We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Max Schlenk a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Max, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

In the music industry, what I do boils down to a combination of long-term hard work and building a wide-reaching community.

One of my proudest success stories involves a last-minute call for a weekend of gigs out of town. And when I say last minute, I mean less than 24-hour notice.

I got a text from a friend I’d worked with on a “Soul Train” show a few months earlier (inspired by the classic TV show that aired from 1971–2006). He asked if I was free that Thursday for the weekend. I asked for details, and he told me it was for a touring band called “The Magic of Motown” from Youngstown, and that the pay was solid. At the time, I didn’t have much work lined up—it was February, which tends to be a slower month for musicians since most gigs are in the summer or around the holidays—so I was thrilled and excited for the opportunity.

The plan was to head out the next morning, Friday. After meeting up with my friend who booked me that night, I sat in my apartment with the daunting realization that I’d need to learn over 20 songs for this tour in less than 12 hours.
Needless to say, the weekend went great. I had a blast, and more importantly, I made it through the shows successfully. I was even commended for not only knowing the material but also for playing the parts and solos true to the style. I ended up getting more calls for that show as a result.

Looking back, I share this story because, although it took a lot of effort and concentration to learn all that material in such a short time, the truth is I wouldn’t have been able to do it if I hadn’t already developed the necessary skills. Furthermore, I wouldn’t have gotten that call if those musicians hadn’t worked with me before and trusted that I could step in at the last minute.

Spending four years in a music conservatory after high school allowed me to really focus on my craft and build a vision for myself as a professional musician. Those years conditioned me to pick things up quickly. Beyond that, I made sure to establish myself in the music scene. For most of 2022 and 2023, I played all over town, accepted every performance opportunity that came my way, and met as many people as possible to build my network and community. All of this culminated in the success of that weekend.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a freelance saxophonist, artist, and educator based in the greater northeast Ohio region.

My journey into music began back in middle school when I was involved in my school’s band program. A mix of playing in the after-school jazz band, attending a music camp in Maine called NEMC (New England Music Camp), and being gifted a few classic jazz albums (Cannonball Adderley’s The Capitol Years and Lee Morgan’s The Sidewinder) set me on this path. By high school, I was determined to pursue music further, and that drive led me to Oberlin Conservatory, where I had the privilege of studying with jazz legend Gary Bartz, who helped shape my sound on the saxophone.

As a freelancer, I offer flexibility and experience across various genres—rock, jazz, R&B, polka—and in a wide range of settings, from theatres and concerts to festivals and weddings. Given the material beforehand—whether sheet music or recordings—I’m often able to perform with little to no rehearsal. As I mentioned in my story, there are times when I have to learn a lot of material very quickly for last-minute calls. What sets me apart, I think, is not just the ability to deliver in a variety of settings, but also the ability to imprint my own voice and sound onto each performance.

As an artist, I’m most proud of creating original music and performing it alongside some of my favorite musicians and friends. There’s something deeply fulfilling about telling stories through my music and sharing that experience with others. Writing has allowed me to not only define who I am as a musician but also to express what I’m trying to communicate through my saxophone on various stages.

Lastly, I’d like to mention that a significant portion of my income comes from teaching both private and group lessons for saxophone and woodwinds. I find a lot of joy in passing on the knowledge I’ve gained over the years as a professional musician. When I was a kid, a program called J@MS (Jazz at The Music Settlement) was instrumental in shaping me into the musician I am today. It’s worth mentioning separately because it’s now a program I teach during the school year. I also teach at the Aurora School of Music in Chagrin Falls and give private lessons to local students in my area. Giving back and helping out the next generation of musicians is such an important part of my community, and I’m grateful to be a part of it.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Before I reached the point of being a full-time musician, much of my income came from various jobs outside of my field.
I’ve worked in the service industry as a server, as a barista in a coffee shop, as a transporter of exercise equipment, and even as a substitute teacher. I took on whatever work I could find to build up my savings.

Not long after graduating college, it hit me that breaking into the music world would require significant networking. Following the advice of my college instructors, taking jobs outside the music field turned out to be crucial for sustaining myself and building the financial foundation I needed to stay afloat during a time when I wasn’t yet established in the music scene.

Over a few years, I managed to move out of my parents’ house, and little by little, I began to wean myself off those part-time jobs as my work as a musician started gaining traction. Within about a year, I was able to go completely full-time in my craft without having to rely on outside income.

A key factor in making that transition was connecting with other professionals in the local music scene. Networking has played a huge role in my success and continues to shape how I approach my career moving forward.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

A major inspiration for my sound comes from the countless recordings and albums I’ve listened to over the years. Learning melodies and solos directly from records, and listening to many of these recordings almost religiously, really shaped the way I envisioned myself as a musician.

I’m always exploring new albums, revisiting old favorites, and diving into live performances on YouTube. One of the most important conversations I have with my students—especially those wanting to study soloing or improve their sound on the saxophone—centers around asking them what music they listen to and which artists resonate with them.

For me, while my listening spans a wide range, I’d say saxophonists like Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Michael Brecker have been some of my biggest influences in shaping my sound. I’m equally inspired by the music of Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Max Roach, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson. The list goes far beyond these names, but I hope it emphasizes my point about the importance of listening.

After all, as a musician, listening is, in many ways, even more important than playing.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @maxschlenk
• Facebook: Max Schlenk
• Youtube: @maxschlenk8391

Image Credits

Esther Fitz

Breakthrough Studios

Darnell McAdams