
So many of us were trained to follow a very specific path as musicians, but what happens when that path doesnโt quite lead to the life we imagined? Today, weโre chatting with violinist and Career & Leadership Coach for Musicians Sarah Whitney to talk about designing a career with clarity, confidence, and creative fulfillment. We explore mindset, leadership, burnout, and what it really takes to create the life you want as a musician.

Praised by The Washington Post for her โmarvelous violin acrobatics,โ Sarah Whitney is a widely recognized performer, teacher, speaker and Career & Leadership Coach for Musicians. During her tenure as violinist and founding member of her acclaimed string quintet, she performed concerts worldwide, received the Concert Artists Guild Grand Prize and had 3 albums reach the top ten on the Billboard charts. She is also founder and artistic director of the interactive concert series, Beyond the Notes and her diverse career has included everything from performing at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center to sharing the stage with NAS, Adele and Ed Sheeran.
As a Career & Leadership Coach for Musicians, Sarah uses her unique mix of mindset strategy and business savvy to help busy, professional musicians stop surviving and start thriving – building careers filled with clarity, confidence, and creative fulfillment. She is currently on the faculty of the Longy School of Music & New England Conservatory and has given lectures and masterclasses around the world, including at the Curtis Institute, The Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, Rice University and Oberlin Conservatory, among others.
Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. Johnโs Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isnโt playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda.
Consider implementing the ideas from this podcast by writing several actionable steps for your teaching practice if itโs inspired you.
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