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Liz and Stephanie talk with recently TikTok famous “Viola Mom” Rebecca Young. From chamber music to soloing and performing with the New York Philharmonic to hosting the Very Young Peoples Concerts, Rebecca Young’s experiences in music are broad! She talks about her meteoric rise on social media, making real-world connections with audience members, and the everyday pranks that make orchestral life fun. She’s a strong believer that classical music can and SHOULD be fun…so buckle up, because this episode is downright delightful.

Mentioned in this episode:

Alto Clef Gifts: www.altoclefgifts.com/violacentric

Promo code VIOLACENTRIC gets you 10% off!

American Viola Society Festival: http://www.americanviolasociety.org/News-And-Events/Festival-Registration/

Rebecca Young 'Viola Mom' on TikTok: @ry_violamom

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Liz and Stephanie have an in-depth conversation with fellow violist and self-described 'educator, movement instructor, off and on writer, and total body nerd' Kayleigh Miller. In this episode, we talk about how to prepare physically for the hopeful return of more orchestral work, what choosing a movement and exercise practice might look like for you, why dictatorial curriculum for your students may create tension down the road for them, and so much more. Kayleigh has a wealth of information to share!

Mentioned in this episode:

Kayleigh Miller: musicianshealthcollective.com
IG: @kayleighmm
[email protected]

Janice Yang: opuspt.com

Beyond the Practice Room Podcast: https://www.beyondthepracticeroompodcast.com/

Trail Guide to the Body by Andrew Biel: https://www.handspringpublishing.com/product/trail-guide-to-the-body-sixth-edition/

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This week’s guest is Stephen Slater, a horn player currently performing with the Virginia Symphony, whose performing career has spanned 5 continents. Stephen has experience on both sides of the curtain: as orchestral musician and arts administrator. This unique perspective fuels the conversation in this episode, spanning Stephen’s varied job experiences and even a no-nonsense discussion of the effectiveness of the current method of hiring for orchestral positions.

Do you have perspectives about what we explore in this episode? We'd love to hear your opinions on this conversation! Email us at [email protected], or send us a message via our website (violacentric.com). 

Mentioned in this episode:

Virginia Symphony: virginiasymphony.org

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In this episode, Liz and Stephanie talk with Jennifer Wade: violinist, teacher, values-based identity coach and founder of Lifescape Visionary. From life as a freelancer to discovering her own unique path through music, Jennifer is a font of wisdom. The friends talk about setting goals for your gig life based on your own values and weighing where you spend your precious energy, as well as an exploration of how practicing gratitude can shift our frame of mind from one of scarcity into abundance. It’s a must-listen for all of us preparing to navigate the changing scene of work in the post-pandemic music world!

Mentioned in this episode:

Lifescape Visionary: lifescapevisionary.com

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Episode 8: Activating the Individual with Tiffany Richardson

In this riveting conversation, Liz and Steph talk with the inspiring Tiffany Richardson. Tiffany enjoys a multi-faceted career as a professional violist, administrator, educator and entrepreneur dedicated to purposeful impact. She works with musicians and organizations to forge connections between their art form and community engagement, activism, technology, and wellness. Tiffany is a co-founder of Sound Impact — a collective of musicians dedicated to igniting positive change through music. She is also the Director of Community Engagement with the National Philharmonic. The ladies discuss breaking the fourth wall between the orchestra and the community we serve as well as striving for authenticity in our musical careers despite the limited paths we are expected to follow. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Sound Impact: soundimpact.org

National Philharmonic: nationalphilharmonic.org

Potter Violins IG: @potter_violins

Essentialism and Effortless by Greg McKeown: gregmckeown.com/

Indistractable by Nir Eyal: nirandfar.com/indistractable/

Gretchen Rubin's Four Tendencies: gretchenrubin.com/books/the-four-tendencies/intro/

#violalove Project: Email us your videos at [email protected]!

