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>>artist toolbox Soft-spoken, baby-faced (even for 19), Mimi Stillman has achievements under her belt that most of us can only wish to accomplish in a lifetime. Stillman performs extensively as soloist and chamber player in the United States and Europe. In 1999, she won the Young Concert Artists International Auditions, the youngest wind player ever to do so. Stillman began her flute studies at the age of 6. At 12, she became the youngest wind player ever admitted to the Curtis Institute of Music, where she completed her Bachelor of Music degree with Julius Baker and Jeffrey Khaner in 1999 at 17. She is currently attending the University of Pennsylvania to get her Master's degree in history. |
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In addition to her educational
accomplishments, Stillman is an incredibly active Yamaha performing
artist and clinician. She has given recitals and masterclasses
for the National Flute Association, the Julius Baker High School
Flute Masterclass at Western Connecticut State University, the
International Clarinet Connection Festival at the Longy School
in Cambridge, MA, the Arizona Flute Society, and the Mid-South
Flute Society. The list hardly stops there, but perhaps the question
one might ask at this point is, "How does she do it?"
Well, Stillman will be the first to tell you it isn't easy, but she also adds she wouldn't want it any other way. "In my experience as a musician, what it takes is a lot of organization, flexibility, and enormous discipline to maintain a performing career," she says. "Musicians might not have to work in an office from 9 to 5; but they are the president, the CEO, the CFO and PR department of their own business, all the time. So evenings and weekends are really the same as weekdays in terms of responsibilities. Naturally, for lots of suc-cessful businesses there are consultants, and I feel fortunate that my parents help me in that capacity!" "So, of course," Stillman continues, "my priorities in any given day are the practicing and rehearsing, the musical responsi-bilities that day, but almost every day I devote time to the administrative work that goes into it--answeringe-mails, making phone calls, sending letters. I need to have flexibility, in my daily routine, to switch between practicing and rehearsing, and running the business aspects of my career. And you have to be flexible, switching gears quickly. For example, if I have plans to accomplish a certain goal one day, and then something arises--like getting a call to substitute in the Philadelphia Orchestra--then I have to quickly prioritize and work out another way of getting everything done."  Although
she is pursuing her master's degree in history, Stillman is attending
school part time in order to continue developing professionally
in music, her true passion. "I am still dedicated to performing
and going on concert tours, as well as teaching masterclasses and the students in my private studio," she explains. "But I've always read history on my own; I took courses at Curtis, and for the past year and a half, I've been interning at a thinktank in Philadelphia called the Middle East Forum. It was only in this past year that I've decided to study history formally; I just love the subject. "Balance is very important to me as a young musician," she asserts, "and I feel that having interests other than music makes me a better musician--I have a wider world of knowledge from which to draw my musical inspiration. And I feel rejuvenated when I combine music with intellectual pursuits. It's also important to me to see my friends, and to cook, and I love to travel as well I have a lot of fun with relaxing, but I just love performing!" Stillman finds the networking that takes place when participating in masterclasses and festivals is vital to keep a career growing. Her interaction often leads to invitations to future events, or repeat performances. "I also do a lot of educational outreach," she adds. "I visit schools, anywhere from kindergarten to high school, performing and talking to the students. I always say, whether it's to my own students, or students I meet in masterclasses, that music enriches your life--whether it's your career or not. But if you choose music as your life's work, it's very important that it be the thing you love most in the whole world." |
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