Virtuoso violinists share their insight on balancing the demands of early parenthood and a career as a soloist

Baby violin case

The following extract was taken from an article in The Strad archive on juggling parenthood and a career as a solo string player, originally published in May 2012

 

Rachel Barton Pine

‘Talk to friends and colleagues about what having a baby is like – don’t just rely on books. There’s no need to be afraid to ask for help when you need it’

Leila Josefowicz

Be confident enough in what you do to say that things are going to be a little different – that this is the time you want to take off’ 

Tasmin Little

‘Find a balance that’s right for you. There’s a lot of guilt that can go along with having children, whatever your profession. You have to be incredibly flexible, and listen to what your heart is saying as to how you want to juggle your time’

 

Read: Rachel Barton Pine on juggling early motherhood with a career as a solo violinist

Watch: 9-year-old Sylvia Pine – daughter of Rachel Barton Pine – plays Meditation from Thais

Watch: Rachel Barton Pine and her daughter share two pieces from ‘Music by Black Composers’

 

Rachel Barton Pine

‘Be very careful about your arms – avoid lifting your baby yourself when you can, as having tired arms can really affect your playing’

Gil Shaham

‘Always back up your iCalendar – being organised is key and you don’t want to lose that data’