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Liz and Stephanie talk with Molly Sharp, Principal Viola of the Richmond Symphony and the creator of VlaTutti.com about the insights brought-on by her sabbatical followed closely by the pandemic shuttering of concert halls and live performances. They talk about building a community of violists, pandemic projects and the lies we all tell ourselves about ourselves. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Molly’s website and online offerings: VlaTutti.com

Molly’s art: mollysharpcreates.com

The Big Leap, by Gay Hendricks: https://www.amazon.com/Big-Leap-Conquer-Hidden-Level-ebook/dp/B0026772QU

Tanya Penny, Therapeutic Meditative Process: https://tanyapenny.com/

The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van Der Kolk, M.D.: https://www.amazon.com/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748

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Liz and Stephanie talk with fellow violist and colleague Ally Goodman, who is currently the Principal Violist of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra in Washington, DC. In this episode, Ally shares her personal journey with her viola from her youth through today. Topics of discussion include Ally's musical and personal experiences during the pandemic, taking and judging auditions, the process of going to school for music, and even some perspectives on the more challenging aspects of a career in music such as scarcity mindset and imposter syndrome. As always, please feel free to write us with your own insights - we want to connect with you!

Mentioned in this episode:

The Artist's Way: juliacameronlive.com/the-artists-way/

Alison Ledgerwood 'Getting Stuck in the Negativity Bias' TEDx: youtube.com/watch?v=7XFLTDQ4JMk

Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra: kcohomusicians.com/

New World Symphony: nws.edu/

7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Scarcity Mentality): franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/

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In this mini episode, Liz and Stephanie hold their first 'Movie Club' conversation to discuss the Netflix film, The Social Dilemma. In conversation, they explore the incredibly serious issues the movie raises around the use of technology, and social media in particular, and share some thoughts about how we might all help foster positive change. Above all, this movie serves as a siren to everyone, and for ViolaCentric in particular, to work even harder to fulfill our mission of creating meaningful connection. Please let us know what you think. You can email us at [email protected].

Mentioned in this episode:

The Social Dilemma: thesocialdilemma.com
Centreville High School Orchestras: https://www.cvhsorchestra.org/

Visit our new website and sign up for our email list! E-newsletter is coming soon! violacentric.com

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Liz and Stephanie are joined by their friend and bassist/arranger Greg Watkins and Stella Schindler and Dave Ries of the Americana group Kentucky Avenue.  In this episode, we discuss the various paths to finding collaboration in music, how many musicians are starting to explore their own creative projects, and yes, the emerging craze of disco yoga! Greg, Stella and Dave will be joining ViolaCentric on the second concert of our livestream series on Thursday, February 18 at 7:00 PM EST, airing directly on our Facebook page.

Mentioned on the episode:

Kentucky Avenue: https://www.kentuckyavenuemusic.com/
American Pops Orchestra: https://www.theamericanpops.org/
Insight Timer: https://insighttimer.com/
The Social Dilemma: https://www.thesocialdilemma.com/
Norsemen: https://www.netflix.com/title/80180182
Schitt's Creek: https://www.netflix.com/title/80036165

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Liz and Stephanie are joined by Scott Slapin and Tanya Solomon of the award-winning Slapin-Solomon Duo: pioneers of the viola duo and OG Violacentrics. Scott and Tanya have performed and recorded together for over 20 years and continue to expand the repertoire for viola ensemble through their commissions, premiers and transcriptions. In this episode, Scott and Tanya talk with Liz and Stephanie about the origins of ‘Violacentrism’, remote teaching, and how the concept of training musicians for orchestral jobs may be about to change.

Mentioned in this episode:

Slapin-Solomon Duo: violaduo.com
Violacentric Publications: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/violacentric-publications-sheet-music/3003201
Violacentrism: Violacentrism.com
Patrick Neher: patrickneher.com/
The Social Dilemma: thesocialdilemma.com/

ViolaCentric PayPal: paypal.me/violacentric
Venmo: @violacentric
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Email us: [email protected]

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