In today’s podcast you’ll hear my interview with James Daly: Pianist, Composer, Teacher, Business Owner.  He’s created the San Ramon Academy of Music and the Powerful  Piano brand.  James is so charming and passionate, and you can just feel his love for the music he makes and the students he teaches.  He’s overcome a lot of obstacles to get where he is now, owning a successful teaching business and continuing to perform, compose, and create content with energy and love. I hope you enjoy this conversation! 

Let’s just say it: Classical music is elitist. The people on our orchestra stages tend to look a certain way, the composers who get played tend to be demographically similar, and our diversity/equity/inclusion efforts often get a surprising amount of internal and external pushback. As a white woman, It makes me really uncomfortable to talk about these issues, but these are conversations that need to be had. 

The bio my guest James Daly shared with me addresses this head-on, and starts: James is not what people think of when they picture a 'classical pianist'. Being an African American man with full sleeve tattoos and a visible athletic background he is mistaken for a personal trainer more than anything else. But definitely never an artist. How can a meathead be a Chopin aficionado?? 

James has been a lifelong musician, but his circumstances and background put him in a position similar to many other youths. Before turning 17 he was a high school dropout, working full time, and living on his own.  Yet, it was a dedication to music that inspired him to pursue higher education to fulfill his potential. Despite the odds, he achieved a full scholarship to UC Berkeley where he specialized in piano performance and composition. From there he graduated with honors in 2012 and has been teaching the last decade. His unique approach to instruction gained him such success he opened San Ramon Academy of Music in 2018, focusing on online music education and group classes.  He started the Powerful Piano brand in 2021 to grow his educational platform and provide access to music education to anyone, not just those who can afford private instruction. 

 I loved this conversation with James. He’s so charming and passionate that it’s obvious why he’s been successful - and at the same time it’s inspiring that he’s overcome so many  obstacles and is now trying to clear the way for others to do the same.

Connect with James on Instagram, or check out the San Ramon Academy of Music and The Powerful Piano on the web.

Thinking of trying FONS to streamline scheduling and payment for your music studio? Click HERE for my affiliate link and a free two week trial! 

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I'm your host, Jennet Ingle. I love you all. Stay safe out there!

On today’s podcast, you’ll hear my interview with Leslie Tagorda: Brand Astrologer, Designer, Podcast Host, Professional Clarinetist. The story of how she created and evolved her business is so inspiring to me, and I know it will be to you as well. I hope you enjoy the episode! 

 

Leslie Tagorda helps spiritual entrepreneurs become the luminary leaders they were born to be. As a multiracial brand astrologer, designer, podcast host and author, Leslie revealed her calling when a crisis in her business identity led her to her natal chart where the AstroBrand™ method revealed itself combining business astrology, branding and leadership. Today she teaches this method to visionary entrepreneurs and changemakers globally to help them affirm, embrace and amplify their Star-Powered Purpose. 

Connect with Leslie on Instagram @newmooncreativeco, in her Facebook group, or enjoy her podcast, The Savvy Luminary! 

Thinking of trying FONS to streamline scheduling and payment for your music studio? Click HERE for my affiliate link and a free two week trial! 

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You can join my email list HERE, so you never miss an episode! 

I'm your host, Jennet Ingle. I love you all. Stay safe out there!

This week on the podcast, you’ll hear Kirin McElwain, cellist, performer, and coordination enthusiast.  You'll hear the story of a musician who has the courage to try new things, over and over, and the courage to STOP the things that aren’t working for her. 

Kirin McElwain is a performer-composer on cello and voice and—more recently— laptop and modular synthesizer. Equally at home in concert halls, recording studios, and in DIY venues, Kirin has contributed sounds to numerous film and television scores, contemporary dance performances, mixed media installations, and traditional classical and contemporary classical performances. 

In her own sound practice, she explores the tension between form and chaos, western classical harmony and noise, and ideas of “goodness” and “correctness” in musical style.

Currently she is an Alexander Technique practitioner who works with musicians both one on one and through her digital membership, Feel Better Sound Better. 

What I admire so much about Kirin is the RELENTLESSNESS with which she approaches her creative and business life. She's not afraid to look at what is and isn't working, she's not afraid to ask herself what she needs and what she wants, and she's not afraid to make it happen.  We could all take inspiration from this! 

