Love your podcast and love having local SoCal celebrities be so accessible and forthcoming on this podcast format! I especially love Akiko’s perspective on being the assistant to the first associate concertmaster, and all of the other titles associated with her! Please come back! Also, how about an episode related to community orchestras?

I love their insights and really empathize with how difficult it is to balance work (music-related or not) with parenting small children. They are both great musicians and intelligent interlocutors of music.

I really enjoy this show. Nathan is so knowledgeable, and I find Akiko’s self deprecation to be hilarious. Valuable show for anyone currently in or wanting to be part of a symphony.

A wonderful insider’s perspective of life as a professional musician shared by this phenomenal husband and wife duo, both violinists in the LA Phil. Nathan’s organized, logical approach is well-balanced by Akiko’s hilarious, dry sense of humor. One suggestion to make this great podcast even better: would it be possible to interweave relevant musical excerpts into the background? For example, during the discussion of “goosebump moments,” how cool would it be if we could hear that same orchestral moment swell up in the soundtrack and give us listeners actual goosebumps?

Nathan and Akiko are a delight to listen to, and I look forward to the upcoming season learning more about their lives as violinists!

If you have any interest in how an American symphony orchestra works this is the podcast for you. They are wonderfully reasonable and candid about the life of a symphony player. Highly recommended!

I love listening to these while I'm at work, thank you for making them! I wanted to see if you could make an episode on how to practice? As a violinist/violist I started a little late and never got a good understanding on how to practice. (As in what scales would help me the most to practice? And what songs should I be working on?) Thank you Romans 6:23

I love this podcast. They have a wonderful chemistry and unique insight into life in a major orchestra, told with characteristic charm and intelligence. Really enjoying this podcast and keep them coming!

Just finished listening to the first 5 episodes––awesome podcast. The hosts are articulate, humorous, and share a brilliant chemistry. If you play an instrument, take auditions, or want to see behind the scenes of a world class orchestra, add SPFL to your playlist. Would love to hear an episode about your favorite concert halls and/or touring stories. Can't wait to hear more! AAA

Though I had followed Nate a while for his pedagogical work, I had just learned about Akiko through a violin professor at my school when they noted that they had both (amazingly) landed in the LA Phil. The balance between them is great, with Akiko being provocateur/commenter, and Nate being the straight man. Since my viola MM I’ve put my ambitions of being a full-time orchestral musician aside but I still get lots of joy from playing. The stories and experiences they offer still resonate with me. I particularly enjoy the discussions of technique and approach to playing under pressure. If you need a quarantine-relevant place to start I’d go with #35, “The spirit is willing, but the Flesch is weak.” There are a couple of approaches in that episode I applied to restructure my daily scale practice so that I work efficiently, along with reviewing some Kreutzer/Mazas/Fuchs to support the bucket list rep I now have time to tackle. I’ve always been on the Nate (vs Akiko) side of planning my practice so it was good to capture some new ideas. Thanks, y’all

Hi Nathan and Akiko, I love your podcast! As an amateur musician, it’s fun to hear what goes on behind the scenes of a professional orchestra and also hear about your journeys to becoming musicians. Also as much as I hate to admit it, I’m living for the little snippets of drama in your orchestra stories. Please please please do an episode on when you first met!

I really enjoy listening to these episodes. Enlightening and entertaining!

Not worth listening

Absolutely love listening to the orchestra gossip and nerdy musician talk. Love it! ❤️❤️❤️ (Proud cellist mama) @schulmanart the Inspiration Place Podcast

I love this podcast and I’m not a violinist. My 9 year old daughter plays the violin so I started to listen to better understand the instrument. Is it possible to have an episode or episodes dedicated to parents with kids studying the violin? I loved the episode about scales and etudes. Thanks so much for producing such an amazing podcast. Steve

As someone who’s had many failures in auditioning, listening to this podcast has given me more insight into committees. It’s humanizing them and helping me realize that they may be picky but they are in their own way rooting for us as auditionees. Thank you both for your insight and I hope to come by with some good news sometime in the future.

So happy to have found you guys and that you are doing this! What a wonderful way to connect with those who aspire to be a professional orchestral musician today. Thank you for all your insight!

My friend Jason Heath told me about your podcast and so I started listening to them. Right now I just finished episode 5, and I just wanted to let you know how much I’ve enjoyed them so far, and that I look forward to continue listening to them. I’ve been attending the LA Phil as subscribers, witty my wife and son, for the last six years, and we look forward to every performance. Your podcast are truly enjoyable and I appreciate not only your honesty as you present each theme, but also all the knowledge that your are so willing to share. Thank you so much Ruben Salazar, DMA

I’ve been reading, listening & watching Nate Cole & Stand Partners For Life from the beginning. I’m a professional violinist who worked in NYC, Chicago & LA, now in Asheville. It feels isolating at times not working in a big city. I’m finding these podcasts an invaluable way to stay current as well as inspire my students. The humanity, kindness, candor & honesty of everything I’ve read and heard is refreshing & very enjoyable. Thank you both for all you are doing. It is beautiful. So good!

Love this! It’s so therapeutic to hear other colleagues talk about their orchestral experiences. I especially love Akiko’s short yet meaningful comments.

Great podcast. Looking forward to hearing more.

I am an aspiring violinist and I love hearing the insights that Nathan and Akiko bring each episode.

One of the best music podcasts out there! The insight from two working musicians is amazing, and enjoyable each week.

A great peek into the lives two interesting, funny, and real people behind great orchestral playing.

Great podcast! Would be great if these were put it more consistently.

As an aspiring orchestral musician I have been following Nathan’s work for a few years. This podcast has definitely provided with insightful information on the orchestral world as well as inspiration for people like me who live for orchestra playing.

