Thank you Karjaka Studios for capturing these amazing moments from a couple world premieres at Constellation Chicago.  

Pictured: Eric Mrugala, Kate Barmotina, Eunjin Lee, Alex Goodin, Herine Coetzee Koschak  

Pictured: Eric Mrugala, Charlene Kluegel 

Pictured: Eric Mrugala, Kate Barmotina, Eunjin Lee, Alex Goodin, Herine Coetzee Koschak 

I'm happy to have been a part of Fresh Inc Festival where I got to work with living composers and meet new musicians from around the country. The festival took place at the University of Wisconsin - Parkside for two weeks and it was an intense, and inspiring festival to be at. There were a lot of interesting ideas that people shared at the festival that sparked everyone's imagination. My colleagues and I were fortunate enough to have collaborated with composers Sebastian Quesadas, Chris Karminski, and Ai…

What does this mean for classical musicians in 2018? We're experiencing a shift where musicians want to create and not be binded by the politics of an orchestra.  There are more talented and dedicated musicians out there than ever before. Every single musician has an equal opportunity to grab a music lover's attention.So then we beg the question in the beginning of this post, what does it mean to be a musical entrepreneur and how do you become one?

I can share some good news and say that you already have…

Read my interview with The Music Industry Insider to get a glimpse of how to earn a living as a classical musician.

http://themusicindustryinsider.com/the-everyday-violinist/ 

"Eric, you're talented. But, talent is not enough"

Those words have defined who I am and how I wanted to be portrayed for the last 8 years.

Nowadays it's important to know that playing the violin very well isn't enough to have a sustainable music career. 

Here are some of the things I think about as a violinist:

For musicians, building relationships are something outside the practice room that we need to get comfortable knowing how to do. We practice countless hours…

Today is Sergey Prokofiev's Birthday, I'm glad that I'll be performing his first violin sonata in April. 

Dear Friends, 

After considerable thought, I have decided to rebrand the ETV Podcast into the Everyday Musician Podcast. I've realized that the name can be confusing for people who don't know me but want to learn more about the everyday lives of musicians. The format will be the same as usual! Here is the new logo!

Stay tuned for this week's episode of the Everyday Musician Podcast where I get to interview a cellist in Boston. 

Happy New Year!

I'm glad to get back into the swing of things now that I'm fully rested and ready to go. I reflected on 2018 and am incredibly grateful for the opportunities that came my way. 2019 will present its own challenges. Here are some things I'm thinking about for the new year:

This year my colleagues and I gave our inaugural concert as an official group, the Chicago Chamber Music Project. This year I want to expand the project into…

It seems like musicians are having airline troubles more and more these days. I'm on a mission to help people who are always on the move and flying with their instruments so they make an educated decision when they purchase their next flight ticket somewhere. 

To make my airline reviews simple, I created 6 categories:

• Check-In Process
• Social Media Response
• Boarding Process
• Overhead Bin Space
• Flight Quality
• On Time Arrival

I think that…

He is the man that perfected the symphony, and the string quartet. A man whose innovation has inspired generations of composers to innovate. 
Happy Birthday, Ludwig! 

'Tis the season to be jolly!

This year we have a lot to be thankful for, why not get that special classical musician in your life a gift that they need? Here are my recommendations for making your classical musician happy that will help them for 2019:

First and foremost, I think that buying a set of strings for any classical musician who plays the violin, viola, cello, or bass would make them the HAPPIEST person on the face of the earth. Strings do…

Last year's Indiegogo Project enabled my colleague and me to start what we hope will be a long-term endeavor; to create a chamber music series around the Chicago-land area that audiences can get excited about! 

Chamber music is what we love to do because it enables us (the musicians) to perform music that has stood the test of time. 

Furthermore, we believe that Chicago is a world-class city that is open to projects like this. Our group, the Chicago Chamber Music Project, aims to target audiences who…

Well, I used to practice 7 hours a day in my youth. Although back then I didn't really know how to practice efficiently. 

In high school, I was practicing hard and not getting the results I wanted. It was until I reached college where I realized that practicing smart and establishing a daily routine can be better for me in the long run than playing mindlessly for 7 hours. 

Here's why I don't practice 7 hours a day

It's physically…

Things you might not know about me:

1) I'm a HUGE Marvel Movie fan. 

2) When the world cup is around, I stop everything and watch the games (or practice while watching, although I don't recommend it)

lastly, 

3) Fried pork chop with co slaw and mashed potatoes on the side is my absolute favorite dish. Mom makes it best ;) 

I'm just bouncing off a gig in Maine and I want to write this all down for you while it's still fresh in my mind. 

This weekend I traveled a thousand miles by car, performed in two states and played over 2 hours of music 4 times. 

However, this time around these performances was different than anything I expected. They were special because of the musicians in the group. It's what made it an incredible experience. 

Collaboration is what we do on a daily basis. But in order for collaborations to work…