Category: Music Business

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Husting Studio Scholarship Fund- Year 3

 

I’m excited to announce that my Scholarship for the 1718 School Year is going to look a little different- and it’s going to reach a lot more music learners!

I’m developing a collaboration with Elizabeth Winslow, the band director at Richfield Senior High School, in order to bring high-quality brass instruction to her band kids. I’ll be offering private lessons, clinics, chamber ensembles, and sectionals- but I’m going to need your help to do it. Donating to my campaign will help pay for my time, skills, and program development. There will be more content as the program begins and I meet the kids, so stay tuned.

About Richfield SHS: Richfield is a inner-ring suburb of the Minneapolis area. The high school is about 67% students of color, and the median income falls around $55k/year. There is a strong need for support within in the music program, helping to develop a culture that values private music instruction and life-long musicianship.

Thank you in advance, and I’m looking forward to seeing what this school year brings!

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Lauren’s System for Stress-less Freelancing

One of the things I love about summer as a freelancing brass musician is the renewed influx in gigs spanning many different musical genres other than classical and art music. But summer can also bring with it lots of ‘freebies’ and ‘exposure-generators’ that don’t do much for career or enjoyment. Because of this I have a (year-round) system for accepting gigs that has contributed immensely to my well-being as a musician and human being.

Introducing my “System for Stress-Less Freelancing”- a simple formula that will help you work while you create your art and create your art while you work.

Gigs generally fall into one or more of the following 3 categories:

  1. Offers fair compensation for your time and skills
  2. Is artistically valuable to you in some way (i.e. good or unique repertoire, challenges or refines your skill sets, is enjoyable to perform)
  3. Gives you the opportunity to work with people you value and/or like as people and musicians

If a gig can offer you at least 2 of these categories, it’s worth considering. If it’s just one- or none- well, you might find it’s not the gig for you.

Sometimes a gig just pays, and pays well, and in that case it might be a good thing to take it and use that financial freedom to take a ‘riskier’ gig down the road that you really want to do or offers you a new experience. But it’s likely that even if it seems like it just pays well, it probably also affords you networking opportunities or is a resume-builder. You also never know who you’ll reach with the communication you offer through your art. That said, remember that you’re in charge of keeping your musical soul healthy, and too much of just ‘work’ can really dull the joy of making music.

Being an artist isn’t just a job. If it’s starting to feel like one, take a step back. Maybe putting a few ground rules to what you say yes to will help you find the opportunities that really make you sing.

 

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Conceptual Desire Paths and the Modern Musician

Many of my students know that I’m big fan of podcasts, and one of my absolute favorites is the design-focused program 99% Invisible. The shows are usually about 25-30 minutes long and cover all number of topics from architecture and city planning to the everyday objects you use and broad societal concepts that have been designed into our lives. It’s a brilliant show and it’s opened my eyes to so many new ideas and patterns in our world.

One of the latest episodes, a sort of compilation story they do every now and again with shorter ideas that can’t make up a full episode, introduced me to the concept of desire paths.

A desire path (formally referred to as desire line in transportation planning, also known as a game trail, social trail, herd path, cow path, goat track, pig trail or bootleg trail) can be a path created as a consequence of erosion caused by human or animal foot-fall or traffic. The path usually represents the shortest or most easily navigated route between an origin and destination. – Wikipedia

Of course we see (and use!) these everywhere, but I had no idea they had a name. The concept sat with me a few days, percolated, occasionally surfaced in real life (I cut across grass yesterday while gleefully bubbling a little ‘desire path!’ tune), and then suddenly came crystal clear as the description I’ve needed all along for how I’ve built my career and life.

Our lives are desire paths. We shape our careers, relationships, lifestyles, homes by shortcuts (and longest) to the most efficient or desirable ways of being ourselves.

Musicians trying to make a name these days are learning this the natural way- understanding how to navigate a changing field and career market and make an impression in the best manner possible. We have an industry structure: 1. Practice hard 2. Win a gig 3. Success, but we’re realizing more and more that that serves a distinct and small part of our musical population, and the opportunities to follow this path are not available to everyone. The rest of us can either quit in frustration, stymied by a metaphorical sidewalk that doesn’t go the way we want it to, or walk around it, making our own path.

