Oct 9, 2020
Hi there! My name is Tori Lupinek, and you are listening to The Unclassical Musician.
This is the podcast empowering the new generation of classical musicians to take risks and live a fulfilling life.
Show links:
Join the facebook group The Unclassical Musicians
DM on instagram @torilupinekflutist
Topic suggestion form: torilupinek.com/theunclassicalmusician
National Flute Association (NFA)
Who I am/ my story
Please --allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tori. I am 27 years old. I live in Houston, TX. I am a flutist with 2 ¼ degrees in performance from top institutions. I struggle with anxiety, imposter syndrome and TMJ. I am no longer a starving artist, but it would be nice to feel more comfortable financially. I have opinions about the world of classical music and how we can make it a better place. And I want to empower other musicians to take control of their own careers!
Why this podcast
I wanted to start this podcast because I noticed a pretty sizable gap in the flute world in terms of professional guidance. I assume that this phenomenon is similar with other instruments or their institutions, but in the flute world there’s the National Flute Association (NFA) and local flute clubs in major metropolitan areas. At that level of community service, we cater to young students (solo and ensemble and region band auditions), and college performance majors/ young adult (excerpts, new music, revenue streams/career options). But then there is this gap where there is very little support for recent music graduates and adults who are trying to establish themselves and their careers. Then you get to the “old guard” and professionals who have “made it” and look back on their time as 20-somethings a “time of growth” and romanticized notions like that. I’m not asking for anyone to hold my hand through my 20s, but it would be nice to have a little nudge here or there, am I right? There are a lot of feelings and struggles during this season of our lives that everyone experiences, but we don’t share those feelings with others. Our teachers likely didn’t share their experiences and hardships with us either (maybe because it was a long time ago for them and time heals all wounds). This can feel very isolating, especially during a pandemic. We are going to break with the traditional institution of classical music. This podcast is going to provide a transparent and honest look at life as a classical musician. We’re not going to be stuffy, or overly academic. Let’s be candid. Let’s learn from each other!
So the point of this podcast is to build a community of young professional musicians from recent grads up through early 30s. And to act as a soundboard for the issues that plague young musicians who didn’t win their coveted “job” right out of school. I’m going to get us started because I am 27 and in the thick of it and decided to start a podcast because I love listening to podcasts. But I will have friends on in the future to help me break down some of the outdated thoughts and beliefs about what it means to be a classical musician in the 2020s.
That’s one more thing to keep in mind here if you are listening to this in the future. This podcast is launching in October 2020 in the middle of a global pandemic and the most intensely divisive US presidential election in living memory. There’s a lot going on right now and we’re going to get through it together.
First series of topics: Lifestyle and Mindset
Each week we will dive deep into a topic on the minds of today’s young professional musicians. All instruments are welcome-- singers and composers too!
- Burnout--my personal experience
- Self care for musicians and work at home scheduling-- how the pandemic changed my life
- Keeping an optimistic mindset-- everything from day-to-day to audition day
- Ethics of music during a pandemic -- questioning our relevance as artists.
How to suggest topics
torilupinek.com/theunclassicalmusician topic suggestion form
DM on instagram @torilupinekflutist
Follow on social
Join the facebook group The Unclassical Musicians
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your podcast service of choice so you get the first episode downloaded to your device automatically!
In the mean time, take care of yourselves out there. You’ll be hearing from me soon.