Today we’d like to introduce you to Markus Gottschlich.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up in Vienna, Austria I was surrounded by great music and talented musicians from an early age on. At five years old my brother and I were given an old piano from my grandmother, who bought it from a neighbor. Her thinking was that, if all else fails, or we were to fall on hard times, we could always play an instrument and hence get by. It was the type of thinking that one would acquire from living through war times like she did.
What she could not have predicted is that the piano (and music in general) would end up playing a central role in my life. Studying with many great teachers provided a solid foundation, but it was only after listening to my first Jazz records, as a teenager in a military academy, that I was hooked on the ‘sound.’ I needed to figure out how to make the piano sound like ‘that’!
After graduating University, I moved to Miami, where I was working as a freelancing musician for many years before starting also to teach, curate shows, concert series and work on Jazz festivals. Today, Miami remains to be a place of inspiration and one where many of my collaborations are formed.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the struggles I faced was to fully commit to the craft, while still having other options and career choices. I don’t believe any artist would say that ‘the road’ has been ‘smooth,’ per se. As a matter of fact, unless you absolutely love this type of work, it’s not recommendable for everyone.
The reason I say this is because many sacrifices need to be made for (seemingly) small rewards… for a very long time. And nobody can predict if you’ll have a breakthrough, or if there’ll be light at the end of the tunnel. (That light might also be an oncoming train…)
However, if one does not mind the many hours that go into honing one’s craft, ‘the dues’ one must pay, and if one actually enjoys the process of incremental improvement, then it could be a rewarding occupation. I believe in talent, but even more so, in hard work.
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
Apart from being a performer myself, I curate concert series, special themed events, and festivals. In addition, I organize educational programs for young music students and adults in collaboration with domestic and international partner institutions.
The curated musical performances typically have an educational element to them, while educational programs also have an entertaining side. In addition, it’s important for the programs to be culturally and/or socially significant.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I have had the good fortune to travel abroad numerous times and perform my original music for large audiences. Being in the performing arts field, I believe that the ability (and opportunity) to share one’s original work for an interested audience is probably as good as it gets.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.MarkusGottschlich.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markus.gottschlich.10
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/gottschlichm
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