My desire paths as a musician include:

-Seeking out effective resources to help me build a teaching studio and to teach effectively and inspirationally; developing my teaching philosophy (stay tuned to see that in writing, finally!); expanding my outreach and values geographically to the people who are ready to receive it

-Building a list of skilled and competent musicians (with a strong focus on women and/or performers of color) from which to build my community; finding my audience and incorporating it into that community

-Choosing the gigs I want- and developing the skills for them- carefully; being consistent with the image I want to portray and the healthy career/life balance I strive for: changing the ways in which the embedded musical concepts of ‘industry standard’, ‘authenticity’, and ‘virtuosity’ affect my mindset and my performance and taking only what is valuable

What are the ways you’ve incorporated metaphorical desire paths in your career and life? What ways can you see yourself trying new directions in the future? How can you help someone else navigate their own desire path? Let’s redesign this business, one dirt track at a time.

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Lauren at IWBC!

I’m very excited to be traveling to Glassboro, New Jersey, this week, to attend the International Women’s Brass Conference! My friend Gabe Mueller will be joining me, and we both plan to compete in the Susan Slaughter Solo Competition, as well as attend workshops, performances, and clinics throughout the week.

Some of my lady brass heroes will be attending as well, such as pioneer trombonist Abbie Conant and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra.

Watch this space and my Facebook page for updates throughout the week!

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Summer is upon us!

Students, friends, family, and fans,

Summer is in the air and it’s time for an updated lesson schedule as well as info on upcoming gigs and performances!

If you are a student or a potential student, make sure to check out my Summer Schedule for lesson availabilities.

I also will keep my Performance Calendar updated as the summer goes on. Upcoming gigs include a stint on bass trombone with the Swing Sisterhood and Brass Lassie’s first summer show at the Normandale Lake Bandshell in Bloomington.

Brass Lassie will be very busy this summer, performing at the State Fair, the MN Irish Fair, and the Vintage Band Festival in Northfield! I hope you can make a performance.

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January Update

I have a hot second here before spring semester really kicks into gear and I disappear under the weight of ‘getting a DMA’, so I thought I’d give you a few insights into what’s new in my world.

Yesterday I presented and performed at the BrassChix annual seminar, in the company of music greats like Takako Seimiya Senn, Melissa Williams, and Gail Williams, and it was, as always, an absolute joy to be a part of it. I had 11 trombonists in my session and loved working with one of them on her orchestral excerpts.

On January 9th, I performed selections from my 1st Doctoral Recital at St Louis Park Senior High School, to an audience of about 25 band students. They were a great audience and I hope to be back soon!

In upcoming news, I’ve scheduled my next recital for April 3rd at UMN and will be performing a program of diverse works, including the Nino Rota Concerto, Dutilleux’s Choral, Cadence, et Fugato, Barbara York’s A Caged Bird, the Wagenseil Alto Trombone Concerto, and John Kenny’s Fanfare. Stay tuned for more details. It will be live-streamed again.

My students are gearing up for solo/ensemble contest and All-State auditions, and a few are starting to think about college auditions. I’m so impressed the steps many of them took over winter break to practice and improve in all areas.

Keep an eye on this space for news from Brass Lassie, The Satellites, and Mill City Five. They all still exist- just hibernating, I promise!

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Upcoming Presentations!

Two really exciting things in January:

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My performance at St Louis Park Senior HS, featuring selections from my December 2016 doctoral recital, is presented in part by the generous contributors to my Studio Scholarship Campaign. As you recall, the fund exceeded its goal and I allocated $300 to presenting clinics and performances in local schools. This is the first opportunity I’ve had to use this money, and if you’d like a performance at your school, please reach out to me!

At the end of January, BrassChix soars again! This is my 4th (or 5th?) year presenting for BC and I’m so excited for this year’s theme: How LOW Can You Go? We’ll be focusing on our sisters of low brass and the lowest notes from every horn.

All the info: BrassChix 2017

 

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2016: A Round-up Review!

