Let me guess, you have a dream project that you would love to make a reality—and it involves raising money.

Maybe it’s a festival you’re looking to launch.

An album you want to record.

An after school program you’d love to create.

Or a new work your ensemble hopes to commission.

Whatever it is, the necessary missing ingredient is . . . the money. And maybe the thought of raising the money is so intimidating that you’ve abandoned the dream.

When it comes to raising money, musicians often feel overwhelmed. But I’ll let you in on a secret: all ambitious projects move forward one step at a time. As business coach Marie Forleo says, “Everything is figure-outable.”

Part 1: Take the first step now.��

Start by getting your ideas down on paper. Whatever you want to do that needs funding, get it out of your head and down on the page.

Create a “project map” to organize your ideas into a working plan. It’s the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of your project: the essential information needed for any fundraising campaign or grant proposal.

To create your map, write out your answers to the questions below as though you are responding to someone who might be able to help with the project. The more concrete and detailed you are, the better.

1. What is the goal of your project?

Explain what you want to accomplish.

2. Why are you doing this project?

Describe why the project is essential to your career development and your long-term goals.��

But go further and explain who else will benefit. In terms of your larger mission, how will the project help you make an impact on others?

3. What specific activities will take place as part of your project?

Be thorough and concrete. This will enable potential supporters to fully imagine and be inspired by your vision.

4. What is your “track record” so far?

To help demonstrate your ability to succeed with this project, list one or two examples of previous projects you’ve completed. This can give potential donors confidence in your ability to achieve your goals.

5. Who are your collaborators?

List all the people who will be involved and detail their roles in the project. To bolster your pitch, include a few key credits of your primary collaborators.

6. When will it be completed?

Whether your project includes a performance, a release of an album, or the launching of a teaching artist program, you need to choose a date for when you expect your project to be completed. Choosing a specific date will help you create a timeline for completing key steps along the way. Deadlines help us prioritize and focus.

7. What is your desired outcome?

Explain how you’ll measure the success of the project—how you’ll know that you’ve succeeded. It might be having a sold-out show, a positive review of your new album in a respected publication, or growing your mailing list to a certain size. Be clear—write it down, and be as specific as possible.

8. How much money do you need?

Make a list naming all the expenses you anticipate for your project and the cost of each item or service. You’ll need to do some research and get price quotes. Ask other musicians who’ve done similar projects for referrals.��

Once you’ve listed and priced everything you think will be needed for the project, add it up and write in your total anticipated expenses. That’s part 1 of your budget.

Part 2: The income (resources) for the funding of the project.

Think about the services or items listed on your expense sheet that you might be able to get for free as “in-kind” donations. These might include rehearsal/recording spaces where you have connections. Or you may have friends or relatives who can donate specific services such as printing, editing, or catering.��

List the items and the amounts these would have cost you otherwise (from your expense sheet). And if you have any savings you’re planning to use, list that too, as it will help defray the money you need to raise.��

Include all of your potential income (resources) and add up the total. Then subtract that sum from your expense total. Now you know how much money you actually need to raise.

Why write all this down?

Because it will help you clarify your ideas and reveal any missing links in your project planning. Best of all, doing this will give you most if not all of the material needed for pitching donors or writing grant proposals.

If you can’t get yourself to write all this out, then I’d question whether you’re ready to make your dream project real. In the end, it’s about . . .

Facing the fear

Tackling any ambitious project can stir up fear, which may show up as avoidance or procrastination or overwhelm. Expect it: it’s a sign that you’re doing something challenging that you care about.

To tease out how fear may be factoring into your project, answer these final questions:

What specifically are you afraid of?

Be honest. There’s no shame here. Note that emotions aren’t logical so trying to use your rational mind to talk yourself out of fear never works. Instead, tell your truth.

Naming your fears can be freeing. It allows you to test whether or not the fear you feel is reality-based and if so, if it’s a risk you’re willing to take.

It’s scary to move outside your comfort zone. But by naming your fear you can deal with it head on. Think of fear as an indicator pointing you towards what will help you grow the most.

What’s really at stake?

Instead of getting overwhelmed by the size of your project and all its moving parts, just identify the next needed action and focus on that. Take it one step at a time. You can do this.

Remember: the regrets people have late in life are rarely about what they did and failed at. What people regret most is what they didn’t do.��

Angela Myles Beeching (DMA, Cello Performance) is a music career coach and author who has run career and entrepreneurship centers at New England Conservatory, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and Manhattan School of Music. Learn more about how Beeching works with musicians by applying for a complimentary coaching session .

Photo credit: Clark Tibbs on Unsplash

by Sarah Whitney

What is networking?

Dictionaries tell us that networking is the exchange of information or services for the purpose of cultivating relationships that will be useful to you in your work.

