Stand Partners For Life

Today we're joined by our good friend and LA Phil principal cello, Robert deMaine. Bob tells us about his childhood, his musical family and an early teacher who gave him a complete musical education, including piano and composition. He also unpacks how he fell out of love with the cello during his teen years and took an extended break from playing. Eventually he found his way back and went on a tear, pursuing a solo career and at the same time winning principal jobs in Hartford, Detroit, and finally Los Angeles. Bob doesn't hold back as he discusses anxiety, negative self-talk, and the long road toward mastery of an instrument. Key Points From This Episode: Different orchestral seating arrangementsBob's upbringing, important places and inspiration from his familyHaving and then losing the best music teacher in the worldThe difference between relative pitch and perfect pitchDisasters in ice cream shops and disasters on stageBob's early jobs in music and testing boundaries with senior musiciansThe D