violinist katherine bormann

This episode is our conversation with Katherine Bormann, a violinist with The Cleveland Orchestra since 2011. Katherine has degrees from Rice University and The Juilliard School and studied with Kathleen Winkler, Joel Smirnoff, and Ronald Copes.

She has made appearances at Strings Music Festival, Mainly Mozart Festival, Aspen Music Festival, and Tanglewood Music Festival, where she was also a member of the contemporary music ensemble, New Fromm Players. She was also a member of the New World Symphony for four years.

In the episode, we talk about what it is like to be a musician in a top-tier orchestra, and how she maintains her technique, artistry, and inspiration. We also talk about the things outside of music that a musician must do to be their best self, especially the importance of being quiet and going within yourself so that you can better share your art with others.

And of course, we talk about the grueling audition process required to get a job like this and some tips that she has for getting better at auditions and other high-pressure situations.

It was definitely a bit of a music-geeky episode, but still, it is a conversation anyone can enjoy and get something out of, even if you’re not a musician!

**Click here to watch the Youtube video for this episode**

Timestamps:

  • [02:08] Katherine’s background and how she got started with violin
  • [04:05] The interconnectedness of all the arts and how they complement each other
  • [06:04] Was there a moment of inspiration when Katherine knew she wanted to be a musician?
  • [15:19] Why Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier Suite is Katherine’s favorite piece
  • [20:10] How has Katherine’s relationship with music changed throughout her life/career?
  • [24:40] The importance of establishing routines
  • [29:04] How to play emotionally and be engaged with the music while also being technically accurate
  • [34:19] The value of being well-rounded and knowing more than just your musical part
  • [40:27] The problem of hedonic adaptation, especially how it affects musicians
  • [45:45] The different personality types between instruments
  • [48:50] Audition advice
  • [53:42] Bonus questions

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