The main point of networking is not to get people to hire or collaborate with you the moment you meet them. Unless you come highly recommended by someone they trust, it’s unlikely to happen. Successful networkers remember the long game of building relationships so that people will get to know and trust them.

Where does networking take place?

Networking can happen anywhere you meet someone you’d like to form a connection with. Conferences, for example, offer many events and activities intended to connect people with one another. Fundraisers and other activities supporting the arts are also settings where networking often occurs.

Gigs, concerts, shows you attend – any event in our industry is a potential networking situation. You never know who you’re going to meet. So it’s important to know how certain tactics can help you create connections that will help you in your career in the short- and long-term.

How to network

Networking skills can be learned and practiced just you would learn a new instrument or other skill. By learning these skills, you will become more comfortable and help set yourself apart when it comes to building the important relationships you will need in the music world.

These skills include:

1. Listening

In our culture today, being an attentive, thoughtful listener is often underrated. It’s easy to forget how powerful and memorable a good listener really is. Attachment to our phones and devices often leads us to become accustomed to people being distracted while we talk with them.

If you’re able to be an active listener, you will make a definite impression on someone. In some ways, this can be more powerful than what you actually say to them. So put your phone away, don’t look around the room, and make sure to maintain eye contact with whoever you’re listening to.

Show them you are genuinely interested in hearing what they have to say. You can still be attentive and sincere when listening even if you don’t love the topic they’re talking about. This is the first step for them to start trusting you and truly be interested in getting to know you further.

2. Talking about yourself and/or your project

The #1 thing I hear from people who are apprehensive about networking is, “I don’t want to feel braggy!” The good news is that you don’t have to be “braggy” at all. You’re far more effective if you are authentic and genuine. By preparing ahead of time, you can decide what language or tone feels sincere to you.

Prepare a few sentences about yourself so that you’re comfortable, confident, and not caught off guard in networking situations. Remember that you want people to remember you. This means you want to pique their interest so they ask you more questions and keep the conversation going.

Start by including the basics – name, instrument, project title – and then add a few specific things describing you or your project that may be intriguing. For example, you could say, “I’m a cellist who plays all different types of genres.” OR you could say, “I’m a classically trained cellist, and after spending a semester studying in Spain, I’ve been very inspired by Flamenco music. I’ve found ways to fuse those traditions with my classical playing in a series of songs called…” The latter example leaves the listener wanting to know more, a great entry point into a longer conversation.

Spend time working on these few sentences. Practice them, rehearse them, and ask people you trust for feedback.

It’s also important to take into account who you’re talking to and why you’d like to make a connection with them.

If you’re speaking to potential collaborators, you’ll want to highlight the performing aspects of your career. Share about a recent project or performance, or something upcoming on your calendar.

If you’re speaking to potential donors, you’ll want to speak about the impact you’re making with your project. Be sure to mention what you’ve done in addition to your plans for the future. This will help a potential donor get a sense of your track record and exactly what a donation would help support.

For example, if you’re involved with an organization that brings concerts to schools you could say, “We have performed concerts in over 50 underfunded schools this past year and plan on expanding that to 75 for the next year.” Or, if you have a performance project that provides composers with opportunities you might say, “I am commissioning works from lesser known Japanese composers and giving them an opportunity for their work to be premiered in the US for the first time.” This makes it clear who the donor would be helping and impacting.

3. Ask questions

People LOVE to talk about themselves so be ready to ask your own questions. This is also a great tactic to use if there is a lull in the conversation. Spend time memorizing a few questions that are easy to ask musicians and others you will benefit from networking with so you have a toolkit to draw from in the moment.

Some great questions to start with include: “What’s coming up next for you?” This gives the person a chance to speak about something they want to talk about and also a chance for you to learn about how a connection with them could benefit you and/or them. Another great question: “What was your favorite part of this show/concert/event?” Establishing common ground can easily open the door to further conversation.

4. Follow up

If you’re interested in continuing the connection, be sure to exchange contact info so both of you have ways to stay in touch. Networking is a two-way street, so you want the person you’ve been talking with to be able to reach you just as much as you want to be able to reach them. Business cards are always helpful in this situation but you can also simply exchange e-mail addresses or find each other on social media.

If it’s an especially important connection, follow up with an email or message letting them know you enjoyed meeting them. Reference something you discussed as a way to continue the conversation and show your genuine interest. It’s helpful to do this sooner rather than later so you can both keep track of your conversation and keep the momentum going.

Violinist Sarah Whitney is a performer, teacher, musicians’ coach, and founding member of the acclaimed string quintet Sybarite5. She holds degrees from University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance and the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Photo Credit: William White

by Kate Kayaian

Motivational speaker and businessman Jim Rohn was known to have said that we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with. As a music student, how will your music school peers shape your future opportunities?

