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Not So Classical: Genre Pockets, Cello and The Unconscious with Greg Byers
Metadata
- title
- Not So Classical: Genre Pockets, Cello and The Unconscious with Greg Byers
- description
- The orchestra is the traditional path, but how are musicians who play orchestral instruments really making their living? Greg walks through the pieces that add up to a career, and how an unlikely passion like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu can improve your playing.
- status
- complete
- date
- 2024-03-19
- kind
- guest
- guestSlugs
- greg-byers
- listenUrl
- https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lovemusicmore/episodes/Not-So-Classical-Genre-Pockets--Cello-and-The-Unconscious-with-Greg-Byers-e2h904k
- lmwUrl
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYVQQ76MjBs
- appleUrl
- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-so-classical-genre-pockets-cello-and-the/id1567355195?i=1000649755210&uo=4
- spotifyUrl
- https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Gpeqvr1KVE0JZJzjur7M3
- youtubeUrl
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaFRn6bt7uo
- topicsDiscussed
- Classical and orchestral music
- Jazz
- Genre
- The music business
- Music theory
- Bass
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and improvisation
- Career outside the orchestra chair
- Playing to the room versus personal style
- hostNote
- **Greg Byers** is a cellist and composer affiliated with the New Directions Cello Festival and the Seifert International Jazz Competition. His mother wanted him on violin; his teacher steered him to cello instead, reasoning there would always be fewer cellists competing for work. We get into the actual economics of an orchestral instrument: a finite number of professional orchestra chairs against a much larger pool of trained players, and why building a career outside that path means picking a clear goal and saying yes to unexpected work. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu comes up as more than a hobby, Greg argues the body performs better under pressure, not worse, and draws a direct line between sparring and musical improvisation. Joni Mitchell's genre-hopping career is the example he returns to for what it looks like to keep evolving instead of settling into one lane.
- selectedMoments
- label
- Introducing Greg and his cats
- startSec
- 116
- note
- Greg shares a charming anecdote about his cats, who he adopted during the pandemic, setting a light-hearted tone for the conversation.
- label
- The beginnings of musical passion
- startSec
- 268
- note
- Greg discusses how he began playing music at a young age, influenced by a Suzuki demonstration.
- label
- Finding balance in musical genres
- startSec
- 581
- note
- Greg reflects on the dichotomy between classical training and contemporary music, expressing his desire to merge both.
- label
- Understanding the supply-demand dynamic in orchestras
- startSec
- 741
- note
- An insightful breakdown of the realities of orchestral positions and the economic challenges they face.
- label
- Making a living in music outside orchestras
- startSec
- 1084
- note
- Greg emphasizes the importance of having a clear goal to sustain a career in music.
- label
- The significance of saying 'yes' to opportunities
- startSec
- 1313
- note
- He shares how saying 'yes' helped him take unexpected paths that enriched his musical journey.
- label
- Improvisation in music and Jiu Jitsu
- startSec
- 3412
- note
- An intriguing comparison between improvisation in music and the spontaneous nature of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
- label
- The impact of Joni Mitchell on artistic growth
- startSec
- 2864
- note
- Discussing how Joni Mitchell's career evolution inspires artists to explore new genres and forms.
- excerptQuotes
- text
- My mom wanted me to play violin. And the instructor said if he ever wants a career in music, you should consider having him play cello because there are far less cellists.
- startSec
- 343
- reviewed
- true
- text
- There are a finite amount of professional orchestras in the United States. I know there are a lot of community orchestras as well, and those are fantastic on so many levels.
- startSec
- 756
- reviewed
- true
- text
- A major driver for me is gratitude and being grateful for all that music has given me and continues to give me to this day.
- startSec
- 3806
- reviewed
- true
- text
- There's nothing better than playing a show and just having the crowd be totally immersed in what you're doing.
- startSec
- 3883
- reviewed
- true
- text
- You know, the body thrives under pressure. The body does not thrive—yeah, if you're injured, stay at home, take care of yourself. But the body actually does better under adversity.
- startSec
- 3493
- reviewed
- true
- faq
- question
- What kind of music does Greg Byers play?
- answer
- Greg Byers plays a blend of classical and contemporary music, often incorporating influences from jazz and pop.
- question
- How can I hire Greg Byers as a musician?
- answer
- You can hire Greg Byers by visiting his website at CelloGreg.com where you can find more information about his services.
- question
- What is the influence of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu on Greg Byers' music?
- answer
- Greg finds that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu improves his physical conditioning and mental focus, which enhances his performance as a musician.
- transcriptPublished
- false
- draft
- false
Content
No body content; see metadata above.