Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Andrew Bonci Jr. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Andrew, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
I am fortunate to say that I have consistently earned my living entirely from music-related endeavors. Part of this is due to some advice my Uncle Jon gave me: if you wanted to make it at something, you had to have no backup plan – forcing you to put in the work. Ever since my sophomore year of undergrad, when I moved into Old Westport with my roommate Trevor for school, I was paying rent by playing guitar for the contemporary church service at Old Mission in Fairway, KS, and teaching privately at a music shop that is now called Ernie Williamson – KC. Plus or minus extra freelance opportunities as a college student, we were making it work! These days it is all the same but different. I play viola for a large church in Leawood, Kansas, teach at The Culture House and Magnolia Tree Studios, play for Universities in musical theater pit orchestras or chamber orchestras to fill out ensembles, and any other thing that comes around! I think that I needed to let go of some of my starting opportunities to look forward to better pastures sooner.
Andrew, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Everyone in the music business in any form always has a decently long romantic story of how they came to love music and aimed to make it their way of life, and I am no different. It all began in 4th grade when our local high school orchestra teacher, Ms Puckett, took her trip to all the school to demonstrate the violin and cello as well as recruit anyone interested in playing a stringed instrument. During this demonstration, I remember we were invited to the front to try out one of them and make some noise. I didn’t have the courage to bring myself to ask for a turn at the moment, but I went home and immediately told my mother what had occurred at school that day. Then followed a trip to the local string shop “KC Strings” to get a better idea of our possibilities. My family landed on giving me a chance with music but I had to choose between violin and viola, as cello and bass become large and expensive fast – I definitely didn’t want to carry anything too large either. I chose to give it a go with the viola because it “was like the violin, but lower,” and I figured that it would squeak a little bit less than the violin as I learned. Whether or not that logic is sound is probably up for debate, but it set me on the path to be where I am now. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school that I really made a conscious choice to study music and make it my career in whatever form it took. It was at this time that I auditioned for and made it into the Kansas City Youth Symphony’s (KCYS) top ensemble labeled “symphony.” To prepare for the upcoming season, they sent all the students the pieces that we would be working on during the retreat ahead of time so we could prepare for seating auditions and our first rehearsals and in order to get cheaper tuition that season, I volunteered to help the head offices stuff envelopes with marketing materials. During that work, I was able to get a sneak peak of our rep and I was met with the Viola score to Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony and was utterly astounded by what I saw. This was one of the first times in my musical life that I was looking at music from the “canon.” To add even more fuel to this fire, that season the KCYS was privileged to be able to play for the opening of Helzberg Hall at The Kauffman Center for Performing Arts in The Crossroads near downtown KC. All of this together pushed me to pursue two degrees in music from the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance and support myself through teaching, performing, and creating music.
I am most excited these days with my own small business Magnolia Tree Studios, in the Stockyards District of KCMO. It is primarily a private music instruction studio where I teach violin, viola, and guitar. One of my biggest goals and focuses in my teaching is the “demystification” of classical music and combining conservatory training with modern sensibilities. Classical music can sometimes poise itself in such a way that it seems inaccessible to the common person. I don’t like this because classical music is pretty much the popular music of its time, and it was created by people just like you and me. Lest we forget that musicians have largely been a part of the “servant class” and subject to a patronage system for much of history. Preconceived notions like this can make students timid to get things wrong, to which I take the Nike approach in response – just do it! Make some noise! I love cultivating an environment where students feel free to be their truest selves, make mistakes, and set goals for themselves. On top of being the first line of defense against misplaced overly lofty ideals in music for students, I am passionate about making sure that students can approach the instrument in a way that makes sense to them while avoiding any habits that would create injury. I have seen so many of my close friends and colleagues suffer because of overuse or a bad habit in their technique. Getting back to normal after an injury is extremely difficult, which makes it all the more a shame that so many of us end up hurt in some way. I love extracting the musicians from my students and have a great time doing college audition preparations. I have one student who is enjoying minoring in music at K-State, and another who is preparing himself to audition for programs this season. I am the proudest of these two students because they were kids that I have had the joy of teaching from day one. From how to hold the instrument to how to be an effective performer.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I think the most rewarding part of being a creative is that it is honest work. It is incredibly hard work, but everything that you put into it is worth what you are able to make in the end. Any time there is a particularly challenging moment in a piece of chamber music, and you work through your issues in practice and can breeze through it for the first time is exhilarating. Similarly, working with students seeing them improve over time, and watching the lightbulbs turn on as they understand concepts and how they can use them in practice fills me with joy. Many times in lessons with students, I just end up throwing my hands up and going, “YES EXACTLY!” I am weird and intense, but I figure there is no other way to be.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish that I had a more thorough understanding of taxes and finance for oneself as a freelance musician as well as the importance of separating business and personal accounts earlier on. There is the basic concept of not spending more than you make, but that can only get you so far when trying to figure out how to keep yourself afloat and grow and create opportunities for yourself financially. Thankfully, I now know more about deducting things and have a wonderful accountant who helps me set myself up for success. Keep track of your income and expenses!
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Image Credits
J Morris Photography KC