 

My takeaways from Kirin's conversation: 

• When you find something that works for you, lean into it
• Be flexible in how people want to work with you. If you can make it easy, they'll come!
• Always be aware of what you want to do and what you don't want to do
• The scarcity mentality of just being grateful for what you have is NOT moving you forward
• Maintain your standards for yourself
• Imagine the best possible outcome - and figure out how to handle all of that success in advance
• Trust yourself to know what you need and figure out how to get it

What did YOU hear? 

Find out more about Kirin at her website!

Thinking of trying FONS to streamline scheduling and payment for your music studio? Click HERE for my affiliate link and a free two week trial! 

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I'm your host, Jennet Ingle. I love you all. Stay safe out there! 

 

I'm speaking directly to you today, reading a chapter from my book, The Happiest Musician.  I talk about my reed business, the one I started as a side thing back in 1998 and grew to six figures. 

I also offer a free resource on why YOU should start up a reed business of your own - if you are an oboist, bassoonist, or single reed player, and if you are looking for more income stability but haven't started yet? You are my people. Grab this handout and let's see if I can help you! 

Thinking of trying FONS to streamline scheduling and payment for your music studio? Click HERE for my affiliate link and a free two week trial! 

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I'm your host, Jennet Ingle. I love you all. Stay safe out there! 

This week on the podcast, you’ll hear Katherine Emeneth: Flutist and music educator, entrepreneur, founder of KE Creative and Georgia Flute Academy. She’s an inspiration to young flutists and portfolio career musicians alike!  Katherine Emeneth is a music educator, entrepreneur, flutist, and human-helper from Sugar Hill, Georgia. After spending YEARS applying to professor positions around the country, she finally decided to take things into her own hands. She runs a private flute studio for middle and high school students that encompasses all aspects of music education. Her curriculum and activities are modeled after the university applied studio. Her students participate in multiple recitals per year, perform in masterclasses, chamber ensembles, youth orchestras, and even have their own flute summer camp called FLING! Since she's become a bit of a studio building expert, Katherine created an online course for private studio development 4 years ago called The Music Teacher's Playbook. Through this course, she has helped hundreds of musicians develop the private studio of their dreams AND make a full time income as a musician. Since then, she created her own digital education company, KE Creative, that supports classical musicians in advancing their teaching, business, and entrepreneurial skills. She has created 6 courses over the past 4 years and offers tons of freebies to her social media followers. She lives in Sugar Hill, Georgia with her husband, niece, and Old English Sheepdog, Barney.

What I love about talking to Katherine is the POSSIBILITY she offers to so many. She has a huge online and in-person EMPIRE, and devotes herself to helping others find their own thing and empower their own portfolio careers. To hear her tell it, ANYONE can use their strengths to help others and can create an income stream from that. 

 

My takeaways from Katherine's conversation: 

• Having a portfolio career gives you stability and abundance
• You are more than your instrument. You have value!
• The thing that is easy for you is hard for someone else.
• Create structure - make time to create the plan and then run the plan
• Get help. Find someone qualified, and get help. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel! 
• Just start. Action begets action

What did YOU hear? 

Find out more about Katherine at her website, Facebook group, or Instagram! 

Thinking of trying FONS to streamline scheduling and payment for your music studio? Click HERE for my affiliate link and a free two week trial! 

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You can join my email list HERE, so you never miss an episode! 

I'm your host, Jennet Ingle. I love you all. Stay safe out there! 

 

 An internationally-acclaimed American soprano and lifetime multi-passionate entrepreneur, Elizabeth Frey Gentner thrives as a performer and arts financial consultant.

Offstage, Elizabeth has established herself as a powerful voice for Artist empowerment in the arts and a Business savvy coach for creatives. In her first years out of music school, a love of numbers led her to work for several well-known financial firms, where she gained valuable insights into what factors led to an organization’s success or failure. In 2006, she set off on her own—leaving finance to found several companies in bookkeeping, financial consulting, and more. Then as now, Elizabeth pursued these opportunities alongside her most exciting musical endeavors. She uses this diverse expertise to serve as a coach for classical musicians, empowering them to achieve both financial independence, career fulfillment and an authentic voice all their own. Elizabeth’s lively podcast, “Opera Uprising”, empowers opera singers to take the power of opera back.  

Elizabeth’s coaching and consultation draw from the lessons—and battle scars—gained as she pieced together a self-funded early artistic career. To this day, Elizabeth continues to self-produce ambitious and socially focused creative projects.

I know you will love this conversation! 

