Author - Erich Graf

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Defining Self and Mind

Defining Self and Mind

Mar 22 2006
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Erich Graf
Erich Graf

Erich Graf is former principal flutist of the Utah Symphony. His teachers have included Nelson Hauenstein at the University of Michigan, Jean Pierre Rampal at the Académie Internationale in Nice, France, and Julius Baker at the Juilliard School. Previous to the Utah Symphony, Graf performed with the New York Philharmonic, the New Jersey Symphony, the Royal Ballet Orchestra, and the Stamford Symphony, among others.

Graf has appeared as soloist with the Utah Symphony, the Ann Arbor Symphony, and with the Arkansas Symphony. He has performed chamber music with Columbia University's Group for Contemporary Music, the Guarneri String Quartet and the Aeolian Chamber Players. He has performed at Avery Fischer Hall and Carnegie Hall with Julius Baker and Jean Pierre Rampal and in Utah with James Galway.

Mr. Graf's discography include a music video and two CDs featuring the works of Bach, Berio, Gaubert, Roussel, Prokofiev, Nobis, Borne, Varèse, Debussy, and Poulenc.

Outside interests include physical fitness, cooking, and writing. Mr. Graf is a published travel writer and restaurant critic, and served as President of Local 104, American Federation of Musicians from 1994-2011

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Polyphonic.org – The Orchestra Musician Forum – How To Find a Balance

[…] Read Erich’s thoughtful essay, Defining Self and Mind. […]

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“You know, you’re a first class jerk. A real idiot.” A phrase heard by just about every musician who has sat in a principal chair, served on a committee, or performed the duties of a local union officer. Often, those comments are laced with colorful metaphors designed to drive home the impact of the message.

Nevertheless, Utah Symphony principal flute and President of Local 104 AFM, Erich Graf, appears to have developed a system for how best to deal with these events when he writes, “..the most significant caveat for ongoing survival and success is to learn not to take people and their actions personally. In this workplace, diplomacy is the recipe for success.” As we all know, you don’t learn how to be diplomatic at conservatory so how, exactly, did Erich arrive at this seemingly Zen-like philosophy?

Give his article a read and you’ll begin to understand that if a player gets to the point where they realize there’s more to being an orchestra musician than just playing, how they cross that threshold can make the difference between satisfaction and disillusionment. Erich’s contribution is an enjoyable read and one which I know will leave you full of introspection about where you are in your career, how you got there, and where you plan to go.

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