of the rehearsal, and share it with the musiciansIf it’s not good, ask again. Don’t leave things when they are still badAll About Chaowen Ting

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 conductors to participate live in the 2023 Mahler Competition with the Bamberg Symphony.In addition to his post as Associate Conductor of the Jacksonville Symphony, Fitzgerald has recently guest conducted the Rochester Philharmonic, North Carolina Symphony and the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh. In his commitment to uplifting communities through music, Fitzgerald conducted Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in 2017 with musicians from the Detroit, Lansing and Grand Rapids Symphonies to raise over $10,000 for the International Rescue Committee and Freedom House Detroit. In 2016, he also co-organized and conducted an impromptu performance called “Requiem for Orlando,” which featured over 400 volunteer musicians in a dedicated performance for victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida.Since then, he has participated in masterclasses with Michael Tilson Thomas and the New World Symphony, Andris Nelsons and Alan Gilbert at Tanglewood among many others. Kevin is based in Raleigh, NC, with his husband, violist Kurt Tseng, and their two dogs Bennie and Chipper. Kevin also teaches and coaches conductors privately online and in person.All About Chaowen Ting

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 conductors to participate live in the 2023 Mahler Competition with the Bamberg Symphony.In addition to his post as Associate Conductor of the Jacksonville Symphony, Fitzgerald has recently guest conducted the Rochester Philharmonic, North Carolina Symphony and the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh. In his commitment to uplifting communities through music, Fitzgerald conducted Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in 2017 with musicians from the Detroit, Lansing and Grand Rapids Symphonies to raise over $10,000 for the International Rescue Committee and Freedom House Detroit. In 2016, he also co-organized and conducted an impromptu performance called “Requiem for Orlando,” which featured over 400 volunteer musicians in a dedicated performance for victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida.Since then, he has participated in masterclasses with Michael Tilson Thomas and the New World Symphony, Andris Nelsons and Alan Gilbert at Tanglewood among many others. Kevin is based in Raleigh, NC, with his husband, violist Kurt Tseng, and their two dogs Bennie and Chipper. Kevin also teaches and coaches conductors privately online and in person.All About Chaowen Ting

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 MUSICIANSHIPYou 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 becoming a better conductor everyday?Your musicianship includes your knowledge and your ability to deliver your knowledge - including your conducting techniques. Do I need a good teacher to help me with techniques? Do I need another set of eyes to check in on me? Am I regressing instead of progressing everyday?PRACTICE MAKES PROGRESS - HAVING AN ENSEMBLE TO WORK WITHDo I currently have an ensemble to work with regularly? If not, can I form one? If not, can I find opportunities to work with one?Is this the time to get to a workshop where I can gain experience working with an ensemble more regularly? Do I need exposure to higher caliber musicians? Have I not worked with a good group for too long that I developed so many bad teaching-mindset habits?NETWORKINGVery honestly, you need to know people and people need to know you. It's not only about your own network - who you know, but also who your teachers know, who your teachers bring in to work with you, who your friends know, what kind of friends, musicians, artists they are exposed to that will connect you with.Of course we are not connecting with others only because I wanted to conduct your orchestra without seeing you in 10 years. No, not in that way, but building genuine relationships. So when I am at an intersection of my study and career, I always look at these three parts and wonder, what am I lacking the most at this moment? and what can I do to make a plan to achieve some goals? Hope that you will find this helpful as well!  All About Chaowen Ting

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 flutist turned digital marketer, Nicole Riccardo, the Founder & President of NR Media. After working with multi-million dollar business and gaining 10 years of experience in the field, Nicole’s mission now is to empower other musicians, creatives, and freelancers with the business + digital marketing know-how they need in order to create a career doing what they love!All About Chaowen Ting

