Please don't throw your violin.

04/19/2012

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The other night I my nine year old niece left a message on my voicemail. "Auntie Karen, I was just wondering, do you ever get frustrated when you practice your oboe? Because I'm practicing my violin and there's something wrong with my bow and it sounds like a banshee and it's really bad and I just want to throw it out the window." 
Yes. I get frustrated. There have been many times I've wanted to throw my oboe. It doesn't help that it's shaped like a javelin and would probably look great flying through a window. 
Those feeling of frustration can be demoralizing, i try to put it in the proper context.  It's crucial to recognize that the frustration is a sure sign i'm improving.  In general I've found that my ears are faster than my body.  I develop a concept of how I want something long before I'm able to execute it in my playing.  
Figuring out how to get from point a to point b can be a very difficult process.  As a professional, I've developed a lot of strategies and techniques to move forward.  I've been fortunate to have teachers who have guided me through the process.  I still have those frustrating moments, but I'm better equipped to work through them.  
I really think thiis is one of the most valuable lessons kids can learn from playing an instrument. Through her violin, my niece is learning that something very challenging can also be very rewarding.  She's learning to have patience and that improvment is a long slow process.  
A couple of weeks ago, she performed in public by herself for the very first time.  She was so excited about it and I could tell that she was really proud of herself.  It was a payoff moment.  Those moments are what make it all worthwhile.
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Huntington Mexico

04/12/2012

 
Sometimes it's hard to remember how lucky I am.  When the baby is crying at 3a.m. I am generally not in a place of gratitude for all the blessings I have.  Yet I am incredibly blessed.  I have generally good health, a career I love and an incredibly supportive network of family and friends.  It is the latter that is the most crucial element.  We all need support systems, life is challenging and complicated and the people I've met along the way have been amazing.  If I have the chance to return the favor and support those who have helped me, I try to do what I can for them. 
Hence my blatant request for donations today.  In June, I'm running my first half marathon.  13.1 miles is a long distance to commit to, but I've been chipping away at my training week after week and I think I may actually make it to the finish line.  When I signed up for the race, I decided I wanted to run for a charity, preferable one that I really care about where my humble efforts could make a real difference. 
I chose the Asociacion Mexicana de la Enfermedad de Huntington, iap.  In English, The Mexican Association for Huntington's Disease or Huntington Mexico for short.  Huntington's Disease is a degenerative neurological disorder.  It affects the mind then the body and it is genetic.  It is devastating and there is no cure.
About ten years ago, I spent my summers performing in Mexico City.  I stayed with an incredible American ex-pat named Margaret.  Her family had been afflicted by Huntington's and it was heartbreaking.  Margaret realized there was no support system in Mexico for people impacted by the disease so she took action and formed Huntington Mexico.  The organization provides support to patients and their families, including distribution of medicine, transportation to medical appointments and counseling services  Many of the services they provide are free of charge.  Every penny they are able to raise goes to services and research. It is an incredible organization, and I really want to help them continue the work they do.
Long story short, if you have even a little bit to spare I would greatly appreciate your help in my fundraising efforts.  I have a modest goal, just $800 US dollars.  That amount doesn't seem so large by US standards, but in Mexico it'll stretch a lot further and could do a great of good. 
The Rotary Club of Essex has generously agreed to help me collect the donations.  I appreciate their willingness to partner with me in this venture.  If you are able, please donate.  Thanks!
To Make a Donation Visit my Crowdrise Page:
www.crowdrise.com/runningforhuntington
 

An Open Letter to Young Orchestral Musicians

04/08/2012

205 Comments

 
Dear Young Musician,
I understand how difficult it is when you're coming out of school and trying to find a job.  I know what it means to stand in the grocery store and wonder if you can afford that extra packet of Ramen noodles.  I realize it's scary to not know when the next gig will come along, how the rent is going to get paid this month, or if you can scrape together the money to take auditions.  I get all this because I've been there.  Right after college I dove headfirst into the freelance scene and it was really tough.  So tough that I may have been tempted by an audition like Louisville's.  It seems like a pretty decent deal, good pay, steady work, but trust me...it's a wolf in sheep's clothing.  I urge you, DO NOT TAKE THE AUDITION.

Here are a few of my reasons why:
1) Salary- Consider this the bait.  $925 plus benefits seems like a decent deal, but this is a board that just fired THE ENTIRE ORCHESTRA.  Do you trust them to work with the new musicians to maintain that salary package?  What happens when you move your whole life out there, away from family, friends and other work and they suddenly decide they "can't afford" to pay that much.  
2) Quality Control- As musicians, we all aspire to be the best we can possibly be.  We spend years honing our craft, but I have seen little evidence that the orchestra's board understands or respects that fact.  Keep in mind, this is an organization that put out a job advertisement on Craigslist.  This fact alone makes me distrustful of their ability to assemble an orchestra that can play at anything approaching a professional standard.  When we finish school, we tend to think we've learned what we need to know about playing our instruments.  I can tell you from personal experience that it's just the beginning.  After you win an audition and join an orchestra you learn an incredible amount from your colleagues.  If you really want to reach your potential, you need to draw on their experience and expertise with the repertoire.  
3) Personal Marketability- If you're considering this to be your "first job" and that you'll be able to "move on to something bigger" think twice.  Having the Louisville Orchestra on your resume is going to be like having a big red flashing neon "Don't Hire Me" sign over your head.  Why?  By working for them, you are hurting a fellow musician.  You have taken someone else's job. The music industry is very small and your reputation is all you have.  Don't tarnish it by working for an organization that has garnered the hatred of virtually every professional musician in the country.

Please, respect your colleagues, respect yourself and know that other jobs will come open.  The Board of the Louisville Orchestra has proven that they are untrustworthy and do not value the well-being of the orchestra or its musicians.  If you win a position you will be walking into a situation that could very well end your career before it has even begun.  
Thank you for listening, 
Karen Birch Blundell
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