 

It is not inappropriate to make money as a musician, singer or creator; in fact having financial security, whatever that looks like for you, is ESSENTIAL to being able to inhabit your creative space. This is the message that I’ve shared in my book, the Happiest Musician, and it’s one that I believe in so strongly. 

I’m opening up a workshop series for musicians who want to begin leaning into this concept based on the principles of the book. These will start in April and I’d love to have you join me!

Find out more about Elizabeth at her website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! 

Thinking of trying FONS to streamline scheduling and payment for your music studio? Click HERE for my affiliate link and a free two week trial! 

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I'm your host, Jennet Ingle. I love you all. Stay safe out there! 

Jenny Clift is a classically-trained violinist, and an EFT Tapping Coach, based in Madrid, Spain.  She is passionate about working with musicians, stage artists and creatives from all over the world, to help them achieve success, wealth, career fulfillment and inner peace.

Her secret weapon is EFT which stands for Emotional Freedom Techniques, also known as Tapping. 

What I love about Jenny is her EAGERNESS to help other people with the problems that had plagued her. It's one thing to find a healing modality that fixes YOU, it's another to turn it into an entire coaching practice and help other musicians and creatives!  

It is not inappropriate to make money as a musician, singer or creator; in fact having financial security, whatever that looks like for you, is ESSENTIAL to being able to inhabit your creative space. This is the message that I’ve shared in my book, the Happiest Musician, and it’s one that I believe in so strongly. 

I’m opening up a workshop series for musicians who want to begin leaning into this concept based on the principles of the book. These will start in April and I’d love to have you join me!

Find out more about Jenny at her website, Facebook, or YouTube, join her terrific email list, or order her book. 

Thinking of trying FONS to streamline scheduling and payment for your music studio? Click HERE for my affiliate link and a free two week trial! 

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You can join my email list HERE, so you never miss an episode! 

I'm your host, Jennet Ingle. I love you all. Stay safe out there! 

 

My guest today, Dr. Renée-Paule Gauthier, is a violinist and high performance coach and life coach for musicians.  She's built a career for herself around her passion for mindful practice, and she's an inspiration to all! 

Find Renée at www.mindoverfinger.com, follow her on Instagram or Facebook.

 

Thinking of trying FONS to streamline scheduling and payment for your music studio? Click HERE for my affiliate link and a free two week trial! 

Theme music by DreamVance.

You can join my email list HERE, so you never miss an episode! 

I'm your host, Jennet Ingle. I love you all. Stay safe out there! 

 

What you'll hear:

• The TRUE meaning of “success” in the classical music industry… we dive into this important inquiry and zero in on what’s possible financially AND creatively
• How to adjust to change as your career evolves… and how to insure that you stay HAPPY
• The shocking truth about the level of job satisfaction in the coveted JOBS in the classical music industry and how to rectify that for yourself regardless of your circumstances
• How Jennet’s side-hustle turned into a major part of her income, and how it has improved all the other areas of her music career
• Starting new projects and the voices in your head that stop you: what to do and how to move past it so you can create what you want
• And so much more!

Stay in touch with Jennet on Crushing Classical podcast news - sign up HERE

Get your copy of The Happiest Musician HERE

What you’ll hear:

• The #1 thing you need to seriously consider if you’re heading toward college or in college now - this is important!
• The multi-millionaire musician that no one has heard of - what his example shows that is available to every musician
• The system Sam invented to solve a problem and how it led him to building the business he has now
• NFTs - what are they, how do they apply to musicians… this one you’ve got to hear!
• And so much more!

Find out more and sign up for Muzie Live at https://www.muzie.live/

Out NOW on Amazon - The Happiest Musician: How To Thrive In Your Creative Career, by Jennet Ingle. You can find it HERE.

Jennet delivers real talk about creating a career in classical music on your own terms, and includes interviews musicians who have created their own unique careers, making them the happiest musicians out there. Whether you're a student or a budding professional - or you've been at it a while and need something to help you think outside the box - this book is for you!

 

 

What you'll hear...

• How to create TRUE FANS in your work and build a following so you can support yourself as an artist
• The TRUTH about the MONEY PATH when you’re forging your own path creatively as a performer - we get the real talk on this mystery most people have no clue about
• The most surprising way Barron shares his own composed sheet music - and how it has affected his career
• And so much more!

To find out more about Barron's work, check out his website HERE

If you're a pianist, you can access his sheet music HERE

Also... out NOW - Jennet Ingle's NEW BOOK, The Happiest Musician, How to Thrive in Your Creative Career is available HERE on Amazon now!