CHANGE YOUR TUNE

DOUBLE MAJORING with Michael Lowenstern

Episode Summary

Mike Lowenstern leads a double life in marketing and music. He figured out early in his musical career that the demands of the work weren’t going to meet the demands of his life. So now uses his improvisation skills to make stuff up for a living, sometimes on stage and sometimes for clients.

Episode Notes

Michael Lowenstern has spent 15 years as a professional bass clarinetist specializing in avant garde jazz, and 15 years as a professional brand marketer specializing in data-driven creative strategy. Those journeys have two things in common: They are both niche corners of their respective markets, and they are both things that most people couldn't care less about. He's currently a Principal Creative Director for Amazon.

QUOTES

“After music school when I turned up in NY, I stared at the phone. It took about 7 years to establish myself and I was doing the work I always wanted with Steve Reich, John Zorn and Peter Sekin. But I wasn’t making much.

“I always had ‘double majoring’ in life, it started as a temp and then worked in advertising.”

“I was driving on the New Jersey turnpike at midnight, having an existential conversation. I just played Beethoven for the millionth time, I hadn’t seen my kid in 3 days because I also have a day job with night gigs. Would I rather play Beethoven and fulfil that destiny for the rest of  my life or would I rather watch my kid grow up.” (2005)

“Now I’m able to feel fulfilled as a musician and have a second job”

“I landed in a great spot by dumb luck”

“The critical thinking part is not about being a clarinet player (singer, pianist, composer) it’s about being a musical contributor. If you're not contributing, you're taking. And if you're not empathetic, you don't know how to give. And if you don't do that, then you're not part of the solution that's pushing music forward.”

“if you’re successful at more than one thing, there’s precedent for that. Not to compare myself, but there are a lot of people in history who’ve been good at more than one thing.”

LINKS

• Find Mike on the Earspasm website or on Youtube 
• “How to deal with not doing music full time?” on Earspasm

PODCAST TEAM

Production Support from Molly Jenkins 

Audio Engineering from Frazer Ruddick

Theme Music Composed by Danna Yun

Theme Music Performed by Jasper Ly

RECORDED

Recorded on 03 September 2021