Interviews with Katherine Weintraub

I asked Professor Katherine Weintraub of Florida State University ten questions based upon the research question: What does it take to become successful as a performing musician in today’s job market? This is a paraphrased manuscript of the interview conducted on 7/24/2017.

Patrick: Were you nervous about pursuing music as a career?

Weintraub: “Yes, but for me it was more of a passion. It was not as much of a career as it was something that I have always wanted to do. I was told for a long time that music was not something I would be able to start a life on without hard-work and dedication, and that is what I decided to do!”

Patrick: That leads me into my next question! How much unpaid time would you put in refining your skills when you were searching for a position?

Weintraub: “Leading up to my interview, I was not nervous about the way I would play, so I practiced no more than usual - compared to the days before my finals in college. Those times I would practice for up to seven hours in a single stretch, and practice nearly ten hours a day for weeks straight.”

Patrick: Practicing can be difficult for someone without a tangible reward in sight. What would you say was your primary motivation?

Weintraub: “I have always wanted to be a musician, and I believed that putting in work young would pay off in the long haul. I was fortunate enough to have parents who would nag me into doing my work and practicing during my free time, and so I was trained from a young age.”

Patrick: Yes, focus can be very hard to find at times without a little push! Is there any one person in particular that you would give credit for helping you find success?

Weintraub: “Many people helped me through my life. I would say there is no one person who helped me the most other than my parents, however I will say that if I did not know certain people, I would not be your teacher.”

Patrick: Yes, that leads directly into my next question. Would you credit connections from the past to having helped you get where you are today?

Weintraub: “Absolutely. Connections have always been important to me, and I have always tried to be very nice to everyone I meet to make as many of them as possible. If my teacher, Dr. Sinta, had not recommended me for this position then I would also not be working here today.”

Patrick: Are there any tips you would give to making these connections and spreading your reputation amongst other professional musicians?

Weintraub: “As I said, be nice to everyone you meet. You may never know who will offer you help when you need it, and enemies are much easier to make then friends. And friends don’t let you down.”

Patrick: Agreed. On to music performance. Out of everyone looking to become a music performer that you know, do you expect all of them to succeed?

Weintraub: “No. I wish they all could but unfortunately it is very competitive.”

Patrick: About what percent would you guess find success in music performance?

Weintraub: “I went to a very prestigious music school. (University of Michigan, Eastman School of Music) Even with being in one of the top schools, I would say around half the people will make it.”

Patrick: Out of the people you believe can make it, what do they do different than those you think won’t?

Weintraub: “All personality. If you put in work, and you are a good person, you will make it. If not, I have seen many people fail who I feel are not the nicest people. Be nice to everyone!”

Patrick: Okay, last question. How much of a component is maturity and musicality in playing compared to knowledge and technique?

Weintraub: “The difference is average versus advanced. Anyone can practice until they play a piece perfect, but no two people feel the same emotions and therefore if you can’t convey them then you are just going to be average.”

Note: All responses from Katherine Weintraub are paraphrased to an extent, and may not be representative of her original wording. I attempted to maintain her exact message, however I am not speaking on her behalf and she has the right to disagree with any statements put in this paraphrased interview. I have the full audio recording available with her exact words if needed for questioning.