A Visit to TonicCon: Day 2

If the first day of TonicCon, at least as this editor experienced it, was heavy on performance, the second yields a series of panel discussions and good advice. Take, for example, the session “Life in Orchestras, from Auditions to Touring,” moderated in engaging style by violinist Margaret Batjer (concertmaster of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and on faculty at Colburn). Batjer leads members of the visiting London Philharmonic Orchestra (violinist and co-leader Alice Ivy-Pemberton; principal percussion chair Andrew Barclay; and co-principal horn Mark Vines) through a discussion about audition prep, the differences between the audition process in the US vs. the UK, a few jet lag hacks (“micronaps”—even the unintentional ones . . . ), and a very important reason why more string players should consider an orchestral career: lifestyle.

Neither Batjer nor Ivy-Pemberton spent any real time considering life in an orchestra when they were students. And yet both have found a home in one, and Ivy-Pemberton wishes she had thought more carefully about what kind of life she wanted to live before she’d left school. Soloists spend a lot of time alone in hotel rooms, she says, and quartet members spend a lot of time around only three other people. They also must possess some entrepreneurial spirit. Orchestral life offers a larger community in combination with great music. The discussion yields both practical tips and plenty to think about.

Batjer returns to the same hall half an hour later, this time accompanied by cellist Clive Greensmith and pianist Fabio Bidini, to offer practice advice to a room full of students. There, great information is punctuated by occasional quips (“If you can’t play in tune,” says Batjer, “play piano”). Practice slowly, mindfully. Use a metronome. Record yourself. Stay curious. Be patient.

Perhaps most importantly of all, don’t forget why you’re practicing. “My concert is an offering, not a test,” says Greensmith. Even if you’re preparing for an audition, not a concert, Batjer asserts that a player should prepare the same way. Audition panels want, above all, to hear an inspiring performance.

TonicCon musicians have had the opportunity to hear about the orchestral life and are now treated to a panel discussion with violinist Ray Chen and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet about life as a soloist. The best and worst part of a soloist’s professional life? Travel. It is, of course, marvelous to see the world, but jet lag, time zones, and burnout can make globetrotting treacherous. “Realistically, I just hate packing,” says Thibaudet to a laughing crowd. “I hate packing too!” exclaims Chen.

The conversation ranges from how to manage changing repertoire, how many concertos a soloist typically has performance ready at a time (around a dozen), what do to if one is asked to play something he doesn’t like (generally speaking, both say no—“Why present something that someone else can present better?” asks Chen), how to handle challenging interactions with a conductor (be professional, do the gig, never work with the conductor again, though neither has had many bad experiences), and how to manage practice on the road. Thibaudet warns the audience about the dangers of instant fame. Chen relays that his development of Tonic helped him avoid burnout. Both consider educating the next generation as part of their duties as keepers of the classical music tradition.

The final panel discussion of the day is about teaching and tech, with founder and editor of Violinist.com Laurie Niles in discussion with Chen. They go over an ideal set up for video auditions (your phone is OK for video; use an external mic). But the majority of the discussion focuses on Tonic and the role of online resources. And the Tonic musicians who offer feedback from the audience seem genuinely motivated by the connections they’ve made through the app and by the “gamification” of their practice routines.

But one question lingers over the proceedings, as, perhaps, it should: safety. And the founders of Tonic are mindful of the inherent dangers of the web. There is no video, direct messaging, or two-way conversations in the practice studios. Even musicians who “open” their practice studios to the public can limit those admitted to a specific list. Chen says this community is active in policing itself, and with over 200,000 users, he’s only ever had to kick out one person. All practice sessions time out after two hours, as some users early on had forgotten to turn off the app and were taking their open practice studios with them throughout the day.

So efforts have clearly been made. But ultimately, there is only so much the developers of an app can do if the app in question was created to connect people. Connect strangers. Being conscious of the choice to turn on the microphone is part of modern life, says Chen. And that may be so. But not all the musicians who want to use Tonic are adults, and the concern wasn’t voiced on their behalf. Can children be conscious of that choice and its possible consequences? The crowd seemed uneasy with that idea, and the consent and involvement of parents and guardians in such environments still seems like the wisest course.

The talk comes to a close in ebullient fashion, Chen still miraculously on his feet after two solid days of nonstop events, talks, and performances. He still has one more appointment with Vivaldi this evening, but for this editor, TonicCon is a wrap.