Spending money to make money when you don't have any money

I came to Chicago to network deliberately.

The relocation is going about as I had planned, if not better. Things are happening slowly. I have one (awesome!) regular student, and two who may start this month. Tomorrow I interview for a substitute position at the Merit School of Music. My article for the Chicago Flute Club newsletter is being published as I write this, and I've been asked to write another one, in which I'll interview Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Joseph Schwantner. Flutist Jenny Swanson and I will present the John Cage flute duos at the debut of Classical Revolution Chicago next weekend. And I'm having lessons with Mary Stolper (DePaul University) and Jennifer Gunn (Chicago Symphony) in the next couple of weeks.

I've also seen some great performances. The Lyric Opera's performance of Berg's Lulu blew me away - and seeing so much blood on an opera stage is kind of noteworthy. Last weekend, dal niente turned in a fantastic performance of several premieres and a trio by Morton Feldman. I think the highlight there was seeing Wei-Han bust out stride piano in the midst of a post-modern all-you-can-eat sampler.

So...don't worry about me. Plenty to do. Plenty to hear. And plenty of free heat is coming on once we move to the coach house in January.

How did it get to be December?

Many apologies to those that follow the blog regularly - I've been getting emails complaining about the lack of entries since the move to Illinois! Thanks for sticking with me!

We got our first big snow yesterday, and now the sidewalks are a lovely combination of slush and solid ice. I'm now an expert at two different train systems, and have met more than thirty wonderful music-focused individuals in the Chicago area. I now volunteer time with The Musical Offering, a fantastic organization in Evanston that provides scholarship-driven music lessons and outreach teaching to an underserved population in South Evanston/Rogers Park. It's pretty amazing to see a musically-driven social justice organization just around the corner. I'm working with them to see how they could increase enrollment. Ideas welcome.

I've asked many music teachers in the area if they are feeling the effects of the economic downturn. Are their enrollments declining? Are there fewer inquiries for new students? Do people chafe at the rates for lessons? So far, the answer has been no. Encouraging, but I can't help but think that the economic climate will hit us all at the most gut, basic levels: performance opportunities, grant funding, and corporate support. Where gig income may dry up, we'll have to make it up through teaching. Music lessons may be a standby and a non-negotiable part of childhood education for some families, but for many they are considered a luxury. How can we convince them otherwise? I guess that's part of our job.