When considering a school, find out:

1. What is the school known for?

Does it attract students who are passionate about your particular area of interest? And how does the school support that focus?

For example, if you are interested in becoming a marching band director, does your school host a marching band festival? If your focus is music industry, does the school provide internship opportunities?

2. What size will your musical peer group be?

Will you be a big fish in a very small pond? While it can be great to be guaranteed most of the performance opportunities that arise, limited contacts in your network will work against you once you graduate.

On the other hand, will there be so many music majors that you feel lost in a sea of other students with limited opportunities to stand out?

3. Are graduates successful?

Who are the school’s bright stars? (Just take a look in their marketing materials – they’ll be front and center!) Are they working in your area of interest? Successful alumni can serve as future mentors and provide great career connections.

4. What do students do during the summer?

Do students attend summer music festivals? Work at internships? Do faculty bring students to specific summer programs? Connections made during the summer provide another layer to your professional network.

5. Are faculty members active in music outside of teaching?

Once you graduate, your teachers become (overnight!) your colleagues. Do their interests line up with what you hope to do?

You may win a job in the orchestra where they perform, or they may hire you to play in their jazz band. Even if you’re not working directly with your teacher, they can introduce you to people who will help your career.

6. Do you share other interests with other students?

College is a time to explore and grow as a musician as well as a person. Do you see your overall priorities and values reflected in the clubs, activities and sponsored events at the school?

On the flip side – will there be opportunities to try new things and meet people who are NOT interested in the same things as you? How much diversity is reflected in the school culture? Because as important as it is to be surrounded by people who you can immediately relate to both musically and personally, it’s just as important to have access to people, ideas, and ways of making music that are completely foreign to you. It’s how you grow as a musician and as a human being.

Kate Kayaian, B.M., New England Conservatory, is a cellist and teacher based in Hamilton, Bermuda. She also writes Tales From the Lane: A Lifestyle Blog for Classical Musicians.

Photo Credit: Jan Střecha

What does a music business major study?

Music business majors may study any number of areas including: how music is created, monetized, and consumed; music publishing; licensing; copyright law; and royalties. 

Music business programs may also include opportunities to focus on:

• scouting talent

• artist management and brand development

• touring

• record label operations

• pitching music

• music supervision

• media relations

• digital strategies

• marketing and distribution strategies

• entrepreneurship

Some music business programs will require basic courses such as music theory, music history, keyboard training, ear training, and music production. According to Benom Plumb, Program Director for Music Industry Studies & Music Management at University of the Pacific, who taught in the Department of Music & Entertainment Industry Studies at University of Colorado Denver, “These topics are important because they prepare the student for entry-level positions in their chosen music business field.”

What does it take to be accepted into a college music business program? 

A strong passion for music is a key ingredient for getting accepted into a music business program – and for succeeding in a career in this field. 

“Being able to hear, read and talk about music with musicians in their language is a big help,” says Keith Hatschek, author and former program director for Music Management and Music Industry Studies at University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music. He spent many years as a recording engineer, producer, project manager, and as VP of sales and marketing at a large recording studio in the Bay Area.

How much musical background is necessary?

The level of musical proficiency needed to be accepted into a music business program will depend on the requirements at the school(s) you want to apply to. And that often depends on where the program is housed. 

If music business is a major offered through a music school or department, an audition may be required, although the bar for being accepted will likely be lower than for a performance major. Some music schools offer the option of taking audition vs. non-audition tracks. 

If music business is offered through a university business school, it’s unlikely that an audition or specific level of proficiency will be required. 

How to choose a music business program

Some schools use program names such as “music business” or “music industry” or “music management” interchangeably. Others make distinctions among these. 

So our best rule of thumb? Don’t choose a program by its name. It’s more useful to look at: 

• Program focus

• Required classes

• Faculty – and their involvement in areas you’re interested in. The connections they can help you make will be indispensable to your future career.

• Hands-on and career-related opportunities including internships; panels and presentations with active music business professionals; access to professional organization events and conferences. This is a field that demands learning outside of the classroom.

• Where and when alumni of schools you’re interested in have found jobs after graduating.

What job options are available once you graduate? 

Benom Plumb, who worked as VP for Licensing at Bluewater Music in Nashville, has seen his music business graduates go on to work in music publishing, music supervision, and artist management. They’re also working in concert promotion, merchandise management, and online streaming. They’ve been hired by record labels and in broadcasting. Some work in music journalism and as DJs.

“The music business is as diverse as business in general,” says Serona Elton, chair of the Music Media and Industry Department and director of Music Business & Entertainment Industries at University of Miami Frost School of Music. “There is a huge range of positions in legal, accounting, software development, marketing, supply chain, HR, etc. Someone could pursue any of these areas and try to find an opportunity to work for a music-related company in that area.”

