Staying fresh ...
I remember going to a conference session a couple of years back where the speaker, possibly choral conducting guru James Jordan, said that in order for artists to stay fresh so they don't burn out, they should see a piece of world class art, something they really love, at least once week. It reminds me what quality musicianship really is, and also helps me feel connected to the scene.
This really connected and musical reading of the Brahms Double Concerto arrived in my inbox yesterday. I am a huge fun of Rattle anyhow, and subscribe to these free snippets from the amazing Berlin Philarmonic website, so I get a free burst of world class classical music via Youtube every week. Unbelievable ensemble and they all seem to be really enjoying themselves too in a very unprofessional way!
Incidentally, also check out their digital concert hall for the way of the future - essentially you can see every concert they give live, because every concert is also a digital recording and a DVD, broadcast live through their website and then as a recording and video afterwards.