Notes From Backstage

Cost isn’t the only barrier to live classical music. The stigma surrounding concert hall etiquette and expectations is doing more harm than good, so what do we need to change to make everyone feel welcome? In this episode we talk about our own negative experiences in concert venues, what we want to change, and highlight artists, venues, and programs that are prioritizing the audience experience in new and exciting ways. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/apr/10/classicalmusicandopera.comment1

How do we take care of our bodies in careers that don’t historically support physical health? If it’s a choice between practicing and working out, how do we make that choice? Today we talk about our own journeys with physical health, the injuries we’ve experienced when we’ve neglected it, and how we realistically incorporate fitness into our chaotic schedules. Study Mentioned: "From Mental Power to Muscle Power -Gaining Strength by Using the Mind" by Ranganathan, Siemionow, Liu, Sahgal & Yue https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7247969_From_Mental_Power_to_Muscle_Power-Gaining_Strength_by_Using_the_Mind

How do you avoid burnout as a musician? How do you take a hold of life before life takes a hold of you? And how do you find what actually brings you joy and inspires you as an artist? In this episode we’re talking about the importance of rest, how to realistically make time for rest in your life, and perspectives we’ve gained from spending time away from the instrument. Resources mentioned:Do Pause: You are not a To Do list by Robert Poynton Stolen Focus by Johan Hari⁠Michelle Obama Has Advice Every Woman Needs to Hear on Baby, This is Keke Palmer⁠ ⁠Alysa Liu Olympic Gold Medal Performance⁠ ⁠Alysa Liu rewiring your neural pathways for 4 minutes⁠

Traveling with a cello is not for the faint of heart. It seems no matter what you do something will always go wrong, and there’s not one straightforward way to book tickets for the cello. In this episode we talk about our personal flying horror stories; which airlines to use and which ones to avoid; and a step-by-step guide to flying with a cello, from booking your ticket to takeoff. 

So you want to be a musician…and also pay your rent. In this episode we discuss all things jobs: jobs that we have, why we do them, how we network, and how we get into rooms we want to be in. These are our stories about navigating the post-grad practicalities of being a professional musician.

The phrase, “the show must go on” is something that is drilled into classical musicians from a young age - but should it be? In this episode we'll be recalling times we had to adapt to tricky situations in our careers, discussing ways to prevent getting into such situations in the first place and considering when it might be more appropriate to say no.

Welcome to our very first episode of Notes From Backstage! We're your hosts, Lydia Rhea and Sophie Kauer, two cellists redefining how we approach classical music. In this episode we'll be introducing ourselves, recalling how we met and explaining the reason behind wanting to start this podcast.

Hello and welcome to Notes from Backstage. We’re your hosts, Lydia Rhea and Sophie Kauer, two cellists redefining how we approach classical music. We talk about everything from mental health, music school, navigating our careers post-grad, and what it means to find your unique artistic voice. Join us every Tuesday for a reminder that music is meant to be enjoyed and shared, and that life also exists outside the practice room.