Super insightful and funny. It’s really nice as someone who is aspiring to be a professional musician to hear about what the trade is really like from someone(s) so experienced. Please keep making episodes!

Thanks for putting this out there. It's fascinating to hear about your lives as professional musicians and pick up insights and pearls. Thank you for sharing!

Love this podcast! I’m playing with my first professional orchestra this fall and it is quite nice to hear some of the ins and outs of being a professional musician.

Like NNW78, I came to violin as an adult, and one with no orchestral experience whatsoever. I play in two community orchestras, and my [more experienced] stand partners are not taskmasters. Good thing, since your episode on Stand Partnering had me rethinking some of my behaviors. But, mostly, the episode re-emphasized the necessity to play as a team, acknowledging the conductor’s leadership and the stand partner’s equal stake in the musical production. Thank you, Nathan & Akiko!

As an adult learner, I love your show!!! I’m in 2 community orchestras and your dos and don’ts were very helpful.

I get really excited whenever I get a notification for a new podcast episode of Stand Partners for Life! This podcast is amazing, so interesting to hear about what life is like for these top LA Phil violinists! They play amazing but are so humble and have no ego and tell great stories. As a high school student wanting to go into music, these are great for knowing what life is like for two professional musicians.

I love this podcast! So helpful/funny/inspiring (especially Akiko! Her humor and attitude is A+++ relatateable.) Honestly my favorite podcast 10/10 <3

I am a retired engineer and started music lessons, voice and piano, in my 60's. I love to learn more about music and this podcast is a great way to learn! I listen to it while I am gardening using a podcast app on my Pixel 2 phone.

I truly enjoyed many of the episodes so far, especially the ones about taking auditions and sharing the experiences. I’m a professional violinist, but so far have been focusing on teaching, chamber and academia over orchestra. I always wondered if my life would have been different if I have devoted myself to win an orchestra job, starting from the conservatory life. Nate, I really admire your work and thank you for coming up with this podcast. My only comment would be that sometimes the problems that you describe regarding your playing and work life can be seen a little as “first world problems”. I believe that if you have made it to the LA Phill, and have this amazing job, which is rare in our profession, I would think that anyone would feel accomplished. I feel a lot of negativity coming from the outcome, almost as that all this practice brought you to a place that all the insecurities and frustrations are still the same. I am sure that you both love what you do, and also don’t want to come off as you are better than anyone else, but I hear a lot of complain.

Nathan’s videos have been very helpful to me and so when I heard about this Podcast, I made it a point to tune in (eventho I haven’t been doing podcasts prior to this). The discussions and dynamics between the two have always been interesting and inspiring. I always look forward to new episodes. Thank you, Nathan and Akiko, for doing these podcasts!

I heard about Stand Partners for Life via Jason Heath's Contrabass Conversations, and finally decided to check it out. Boy, am I glad I did! Although I'm a double bassist, I still find Nate and Akiko's insights highly illuminating. I've listened to every single episode so far, and have enjoyed them all. Keep the great insight and stories coming!

This podcast has been a lovely look into the world of classical musicians. Hope you will interview other musicians too!!!

Like NPR’s Car Talk for orchestral violinists

This podcast has some wonderful insights about the world of playing in a major orchestra that you can't find anywhere else. Husband and wife team Nathan and Akiko from LA Philharmonic share and swap friendly stories of their performing lives. They give advice for young musicians, talk about their lives, and discuss auditioning for and playing in major orchestras. Fun to hear these stories and it's amusing when one of them shares a story that prompts the other one to say "you've never told me that"!

You wouldn't know just from listening to their podcast that Nathan and Akiko are a violin power couple! Their conversations are so comfortable, relaxed, and each through each episode they emanate a love of what they do without a feeling of ego. I appreciate their candor when it comes to discussing topics that so many professional musicians prefer to ignore, forget, or omit from their career stories. Violinists/Violists should certainly listen -- they'll get an extra level of entertainment with personal connections to pieces, excerpts, musicians, etc -- but this podcast should also be a "must-listen" for parents who have children on the path to an instrumental career and for teachers who may never have experienced life in a top symphony orchestra. Aside from the genuine and sweet discourse, this sound editing on this podcast makes it pleasant to listen to (something that so many podcasters these days struggle with). Looking foward to the next episode!

There is so much useful information about life in a professional orchestra. I’d love to hear more about how to keep focused and avoid distractions during rehearsals and performances.

Looking forward to episode 5.

When I first heard about this podcast I was skeptical, but the hosts are funny and smart, perceptive and realistic about their jobs at the top of the professional orchestra world. Very enjoyable!

This is a great podcast.

I’m a violinist just starting taking auditions. Listened to the show for the first time after melting down in prelims for the Vancouver Associate CM audition this past week, and it helped so much hearing how I’m not alone, that the panel cares. Your stories about the job remind me why I’m excited to go for it in the first place. Inspiring, wonderful show - thank you for creating it!

I have thoroughly enjoyed the first few episodes and and anxiously awaiting more! I have followed Nathan Cole through his website and newsletters, and I really love his analytical style for dealing with challenges playing the violin. For those of us who chose other professions but still dream of being a musician, it is thrilling to here about the lifestyle and challenges of a musical career. The interplay between Nathan and Akiko is thrilling as well.

It’s nice to hear these world class musicians talk about the same things that all performers (amateurs and professionals) struggle with. Process is so important in any endeavor and it’s a gift that Nathan and Akiko are sharing theirs.

I am an adult student and have found these podcasts extremely helpful. I look forward to every episode.

This podcast is surely one of the most entertaining and informative ones around dealing with the classical music world. Both Nathan and Akiko are well spoken, funny, and disarmingly charming. I can’t wait to hear more of their story.