The Craft of Conducting (with Michelle Merrill) | Ep34

08/07/23 • 49 min

Every musician should know a little about conducting. But what does a conductor really do, especially when working with professional musicians? How do they prepare for rehearsal and for a performance? Our guest this episode is Michelle Merrill, a conductor who previously served as Associate/Assistant Conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under the supervision of esteemed maestro Leonard Slatkin. She is the music director of the Coastal Symphony of Georgia, and just recently was appointed as the new music director of the Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestra. She talks about the importance of networking, the craft of score and rehearsal preparation, the importance of making sure your physical style suits you individually, as well as her short and long term plans with the Winston-Salem Symphony.

For single tickets to the WSSO 2023-24: https://wssymphony.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/

For more on Michelle Merrill, visit: https://www.michelle-merrill.com/

Let me know your thoughts on this episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit or you can send me a written message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact

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This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps private teachers of all types (music, yoga, martial arts, academic tutoring, coaches, etc) with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling. Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.

For single tickets to the WSSO 2023-24: https://wssymphony.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/

For more on Michelle Merrill, visit: https://www.michelle-merrill.com/

Let me know your thoughts on this episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit or you can send me a written message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact

You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1

Previous Episode

Self-Improvement Through Performance Review | Ep33

In the corporate world, it's customary to receive a performance review from your supervisor. A good review is objective, noting what you're doing well already and what needs improvement. When you're a solo musician or private teacher, a performance review is an important step that often gets ignored because...well, you're by yourself. However, by simply recording video and audio of yourself at work and making observations during playback, you can separate your roles of the the employee and the supervisor. In this episode, you can hear how a performance review can greatly improve your practice, your progress on a piece, your effectiveness as a teacher, your goals, your finances, and so much more!

Let me know your thoughts on this episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit or you can send me a written message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact

You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1

Next Episode

Accomplish More by Being Specific | Ep35

Whether it's setting big goals for your life or even what you want to accomplish the next time you sit down to practice your instrument, one of the most powerful mindset tools you can employ is to be as specific as possible in what you expect to accomplish. It helps to be realistic about what you can accomplish with your current skills and the time available, but avoiding generic goals and becoming super-specific is an effective first step in accomplishing a lot!

Let me know your thoughts on this episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit or you can send me a written message at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/contact

You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1