One of the mean spirited things that the Institute of Design lets me is require that all new staff and faculty take my workshop--with the students. Something every school should do to get out of the 'do as I say, not as I do' model of education. I could insert more jokes about design schools here. But let's learn more about Margo and save those for later.
Name:
Margo Schwartz, Assistant to the Director, ID
MBTI Rating:
ENFJ/INFJ (Students did a quick and dirty Meyers Briggs test)
CPSP Rating:
Optimizer (a rating from the Interactive Innovation Profile which is also known as a Creative Problem Solving Profile)
Background:
The basics: I was born and bred in Munster, IN, first exit entering the northwest corner of the state – don’t blink or you’ll miss it. I’m the older of two siblings. My mom has 2 master’s degrees and teaches in a border town in Texas, my dad never finished school and has been comfortably self-employed all his life, and my brother recently started a senior services business back home. Folks divorced when I was nine, my dad remarried for a 2-year stint – my second decade of life sucked, but nothing dramatically unusual that is appropriate for public consumption.
I ended up being, compared to the other people in my open-minded but fairly conservative upbringing, a bit of a black sheep: went to a hippy-dippy East Coast school (the first in my family to go so far away, and to such a place, oh my!) where I befriended some “wacky” people, went into the arts, and married out of the religion, to name a few. We don’t know where my musicality came from – my mother is so atonal that I immensely look forward to the annual “Happy Birthday” on voice mail and have considered submitting it to America’s Funniest Home Audios. Liberal arts was to satisfy my dad’s request to study something practical, but music was what I always wanted to do. An aspiring screenwriter I met in Spain encouraged me to follow my heart.
I’ve wanted to be a variety of things from a race car driver (Janet Guthrie beat me to becoming the first woman to race in the Indy 500) to an artist (I designed my Bat Mitzvah invitations) to a banker (I like math) to an international banker (I like math and traveling…but econ classes turned me off to the whole banking thing) to a bass player in a rock band (but I don’t play the bass) to a concert pianist (LOTS of hard practicing turned me off to the solo career, but I’m very satisfied as a collaborative pianist). I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.
Education and Work:
BA in sociology from Clark University (Worcester, MA), BM in piano performance from Roosevelt University (Chicago), MM in collaborative piano from Cleveland Institute of Music, 3 years at Aspen Music Festival. Other than the retail and table-waiting gigs that everyone should experience as life lessons, all my jobs have been music-related. I recently left The Chicago Chamber Musicians, where I was Artistic Administrator for 6 years, organizing over 70 concerts and recordings a year with high-profile musicians and composers, and for many more years I’ve been a pianist, accompanist, and coach in a variety of settings. Some of my favorite gigs are coaching young string players. It’s really amazing to hear how much music can be coaxed out of them with just a little creativity.
I’ve traveled more than some, less than others, but I certainly include this as part of my education. I know that I would not be who I am without having experienced these people and places. Few things change your world as much as leaving it, even for short bits of time. I am extremely grateful to have had these opportunities.
Skills:
I’ve been told that I am very diplomatic – I’ve finagled some very sensitive situations, with everyone coming out quite pleased (I’ve even been called “unflappable” – and working with artistes, that’s a good skill to have!). I’m also good at working with kids, and I enjoy planning events (parties, wedding, trips) and organizing things. I am a consummate devil’s advocate – I can empathize with both sides of the coin, sometimes (and this would be a weakness) to the point of not being able to make a decision, but I do feel that it’s extremely important to stand in someone else’s shoes. I believe strongly in balancing work and play, though all the gigging sometimes prevents me from practicing what I preach. Lastly, chamber music and accompanying, of course, are all about being a collaborative player.
Growth:
I could stand to improve my time-management skills, and I would gladly relinquish my reign as the Princess of Procrastination. Since being out of school and having a real job where I was asked to be more professional, I feel I’ve lost some creativity. I can express myself in small groups, but I am less comfortable in crowds and feel this hinders latent leadership abilities.
Why ID?
I like working with creative people, but I needed a change from the last group of artists. I figured this seemed like a place with a different type of artist that could prove to be very interesting and stimulating but without all the drama. So far, so good.
What’s Next?
Wherever life takes me. After ditching the Carnegie Hall fantasy, I have no big picture other than living a happy and healthy life, enjoying whatever I’m doing, wherever I am.
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