“Perfect doesn’t exist, and if it did, it would be boring.” […]

Read More… from Off Book: Cynthia Wohlschlager, Vol. 1, Ep. 7

“What are you going to do with a music degree?” Sometimes well-intentioned and innocently curious, sometimes condescending and smug, we’ve all explained our hopes, dreams, and plans to our parents at the dinner table, acquaintances at a party, friends on the phone. We’ve justified our choices and described our career pathways. And as calm as […]

Read More… from Off Book: Jen Stephenson, Vol. 1 Ep. 6

LOOC: What do you wish you could go back and tell “younger” Aaron about working in the creative and performing arts? AR: You don’t know it when it’s happening but looking back you “see it all much clearer.” If only we could tell our past selves a few things… I would tell my past self […]

Read More… from Off Book: Aaron Reeder, Vol. 1 Ep. 5

For their Off Book series, the team at LOOC asked some tough and thoughtful questions of me to share with their young artists. They wanted to know what I would tell my younger self and what lessons have been important on my own musical journey.My answer to both: Don’t wait!Don’t wait …To be perfectAs musicians […]

Read More… from Off Book: Cara Chowning, Vol. 1, Ep. 4

I come from a small city in Northwest Ohio. Ironically, there are a handful of opera singers that have come from Fremont, Ohio, which always leads to the “there must be something in the water” joke. My mother was a pianist, ballerina, and psychologist. My father is a jack of many trades, master of a […]

Read More… from Off Book: Kirsten Kunkle, Vol. 1 Ep. 3

A blog interview (blinterview?) with Julia Mintzer. LOOC: Julia! You’ve had such a wealth of experience from conservatories, to YAPs, to international experience. What do you wish you could go back in time and tell yourself as an emerging artist? Julia: BOUNDARIES! Oh, gosh… I wish I could go back and teach my twenty-something self […]

Read More… from Off Book: Julia Mintzer, Vol. 1 Ep. 2

The Off Book Series includes personal narratives from each featured artist, as well as media events – check out Michael & Diana’s series intro by clicking here Diana Farrell When I was graduating from my masters I participated in a competition that I’d seen posted on a singer’s forum. The auditions were about two hours […]

Read More… from Off Book: Intro to Off Book Series