You know what they say…don’t work hard, work smart. In reality, both are necessary. But I wanted to focus this video on giving you some practical tips for really maximizing the time you spend at the instrument. Let me know here, and/or in the comments section of the YouTube video below, what you think of… Continue reading
I Bought a $31 Bow From Wish.com…Is It Any Good? And I’m Giving It Away!
Sorry for the late post, friends…I was on vacation! I’m back now, and getting back in the swing of things. Anyway, I’m pleased to present my video from last Friday, where I reviewed a bow from wish.com. And I’m happy to announce that I’ll be giving it away to a lucky commenter, per the rules… Continue reading
Orchestra Librarians Are Lifesavers…Here’s How
I had the wonderful opportunity the other day to talk to my friend Bronwyn Hagerty, who is not only a great cellist, but also an orchestra librarian. The reason is, they do a lot behind the scenes that makes orchestral rehearsals and performances possible. There’s a lot you might not know, so I highly encourage… Continue reading
Orchestra Etiquette 101 | 10 Tips To Help You Avoid Getting Fired
If you’re gonna play in an orchestra, there are some pretty specific guidelines that are important to follow. I decided it was worth making a video about a few things to keep in mind. Not all of them are obvious, so here are just some of the ones that you’ll want to keep in mind…. Continue reading
How To Be A Soloist
If you want to be a soloist, there’s a ton more that you have to do besides watching a video I made. But I do have a few tips to share with you. Video is right below, and an abridged script is under that for your reference, too. So many people have the dream of… Continue reading
How I Became A Professional Cellist | The Cello Ben Origin Story
A lot of folks have been asking me how I got started on cello. It started as a bit of a roundabout journey for me, but I hope you find the story interesting and compelling, and perhaps it mirrors your musical path a bit, if you’re on one. Let me know in the comments!
250 Years Of Great Cellists | Music History Mondays
Most of us have probably heard of a lot of the great cellists who are around today. But how much do we know about the folks who came before us? I’m sure many of us have heard of Casals and Piatigorsky, but what about the other 14 in this video? Do you know them? Let… Continue reading
Brahms Symphony No. 2 | Cello Excerpt Deep Dive
I decided to start a series where I do deep dives into excerpts that you will likely find yourself having to learn if you want to audition for orchestras. We’ll start the series off with the Second Symphony of Johannes Brahms! Take a look at the video below, and then go to the bottom of… Continue reading
Pardon My French | Understanding Those French Terms In Music
Hi there, and welcome to another late blog post! What else is new? I did a video on French terms in music, and it can be found below. However, in lieu of a script, I’m going to include definitions of those words below…because if you don’t want to watch the video for the pronunciations and… Continue reading
Orchestra Excerpts Tier List | Cello Edition
I’m sorry to be a bit late on this post here…this is last week’s Friday video. Tier lists have been all the rage for awhile (at least, I think so), so I decided to make my first one. This time, it’s ranking orchestral excerpts. Anyone who’s trying to get a job in an orchestra has… Continue reading