Episode 32: Matthew Jermiason

This week, we have Matthew Jermiason back on the podcast for the second time during his time at the CAS Performance and Musician Wellness Workshop in Nashville this summer. Matthew tells us about the struggles of “making it” as a musician in NYC, the joys of having and day job, and overcoming burnout.

Hello NYC!

Since arriving in NYC just eight short months ago, life has been a nonstop whirlwind for Matthew. From the culture shock and learning the mass transit system to acclimating to living with so many other people in such a small space, Matthew admits to needing a few months to get into the flow of such a change. After spending most of his life in North Dakota, Matthew studied music at Bowling Green University in Ohio before finally taking the plunge into the Big Apple. Like many aspiring musicians, Matthew was intrigued with the idea of “making it” and if that was something within his reach. He reflects on how he’s realized how much his idea of “making it” has changed over the years as he’s had different experiences as a musician. Back when he was getting his degree, the idea of playing in a major orchestra was “making it”. Now, as a working musician in NYC, he feels as though he has already “made it” just by living in such an incredible city and making it work while he follows his passions. He sees this new chapter and way of life as a third degree to go along with his Bachelors and his Masters.

Matthew attributes his success to the many other musicians in the city that helped him through this first year. Everyone is from somewhere else and they all had to go through something very similar when they first moved to NYC. It’s the teamwork and comradery amongst musicians that allows everyone to survive this crazy lifestyle.

Burning Out

Feeling burnt out can be a very true fact of life for anyone looking to truly develop their skills and make something of themselves. Musician’s are no exception. Matthew has personally experienced burn out several times in his life and is not afraid to talk about it. After completely both of his degrees, he felt tired, worn down, and simply had no desire to play trombone or make music anymore for the time being. For so long, he had to be 150% and was constantly being told what to do and how to do it on a daily basis. To overcome his burn out, Matthew says that he tried taking a break from music all together and dove into his other interests to allow his mind to focus on other things that made him happy. He felt that disassociating himself as a musician really helped him find himself outside of

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