Classical musicians also moonlight

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

One’s a celebrity photographer/violinist. Another is a violinist with a thriving career selling real estate. And there’s a cellist who’s chief operating officer of an online enterprise.

As Blair Tindall writes in this week’s Arts & Books section, a lot of successful classical instrumentalists lead parallel professional lives, excelling in other careers besides their musical ones. She points out that, among other things, they’re hedging their bets against the reduced opportunities caused by the economic downturn.

Such careers can also be complementary, Tindall writes. ‘For example, mathematics and proportion learned through musical form may plug directly into another field, such as architecture or computing.’ Other transferable assets include competitiveness, discipline acquired from practicing, and flexibility honed by having to adjust to irregular schedules.

Or consider the remarks of Bay Area violinist Rae Ann Goldberg, who is also a certified marriage and family therapist: ‘Counseling is much like playing a symphony. There’s a rhythm. There are silences. Intensity and release.’

-- Craig Fisher