Well, 2016 is coming to a close, as all years do, and it’s been one of the most professionally exciting and challenging years yet! It was one of the most diverse years for types of gigs, music learned, and students taught. Here’s a little recap of what 2016 looked like for me:

Performance Highlights:

January: BrassChix presentation to 12 delightful young women trombonists plus a performance of the first movement of Red Dragonfly; performing Stravinsky’s Octet with Winona Chamber Winds

February: “Lunch With…” in Sundin Hall at Hamline, a 30 minute recital for the community; auditioning for the doctoral program at the U of Mn

March: Exultate Choir and Orchestra’s performance of their signature pasticchio mass; Easter services at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in S Mpls,

April: Sitting in with the Hamline Wind Ensemble on bass trombone

May: Conducting and performing with the Hamline Brass Choir; The Satellites played the Dakota and 612Brew; Metro Brass presented “Hold On Tight” at the Capri Theatre in N Mpls

June: Something like a month off? Ha!

July: Brass Lassie at the Minnesota Scottish Fair; The Satellites at the Icehouse; Mill City Five at Como Pavillon

August:  Mill City Five at Minnehaha Falls and Bistro La Roux in Circle Pines; The Satellites back at Icehouse

September: My first performance with the UMN Wind Ensemble!

October: UMN Collage Concert, playing with both Trombone Choir and U Symphony Orchestra

November: Brass Lassie at Celtic Junction; UMN Trombone Choir feature recital; USO performance of concerto competition winners; Minnehaha Repertory Orchestra’s yearly concert

December: Holiday concerts with the UMN Trombone Choir, bass bone in the Hamline Wind Ensemble again; Holiday Polka with Brass Barn Polka Band at Bauhaus Brew Labs; Christmas services at St John the Baptist in New Brighton; and of course, my first doctoral recital!

Teaching Highlights: 

I taught over 800 individual lessons this year to 30 different individuals, helping them win spots in All-State bands, local honor groups like GTCYS and Minnesota Junior Winds, preparing them for solo and ensemble performances, and overall enjoying their company and growth as astonishing young musicians and people. I’m incredibly proud to have raised of $3000 in scholarship funds to allow low-income students to take lessons for a year. I continued my work at Hamline University and took on a new collegiate job at Century College in White Bear Lake.

Personal Highlights: 

I traveled to NYC, San Diego, Lutsen MN, St Louis, Iowa, and Chicago. I saw good friends and met amazing new folks. I hiked, kayaked, camped, and stewarded my gorgeous state’s natural resources. I biked all over Minneapolis and St Paul. I started my doctorate while balancing a full freelancing and educational career.

What’s in store for 2017?

The plan is to keep rocking it out. Brass Lassie, The Satellites, and Mill City Five all have more to come. My second doctoral recital is currently on the schedule for April 17th. I’ll present at BrassChix again in January and will also perform portions of my recital for the kids of St Louis Park. I have big ideas and big plans for both my teaching and my art, so stay tuned. 🙂

 

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All the News from this End

Hey all,

Here’s a little round-up (!) of all the things I’m working on these days so you don’t think I’ve disappeared into school and will never come out.

  1. Life at the U: I’m settling into being a doctoral student. My routine of practice, lessons, performances, and classes is pretty exhausting, but I’m managing to keep a good handle on everything. My first of five doctoral recitals will be Dec 12 at 3:35 in Ultan Recital Hall.
  2. Life as a teacher: My students give me so much life. This year they’re working smarter than ever, and making enormous strides in their sound and musicality. Highlights: Julia plays in GTCYS’s Camerata Orchestra, Henry O and Owen are both in their second year with Minnesota Junior Winds, and Alex B started music studies at Century College (and got me the job teaching him through their program!).
  3. Life as a performer: My regular activities in groups have been pretty quiet lately, and I hope that will change soon. The Satellites are waiting for our stellar singer Rhianon to recover quickly from some minor medical procedures and Mill City Five is just looking for the next gig. The big news is that Brass Lassie is back and will be playing a feature concert at Celtic Junction on November 5!
  4. Life as a non-musician: I snuck out last weekend and got in a little camping. I’m enjoying this bright fall days and hope for many more weeks of bike riding weather. I’ll be visiting Chicago over the Oct 21st weekend to see my good friend Matt perform with his trio at the Constellation Club and can’t wait for the trip!

That’s life as I know it right now. Hope to see you at Brass Lassie Nov 5th!

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Weekly Round-up is taking a break!

Well, friends, colleagues, and students,

School has started and I’m looking at a packed schedule on top of my already busy teaching and performing schedule! SO Monday recaps are going on a little vacation. Please don’t cry. I’ll still be posting here from time to time and I always keep my gig calendar updated.

Sincerely,

Lauren

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