Yesterday I performed on a huge stage in front of a big crowd and during the show the sound engineer changed the monitor settings on stage. All I could hear during my solo performances was the backing track while my violin almost disappeared from the monitors. Situations like this can put any live musician in a very difficult position, especially during exposed solo parts on big stages. That experience made me seriously think about how important in-ear monitoring really is for professional performances and why musicians should not fully depend on sound engineers during live events. Have you ever experienced something similar on stage?