Saturday, January 4, 2014

Career Development IWCMF

Career Development Panel


(Click on the links especially Jean Cook's to see the very interesting research she has done on revenue streams for the arts/artists.)

Richard Kessler (Dean of Mannes)
  • Old way of working in music = pursuing music for pure quality without regard for broader vision and considerations.
  • New way = Entrepreneurship = chamber music = management and business acumen; understand ALL aspects of business as a primary requirement, these skills need to be the new practical "core" to training
  • I failed to write down who the following Zones were created by, he read them from a speech (?), let me know if anyone remembers where this part of Mr. Kessler's comments came from:
    • Zone 1 A - empower (personal) resumes,  auditions
    • Zone 1 B - D. I. Y. (Do It Yourself) Culture - unique personal qualities, create a brand, mission, vision, presentation
    • Zone 2 A - make career for yourself and others, portfolio, pulling many diverse paths together
    • Zone 2 B - creating 501(c)3, build entities and organizations
    • Zone 3 A - socially directed with social/artistic purpose
    • Zone 4 A - Create totally unique, niche 501(c)3 based on community need
    • Zone 4 B - create commercial entity for profit
  • Orchestra industry - currently orchestra managers can't cover expenses with donors and ticket sales, suffering from declining audiences
  • RETHINK:  RELEVANCE, ENGAGEMENT
Jean Cook
  • Arts Revenue Streams Projects
  • 29 ways to make music
  • money.futureofmusic.org
  • (I noticed in her presentation something I saw trending in our research when we were creating Utah Wind Symphony, something *magical* happens in the 4th year/season of an arts organization.  Likely due to funding, much of which require you to be a 501(c)3 for 3 years before applying for many grants.  I wasn't able to ask her about this during the panel unfortunately.)
Amy Frowley (Concert Artists Guild)
  • Entrepreneurship = starting a business at your own risk; undertake to organize and manage
  • START EARLY!
  • Learn the extra-musical skills in some way while you are still mastering the musical skills
  • DIVERSITY!  Regardless of your emphasis/genre, be aware of everything else.
  • Communicate with others - donors, audience, collaboration
  • CAG competition
  • Marketing - Phyllis Chen - DMA - radio show - toy pianists - commissions for toy piano - toy piano festival 
  • Hone aesthetic and identity
  • 1,00 True Fans 
    • focus on business around 1,00 fans instead of just trying to get our there en masse
Panel discussion/Conclusions
  • university training creates a lot of doubt and fear in music students whereas coming to a festival like Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival creates hope, connections, POSSIBILITIES. 
  • push the standards for writing and communication, function like a journalist
  • Open your ears and eyes, develop a network, ask questions, talk to people, read articles, stand on your own 2 feet
  • BE AN ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF! 

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