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 share her thoughts on beating the algorithm, reaching out to others, and be strategic with your online presence.After working with multi-million dollar business and gaining 10 years of experience in the field, Nicole’s mission now is to empower other musicians, creatives, and freelancers with the business + digital marketing know-how they need in order to create a career doing what they love!All About Chaowen Ting

Diversity Statement has become a more and more frequently asked application material. No matter you are applying for a music directorship or an educational role, the organization very often is interested in knowing your vision on diversity, inclusion, and equity. Feeling stuck as a straight white man (or anything else)? No worries, let me show you how to kill your diversity vision, and how to revive it. Best Ways to Kill Your Diversity Statement:Claiming that "I have a friend / daughter-son / husband-wife / student who is XXX (fill in any gender, race, color,...) so I am such a diversity supporterGive All Talk and No ActionDraw a Pie in the Sky with your promises TO REVIVE YOUR STATEMENT (Even if you don't have much experience in diversity and bias and have been very privileged)Draw from your experiences - even if you have a very single-dimensioned upbringing, you can still talk about that and explain how this affects your actions and plansGenuinely reflect why diversity is important - and how that affect your vision for this positionCreate a sample concert program for the ensemble even without them asking for it in the first placeCommit to program at least one living composer, one woman composer, one composer of color, or one composer from any historically marginalized groupAll About Chaowen Ting

Zoom Interviews are now more common since Covid - and organizations are often skipping the traditional phone interview and conduct a zoom interview for shortlisted candidates instead. If you've had unsuccessful zoom interviews in the past, you want to do a quick self-check and see if you've got it right, and know the purpose of the interview: to obtain enough interest in order advance to the next round Some Zoom Interview Setting Tips from my friend Tim Verville:Set up a nice corner with good light (not natural light) and and an appropriate backgroundEstablish your brand with your image (concert posters, bookshelves, etc)Make sure your eye contact is toward your camera, not the people on your screenInterview Tips:Do your homework, research research researchQuickly state the obvious, and go to your uniquenessIt’s not about what they asked, but what you want to say and how you say itPractice, Practice, Practice!!Research and outline a few questions they might askWrite out what you want say and practiceHave good questions to askSearch timelineThe 5-year vision of the organizationCurrent challengesTraits of ideal candidatesDO NOT ASK ABOUT SALARIESAll About Chaowen Ting

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 discussionsNot knowing your termsGive instructions on bowing or fingering Do this:Always have a set of bowings marked in the part before distributing them Describe the sounds you wantLet the principals / concertmaster adjust things as they see fitGet help, be over-prepared, and bring an open mind to see what they are offering you!All About Chaowen Ting

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

In this wisdom-filled episode, my guest is the world-renowned conductor, Diane Wittry. She is the music director of the Allentown Symphony and the Music Director and Conductor of the Garden State Philharmonic. She is also the author of award-winning books, “Beyond the Baton” and “Baton Basics - Communicating Music through Gestures.”To understand the essence of conducting and how to improve as a conductor, you’ll need to indulge in this episode and learn.Conductor, Diane Wittry, named nationally as one of the "Top 30 Professional Musicians" by Musical America Worldwide for her work leading orchestras, is a highly respected conductor in the United States today.   Frequently engaged as a guest conductor, she has led symphonic performances in more than 11 countries and throughout the U.S.  Diane Wittry is the Music Director and Conductor of the Allentown Symphony, PA, and the Garden State Philharmonic, NJ. In the past she has served as the Associate Conductor of the renowned Ojai Music Festival (CA); the Artistic Director of the International Music Program with the Sarajevo Philharmonic, Bosnia; and Music Director and Conductor of the Symphony of Southeast Texas, and the Norwalk Symphony (CT). Wittry is also recognized as a composer and a respected conducting teacher. Her books "Beyond the Baton," and "Baton Basics-Communicating Music through Gestures," have become standards in the conducting field. All About Chaowen Ting

