I'd like to invite you to join my Coffee 2 Conductor Challenge! But before I go on to explain what an earth this Challenge is all about, here's a bit about my project!





MY PROJECT
To become a conductor has been my lifelong dream and now I'm on my journey in realising it! My huge project is an epic 6-year Masters in Symphonic and Operatic Conducting at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory in Russia, studying with teacher Anatoly Rybalko. I'm halfway through the course now with 3 years left to go until I graduate. Even though this course is extremely demanding and challenging, I am loving every minute of it. 

One day I'd love to conduct and make music with the Sydney Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Mariinsky Theatre and pretty much everywhere all over the world! However, as much as I am aiming for this and giving it everything I've got to reach it, my goal has a higher purpose. I'm not really interested in becoming a super-star conductor. My purpose in life is to help others and be a part of making this world a better place. I want to become just like those amazing musicians and teachers who have inspired me. These people have taught me that music has the power to bring people together.




FINANCIAL NEED
Even though I spent 4 years working in Sydney as a musician to save up for this course, the entire funds saved have already been contributed towards this project. Since it is forbidden for foreigners in Russia to undertake paid employment on a student visa, I must rely on income generated in Australia such as grants and scholarships. My supportive parents are helping me as much as they can, however they don't earn much themselves so it's getting very difficult for them. Now I'm forced to think of creative ways to try and fund my project! That's why I created this pozible campaign - the Coffee 2 Conductor Challenge!




THE CHALLENGE
All you have to do is give up one coffee (or more!) and use the spare change to pledge instead! Say your morning take-away costs you $3. This same amount can go a long way - it's all I need to live on for a day! (Oh dear, that rhyme was so unintentional!)

$3 can go as far as purchasing up to 6kgs worth of fresh fruit and veggies at the markets! Yes, I intend on looking after my own health while I study, and it's actually cheaper this way - you can't survive with this same amount on processed and junk foods!

Invite your family and friends to take part in this Challenge too!

My pozible campaign target is $1,095 - which is a figure I got by multiplying $3 (the minimum amount I need to buy food in a day) by 365 (the number of days in a year). This target amount makes up 6% of my annual budget, and goes under the 'Living Expenses' category. The total cost for my project is approximately $18,000 per year, and I still have 3 years left to study.

A basic breakdown of my annual budget looks like the following:
$8,000 - Tuition Fees
$3,000 - Return Flights Sydney to St.Petersburg
$2,500 - Administration Costs (Insurance, Visa, Registration, Applications, Bank Fees, etc.)
$4,500 - Living Expenses (Rent, Phone, Internet, Groceries, Travel, etc.)
TOTAL: $18,000

Any further funds received beyond the funding target will go directly towards covering these remaining study costs.

The biggest challenge in my project is time management and to stay balanced in life.

While the course workload forces me to stay up late most nights in order to memorise piles of orchestral scores, I must also keep my finances on track. It takes time to do a good grant application, and I often found myself in need of skipping classes to do them, which is ironic as I'm seeking funds to study.  Plus there are other applications such as conducting competitions and masterclasses to work on constantly, as they are also important for career building. With this overwhelming amount of work it, is easy to neglect physical and mental health, especially with the extended, cold Russian climate.

My plan is to simply my life. I've learnt (the hard way) that it is impossible to everything, so I need to focus on the things that matter most. Being an enthusiastic student, I sometimes push myself too hard and burn out in the end. From now on I'll be taking a different mental approach, and be more easy-going. This means being mindful my own health in order to stay happy and productive, and just doing my best without being too critical in order to get the most of out my studies.