31: Five Questions for Paul Huang
with Paul Huang
How do you cultivate a network to support a young and growing career?
I think, in my musical life, I've encountered more people than I can imagine who are so willing and so ready to help any young musicians, especially at a very vulnerable time in their career. And I would think that probably cultivating relationships and networks in the professional world, it's no different from cultivating a friendship to your personal life as well. I think one has to always stay true to yourself and true to what you believe in, and be kind, be generous, be professional, be responsible, be curious, and be loyal. And I think these are all the qualities that we hope that we-- are slightly better every day when we wake up. And I think that's the only way that I feel comfortable, and I feel that the networks will be true to myself as well.
Staying in touch with people is important, and I think that is one of the reasons that I mentioned being responsible. And usually in the professional world outside of music, you know, you always are inevitably waiting for a response. Usually, it's within 24 hours. But somehow, I see more in the music world that we have so much more leeway so that sometimes you just don't respond, and, and when people are trying to help you. And I think just being responsible and being responsive to, to any inquiries or making connections or, you know, trying to be in touch with people who are helpful to you and who are willing to help you, I think, that actually goes a long way.
What can a young musician do to help ensure a repeat engagement?
Unfortunately, there is no recipe for ensuring a repeat engagement. I always tell myself when I walk offstage and try to ask myself if I have prepared well, if I have done anything that I can or everything that I can to make to make myself feel good about this concert. And I think that's the only way that you can think about it. And the rest is really not up to you. And sometimes I often also find in danger that people think about this so often that you actually get into your head in the professional world. It's like you start doubting yourself that I should have done A, B, or C and you can lost-- you can get lost in the music world as well. But I do think that presenters and musicians are much more of a collaborative effort in our, our society today. And so being helpful to presenters, I think can go a long way as well. Sometimes it can be as simple as just asking a presenter saying that, you know, is there someone in the receptions and the benefactors or people who donated to this concert that I should pay more attention to or I should give thanks to them at the receptions and sometimes just very simple gestures can help the presenters a lot, and then they know that you care about them as well.
What is the best professional advice anyone ever gave you?
I think, be patient and be curious. And those two things I would say when I was younger, especially the word being, ‘patience,’ when you are in your twenties, just aren't ready to go out and about. In the real world, that word doesn't really usually hit you in your head. And as I get older, hopefully slightly wiser, I think I feel like I understand the word patience much, much more. And then it really is very important to be grounded and then to be patient in whatever is coming your way and whatever’s not coming your way at the moment, yet. And that is incredibly important in the career.
Outside of performing well, what is the most important thing you do to help grow a career?
Maintaining a healthy and good dialogue to people that-- who are helpful to you and who are trying to help you, I think, is always something that I think about outside of trying to be better at what I do on the violin. And I think that usually is something that I think about when I'm not playing the violin.
What career lesson do you wish you had understood when you were just beginning to perform professionally?
Having the abilities and having the courage to say no, is something that I wish that I had learned earlier in my life, because sometimes when you're just not quite ready, but an opportunity presents itself to you, that you feel like you have to grab onto it, and-- but you're not quite ready yet. And so, I would hope and then I would encourage young artists, fellow young artists, to know when to say no to things, that that might not be the right timing for you at the moment. And to not be afraid. But, of course, it's with careful and thoughtful thinking behind it before you make a decision.