Hi there! Happy end of September and welcome to episode no.9 of the Conductor’s Podcast Wisdom series, a new series full of shared life experiences and, of course, wisdom! This series is aired on the last Thursday of each month, and in each episode, I am going to pose a question to 10 musicians, conductors, or business gurus. So including myself, you will hear all the goodies from a wide variety of people, thus called the wisdom series. Now, without further ado, let’s get started.This month’s question that I am asking my people is, “Your favorite thing about what you do.”My guests today are: Alice Farnham (opera conductor, episode 26)Aubrey Bergauer (founder, Changing the Narrative, episode 52)Julia Baumanis (Assistant Director of Bands, Rutgers University, episode 31)Carolyn Watson (Director of Orchestras, UIUC, episode 53)Tianyi Lu (Principal Guest Conductor, Stavanger Symphony, episode 34)Lina Gonzalez Granados (Conducting Fellow, Philadelphia Orchestra and Chicago Symphony Orchestra, episode 38)Sarah Ioannides (Conductor, Symphony Tacoma, episode 42)Susie Seiter (Film conductor, episode 29)Maria Sensi Sellner (founder, resonance work, episode 45)Cynthia Johnston Turner (Dean of the Faculty of Music, Wilfrid Laurier University, episode 56)All About Chaowen Ting

In this episode of The Conductor’s Podcast, my guest is Gabriel Lena Frank.  As she continues to be a remarkable composer, she’s fulfilling her passion of wanting to live by 100 years and seeing that music becomes more accessible to individuals who really want and need it. Tune in this episode and be inspired on how creativity impacts society and how you can navigate the world of music despite being bombarded with biases and different gender or race-related conundrums.Currently serving as Composer-in-Residence with the Philadelphia Orchestra and included in the Washington Post’ s list of the 35 most significant women composers in history, identity has always been at the center of composer/pianist Gabriela Lena Frank's music. Born in 1972 to a mother of Peruvian/Chinese ancestry and a father of Lithuanian/Jewish descent, Gabriela explores her multicultural American heritage through her compositions. In 2017, Gabriela founded the award-winning Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music, a non-profit training institution held on her two rural properties in Boonville, CA for emerging composers from a broad array of demographics and aesthetics. Civic outreach is an essential part of Gabriela’s work.  She has volunteered extensively in hospitals and prisons, with her current focus on developing the music school program at Anderson Valley High School, a rural public school of modest means with a large Latino population in Boonville, CA.In the 2022-23 season, she will see the premiere of her first opera, El último sueño de Frida y Diego with Pulitzer playwright Nilo Cruz, co-commissioned by San Diego Opera and San Francisco Opera.All About Chaowen Ting

Opera is one of the greatest and the most classic art forms. It combines the ingenuity of a great storyline and the elegance of music in one captivating show. As this classic art form continue to become a favorite among enthusiasts, new operas are giving audiences a fresh perspective to shows that feature newly-composed music and storylines that haven’t been heard yet. In this episode, Kanma Gupta discusses the process of developing new operas and more! Kamna Gupta is an American Prize-winning conductor experienced in operatic, orchestral, and choral repertoires. In the 2022-23 season, Ms. Gupta will make her Canadian debut with Vancouver Opera conducting Les Pêcheurs de Perles, and will conduct the East Coast premiere of In Our Daughter’s Eyes (Du Yun / McQuilken and featuring Nathan Gunn) at Prototype Festival, which received its world premiere under her baton at LA Opera Redcat. In 2022, she made her debut with the International Contemporary Ensemble, and she returned to The Glimmerglass Festival to conduct the world premiere of Jungle Book (Sankaram / O’Rourke). She will also conduct the highly interdisciplinary work The Ritual of Breath is the Right to Resist (Berger / Reily / Francis), premiering at the Hopkins Center for the Arts at Dartmouth. She is also excited to return to Mannes Opera in Fall 2022 to conduct La Calisto, Cavalli’s Baroque masterpiece.All About Chaowen Ting

