The traditional path to success as a classical musician relies on the arts establishment for patronage, but their lack of funding is making social media an increasingly important platform for classical artists.
Long-established classical music competitions are a bit like an olympic sport, with prescribed technical challenges performed by each participant, given ratings by experts in the field. There’s not much room for individuality, and respect for the long-dead composer far outweighs respect for the creative input of the musician on stage.
Contrast this with the modern alternative. The success of an instagram musician is contingent upon the entertainment of millions of viewers, most of whom have had little exposure to classical music before.
In this new arena, musicians must be endlessly creative, consistently delivering audiences new and unusual content. They must be engaging, attractive, playful and accessible; their projection of personality is as important as their craft.
After having been intensively trained to play instruments unchanged for centuries, and in a style perfectly replicating what has gone before, this is a shift not every musician is able or willing to make.
From my point of view, the arts establishment has its place in conserving the historic classical style, much like a museum should keep archives, but the majority of musicians must recognise that without exiting that museum and playing to the folk in the market square, no one will ever benefit from their talent and training.
This is not to mention the truly exciting opportunity social media offers musicians to be experimental. The following 5 cellists are all classically trained at the world’s most prestigious institutions, yet are brimming with personality and creativity that should inspire us all to find our own bold, weird and original musical voice.
1. LauFey
Multitalented Laufey strums cello whilst singing her self-composed songs. Her gorgeous new EP “Typical of Me” is one of my favourite releases of 2021.
The Wong Janice is an Amsterdam-based cellist and meditation teacher who hosts virtual meditation sessions from her living room. Let her deep vibrations flow over you.
3. Rushadicus
Cellist Rushad Eggleston studied at Berklee college of music on full scholarship, which may surprise the 22k followers who mistake him for a self taught maverick, judging by his ‘alternative’ techniques.
Katherine Audas is the author of ‘The Musician’s Practice Journal’, and her educational content often features recordings straight from her practice room, giving an insight into the process behind the performance.
Australian folk cellist/vocalist Monique demonstrates that technology can bring like-minded musicians together without geographical barriers. Her reels feature live collaborations between musicians from different continents.
Have I missed someone who deserves a place on this list? Let me know in the comments section!
And as always, let’s connect. Follow me at @cellistelizarose for more exciting content, or book me for a live performance at your event.
https://www.instagram.com/tinaguo/ also has good videos in her instagram page