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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