In this truly exciting episode, the one and only Dr. Cynthia Johnson Turner discuss the broad meaning behind good conducting and how you can stand up on the podium as a leader. Johnston Turner, a dual citizen of Canada and the United States, earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY and her Master of Education in Music Education from the University of Victoria, B.C.Her professional success is readily apparent on both sides of the border and abroad. She comes to Laurier from the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia, where she served as the Director of Bands since 2014. She has also been a conductor for the Eastman School at the University of Rochester; the Society for New Music Ensemble in Syracuse, NY; the Paris Lodron Ensemble in Salzburg, Austria; the Orquesta Sinfonica de Heredia in Costa Rica; the Performing Arts Institute at Wyoming Seminary in Pennsylvania; and numerous honour ensembles in Canada, the U.S. and Australia. She has also presented her research on innovating the rehearsal and performance experience at numerous national and international conferences. All About Chaowen Ting

Want to booster your productivity? Listen to today's episode where I share my newly discovred productivity hacks!1. Always check your why: What's your purpose?2. Morning Pages Journal: clear your mind before starting your day!3. App: TodoistAnswer these questions daily:Identify the most important tasks (one or two)Is what I am doing today supporting my long-term goals?The setback of the dayWhat can I do differently tomorrow4. Find the duration chunk that works for you5. Set an environment that is not distractingAnd make sure that you check out these two previous episodes with wonderful guests:#38 Organize Your Score, Time, and Journey with Lina Gonzalez Granados#14 Productivity and Time Management Tips with Kalena BovellAll About Chaowen Ting

Hi there! Happy end of August and welcome to episode no.8 of the Conductor’s Podcast Wisdom series, a new series full of shared life experiences and, of course, wisdom! This series is aired on the last Thursday of each month, and in each episode, I am going to pose a question to 10 musicians, conductors, or business gurus. So including myself, you will hear all the goodies from a wide variety of people, thus called the wisdom series. Now, without further ado, let’s get started.This month’s question that I am asking my people is, “What’s your morning routine?”My guests today are: Cynthia Johnston Turner (Dean of the Faculty of Music, Wilfrid Laurier University, episode 57)Susie Seiter (Film conductor, episode 29)Stephanie Havey (opera stage director, episode 32)Sarah Ioannides (Conductor, Symphony Tacoma, episode 42)Talia Ilan (conductor and founder of #oneconductoraday, episode 8)Lina Gonzalez Granados (Conducting Fellow, Philadelphia Orchestra and Chicago Symphony Orchestra, episode 38)JoAnne Harris (film composer and conductor, episode 36)Tiffany Chang (opera and orchestra conductor, episode 4)Maria Sensi Sellner (founder, resonance work, episode 45)Aubrey Bergauer (founder, Changing the Narrative, episode 52)All About Chaowen Ting

While conducting music requires a specific level of technique, one’s success as a conductor cannot be complete without mastering musicianship. In this episode of The Conductor’s Podcast, I am beyond ecstatic to have Dr. Carolyn Watson as my guest as she enlightens young and experienced conductors alike, the essence of musicianship, musical intent and musical conviction when conducting study. Carolyn Watson is Director of Orchestras at the University of Illinois, Principal Guest Conductor of the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, and Music Director of the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra in Indiana. Originally from Australia, she has been based in the United States since 2013 during which time she has led performances with Amarillo Opera, Austin Symphony, Catskill Symphony, Dallas Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra, Interlochen Philharmonic, Kansas City Ballet, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, St. Joseph Symphony and World Youth Symphony Orchestra. Carolyn’s 22-23 season includes debuts with Monash Academy Orchestra (Australia), Cape Symphony, Traverse Symphony Orchestra and Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, as well as returns to the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Kansas City Ballet. Carolynholds a PhD in Performance (Conducting) from the University of Sydney where she studied under Imre Palló. www.carolyn-watson.comAll About Chaowen Ting