From a Barrons interview with Weston Sprott, dean and director of the Preparatory Division at the Juilliard School, and trombonist in the Metropolitan Opera orchestra.

I balance full-time teaching at Juilliard and full-time performing with the Met Opera Orchestra by…
The concept of “balance” went out the window a long time ago for me, but I find joy and fulfillment in all my work. I’m surrounded by wonderful people who are talented and industrious. It’s not lost on me that spending my day trekking back and forth between Juilliard and the Met is a unique privilege.

My pre-performance ritual… ranges. Sometimes I’m coming from Juilliard, sometimes the gym, sometimes dinner. Two things are consistent: I have a very regimented warm-up and fundamental routines that I expand or compress depending on the intensity of the upcoming performance.

Also, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra has one of the longest running poker games in America. We play at every intermission. It’s a great way to connect with colleagues, and it brings levity to our workplace.

Weston is co-founder of the Black Orchestral Network.