13 Things for Musicians to do while Living under Quarantine

1. Write your own cadenzas to the concertos you play.

2. Play Bach, transcribed or otherwise, every day.

3a. Update your website: delete or archive any dated materials, concerts, videos and other no longer relevant events or accomplishments. Concerts and other accomplishments in 2016 can probably be deleted or archived.

3b. Edit and create stronger website content – your bio, your pictures and videos. Delete anything that is of average visual and audio quality: blurry photos, oddly posed photos, non-stellar audio-video (bad sound, bad lighting). Delete any audio-video material that you put up just because you had it.

When was the last time you gave your website a detailed review?

4. Start writing. Anything. Like it or not, we are judged for how we write. Exercise your writing muscle daily, even if it’s just one sentence. Over time, this will prepare you to effectively write to presenters, venues prospective managers and agents and other influencers.

5a. Start videotaping yourself: your practice sessions or any type of event that is substantial, entertaining and interesting – post the video or video excerpts that show people who you are. Or, make it for your eyes only, and see what you really sound and look like.

5b. Start a Vlog – others are doing it now, and you can find your own way to tell your story.

6.  Be a mentor.  Students and others, who are serious about establishing themselves, are hungry for the skills and experience you can pass on to them. (This will strengthen, or make you thoughtfully question, your own artistic insights. Mentoring others and challenging your current held beliefs with reward you personally and professionally.)

7. Connect with composers – help them understand your instrument. Composers: work with performers – help them understand the composition process.

8. Wind and Brass Players: work on the other instruments in your instrument’s family. This keeps you from having to relearn or restart when an opportunity to double comes up.

Violinists – play viola.

Everyone else: insert joke here.

9. Reduce your binge-watching time allowance. I know…I’m no fun, but I’m trying to practice what I preach. (Full Discloser: I watched the third season of Ozark in two days.)

Same thing for not-so-necessary social media and the other rabbit holes you fall in to regularly. I know…I’m no fun, but I’m trying to practice what I preach.

With this new free time, look for historic and not so historic performances on YouTube or performer websites. Yuja Wang, Alessio Bax, Nathan Milstein, Vladimir Horowitz, Dennis Brain, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the many other orchestras, chamber groups and venues.

10. Air conduct the music you love that’s on your streaming playlist and CD and record shelf. (No one will see you, so get your Bernstein on.)

11. Write a 3 – 4 sentence Artist Statement detailing who you are, what you do, what you stand for and what you love. It will be your effective guide for how to spend your time fulfilling your career objectives.

12.  Write a thank you letter to your first music teacher, your last music teacher — or both.

13. Keep showing up…even if you don’t feel like it. Some of our best work comes out of those days.  Showing up will prepare you for the day we return to a somewhat normal state of affairs.

I know. I know: easier said than done. I know this from my own days of quarantine. One or more things on this list will sustain your sanity, peace of mind and your career while we all wait this out. Start slow. Be satisfied with accomplishing one thing a day.