Redefining the Musician – Details, episodes & analysis

Take a listen to Serayah's story where she details how she used her music education degree in an untraditional way. She details her story of keeping doors open and getting a variety of opportunities that have built her career to what it is today.

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Serayah's Bio: Serayah Peters is a crossover artist, voice teacher, and arts leader based in Abilene, Texas. A summa cum laude graduate of Hardin-Simmons University in choral music education, she has built a dynamic career spanning performance, nonprofit leadership, and teaching. She previously served as Director of Sales and Marketing for the Abilene Philharmonic and now serves as Director of Annual Giving at McMurry University. Serayah is also a music director with Chorus Abilene, where she founded two ensembles. Most recently, she was selected to present at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention, one of the largest music education conferences in the country. She continues to pursue a well-rounded career in the arts while encouraging others to explore paths that align with their own passions and purpose.  

Serayah's Social Media:Website - 

serayahpeterssoprano.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serayahpeters_soprano

Facebook - 

https://www.facebook.com/serayahp.music

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@serayahpeters_soprano

Email - 

serayahp.music@gmail.com

Have you wondered what it would be like to switch to another career? What qualifications you would need, what the job is like, if you might be a good fit for that job?

This episode is for you! This is Part 1 in a series of interviews detailing all of these things about specific career paths. Each episode will feature 10-20 minute interviews compiled together of different careers.

This episode features:

Music Retail (Guest: Kody Hartman) - 1:19

Arts Administration: Development (Guest Jordan Parks) - 18:39

Environmental Politics: Schooling (Guest Lydia Rose) - 43:15

Environmental Politics: Workforce (Guest Keith Curl-Dove)- 53:17

Law School (Guest James Bargar) - 1:05:40

Insurance Claims (Guest Adam Hollenbeck) - 1:21:37

Laura has always been heavily involved in music, both on the performance side and the education side. Until, one day in 2019, Laura decided to prioritize her happiness, her family, and her mental health. That has led to a series of decisions that have formed the life she lives now. Take a listen to this inspiring story of how Laura found a world she can live in that ticks all of the boxes.

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Laura's Bio:

Laura Young is an educator and performer based in Lake Tapps, Washington. In her musical life, she has played trumpet with a wide range of ensembles locally and abroad, most notably Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Emerald Ballet Theater Orchestra, Orquesta Cambalache, and both as a player and director with Sound Wave, the official band of the Seattle Sounders FC. Laura spent ten years teaching general music in the White River school district, where she cultivated a music community that prided itself in inclusivity, creativity, and growth through visionary teamwork. Her unique approach to elementary music and program building earned her recognition as Washington Music Educators Association’s Elementary Music Teacher of the Year in 2014. She presented workshops on improvisation, music literacy, and program development, and her groups performed at conferences and sporting events throughout the South Puget Sound. 

In 2019, Laura chose to leave music education to pursue a new path: outdoor education. She left the music classroom for one without walls, taking children out into the grass and forest to learn instead. Since then, she has developed a school garden and curricula that leverage community connections and Indigenous teachings to create a unique blend of science and social/emotional learning. In 2024, she was awarded the Pierce Conservation District’s Educator of the Year award in recognition of these efforts. She currently performs with the Rainier Symphony Orchestra and maintains a small private trumpet studio while also tending several gardens and doing all the sports with her kids.

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Episode 8:

Take a listen this week to Mirella's incredibly inspiring story! She takes us through getting her degrees, establishing a very wonderful freelancing career, and deciding to move to the music ed world.

Mirella's Bio:A former musical road warrior of the southern midwest, Mirella Gable embraced her musical education roots in 2024 and now works full time as a beginning band director in southern coastal Delaware. In the summer, Mirella enjoys performing with the Lake Placid Sinfonietta in the glorious Adirondack paradise with her husband, hornist James Rester. She holds degrees from Wichita State University (M.M. in Horn Performance), and the Eastman School of Music (B.M. in Applied Horn and Music Education), where she earned a Performer’s Certificate

Check out this episode with Lindsay, where she talks about her experience of finding her place in music. From music education, to grad school, to almost not taking the audition where she won her job, her story is packed full of relatable experiences.

Read her full bio below

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Bio: Lindsay Ring is proud to play euphonium in the United States Army Field Band, the army's premier touring ensemble. The band has already taken her from coast to coast and internationally to Switzerland and Finland. Lindsay has competed and placed in many solo and chamber competitions including the Leonard Falcone International Tuba Euphonium Competition, the Susan Slaughter Solo Competition, and the Music International Grand Prix competition, and was a featured soloist at last MWRTEC.

Burnout is a recurring issue than many musicians deal with at least once in their career. In this Episode, Ben and I talk about why burnout is so common, how burnout is built into the systems of music school and music careers, and some ways we can fight against that.

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Listen to Rachel's story as she learned that despite her love for music and teaching, the public school music ed world was not something that made her happy. She is now in the process of redefining her path and she shares that experience with all of us!

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Follow along as Serena details her story of being forced to resign from her military band position, due to the new laws against transgender military members. In this episode, you can hear not only about Serena's hardships, but also about her resilience, and the beginning of her path towards a new career.

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Tune in to this episode to hear Paden’s journey with Musician’s Dystonia. Hear all about the causes, as well as the ways he has worked on healing. Additionally, bring an open ear to hear some of the things he has to say regarding how we can change brass and wind teaching to prevent injury.

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The musician to finance pipeline is an interesting, yet strangely common path that is beginning to develop. Take a listen to Dominick's story as he tells you his path of leaving music to protect his mental health and secure his future through his new career.

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