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Greg Sandow on the future of classical music

Helping you

October 28, 2016 by Greg Sandow

I’m going to reprint this right from my latest newsletter…

I’m humbled by the response I’ve gotten from my consulting clients. I’ve been working with musicians, helping them build their careers, especially by focusing their branding, the ways they describe and promote themselves. And how they pitch themselves for gigs.

I love doing this work, and I’ve felt that I’ve been helping. But then when Paul Haas — a unique meld of conductor, composer, and installation artist — sent me a testimonial, I almost fell down:

If you’re willing to put in some hard work and serious thinking about what makes you who you are as an artist, I can imagine no better partner in rebranding than Greg Sandow. He guided me through a process that transformed what I knew about myself into materials that made it easy for others to get to know me. His comments, buttressed by years of work in the field, were unerring and straightforward to implement. Our arrangement required that I do most of the actual writing of materials, but anytime he rewrote something it was pure gold. Greg understands music, people, and writing — that’s a rare combination, and it certainly made all the difference in our project together. I couldn’t recommend him more highly.

And then there was this, from Patrick Cashin, a pianist in Montreal:

Thanks so much Greg — it’s been great working with you. I finally see the possibility that I can be myself in the classical music world and have some success.

(Which is something I so strongly encourage. Building your career by doing something you love, something that’s completely you.)

misha-penton-again-blogAnd this from Misha Penton, a new music voice artist and performance creator in Houston:

Greg’s insight is uncanny — he “got” my work immediately, and helped me rework my written communication in an way that truly reflected my artistic vision.

As I said, I’m humbled by all this. And grateful.

Plus…I love to work with conservatories. I can visit your school, help students with the future of classical music, help them plan their careers in the new world that’s dawning. And I can help faculty and administration with curriculum change.

One other thought — if there’s an orchestra, or some other mainstream classical music institution, that really wants change…I’m here.

My newsletter…you can see the new one here. On the theme, overall, of being happier people and happier musicians. You can subscribe, of course…

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Greg Sandow

Though I've been known for many years as a critic, most of my work these days involves the future of classical music -- defining classical music's problems, and finding solutions for them. Read More…

About The Blog

This started as a blog about the future of classical music, my specialty for many years. And largely the blog is still about that. But of course it gets involved with other things I do — composing music, and teaching at Juilliard (two courses, here … [Read More...]

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