Kevin Findlay, a 2018 Music Business graduate of Millikin University School of Music, found his passion in merchandising. “It gives me a chance to help other DIY musicians succeed by creating new revenue streams, while still exercising creativity and individuality,” he says. “I’m in the process of starting my own merch business. I’d mostly like to focus my efforts on small-scale DIY musicians, as I want to help provide them with more of a solid platform to have their messages heard!”

What kind of training and experience should you look for in a college music business program to be more attractive to employers? 

• Real-world experience – essential for applying what you learn in the classroom.  Student-run music businesses and record labels are great for this.

• Internships – “The real place to find a job in this industry is through who you know and through internships,” says Benom Plumb at CU Denver. “Because to find a job, you need to have first built a network of trusted contacts and relationships (including a little relevant work experience).”

“The reality is that approximately 90% of music business positions are filled internally and through personal referrals,” he continues. “The hiring committee already has their top candidates lined up through referrals from trusted industry friends or their very own interns. This is why it’s essential for students to expand their network of contacts and apply for any music industry-related internships they can.” 

• Networking skills and opportunities – with lots of practice in becoming comfortable interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional contacts. No matter what area(s) of music you work in, this will always be useful. 

“It’s been said that in the music business, ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,’” says composer and author Steve Danyew, who teaches in the Arts Leadership Program at The Eastman School of Music. “That’s partially true. I still believe that the #1 most important part of career success is the quality of your work…Then, I think networking is one of the most important aspects of music careers. 

“You need to communicate well with people,” continues Danyew. “This doesn’t mean that only outgoing people succeed in the music business – there are plenty of introverts in this field! But you have to respond to people promptly, be easy to work with, and make an effort to meet people and grow your network. Many opportunities in music come through your network of contacts. That begins in college.”

• Opportunities to learn and keep up with the latest desktop and mobile tools. 

• Experience with social media and website development.

• Effective written and verbal communication skills.

What qualities do successful graduates of these programs have in common?

Music industry professionals interviewed for this article agree that the ability to creatively problem solve is increasingly useful and valued in the world of music business. 

“Most music business activities include a rigid timeline, whether that be a show, a release, interviews, or publicity, with cascading, multi-level and interwoven project timelines and increasingly smaller budgets,” says Martin Atkins, producer, drummer and Music Industries Coordinator at Millikin University. “The application of these skills to make the impossible happen is the central, most valuable part of a music business professional…adaptation to change and triumph in the face of adversity is music business DNA.”

Juggling several priorities at the same time is essential. Excellent time management is a must. 

According to Keith Hatschek, “The industry changes every 90-120 days. So you have to commit to lifelong learning. Reading, conferences, and having conversations with peers in your field all make up part of what is needed to stay current. There are great organizations (such as California Lawyers for the Arts) that present affordable workshops on changing topics for artists and managers. Stay curious.”

“Employers want to know that students are learning about how the music business works today versus how it worked a decade ago,” says Serona Elton. “Students should look for courses and extra-curricular opportunities that connect with the industry of today.”

And where, geographically, are the jobs?

It’s no surprise that a few cities continue to be considered the major hubs for music business: New York City, Los Angeles, and Nashville in the U.S.; and London and Hamburg, Germany in Europe. But things are changing. “Silicon Valley is now acting as a fourth U.S. ‘center’ due to music’s increasing ubiquity via streaming platforms,” says Hatschek. 

“If you think of music business as also including the live side of the business, there are opportunities in almost every city, ranging from large performing arts centers to small club venues,”  says Elton. “And if you also consider the musical instruments and equipment side of the business as falling under the broader music business heading, there are manufacturers and retailers all over the country.”

Where to look for jobs has a lot to do with the kind of work you want to do. “In most major metro areas, there are certainly more opportunities in the sectors of concert promotion, booking and production,” says Plumb. Hatschek concurs: “For early stage career growth, nearly every city or region of about 100,000 population will have a music and arts scene to get you started.”

“Sometimes the best place to innovate is away from the costly overheads and the time-crunched, stressed audience of the coast,” says Plumb. But he’s quick to remind, “It’s a myth to believe you’ll get hired for a job in a music business hub like L.A. while living and applying from another location like Colorado. The hiring company is going to consider candidates who are local and can start within days.”

Resources to Know About

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• Music Internship Articles

• Explore���ƹ�app��participating schools offering music business/music industry programs

Tips from Recent Music Business Alumni

Find internships at companies you’d like to work at and, if possible, cities you’d like to build a life in.  The knowledge gained and relationships formed during an internship often are the difference between being jobless or having a plethora of career options after graduation. The music industry is a close-knit community and you will build a reputation in that community whether you intend to or not.  Make sure it’s a good reputation.

– Dustin Banks, (Lipscomb University, 2016, MBA; Belmont University, 2009, Commercial Guitar Performance), Manager, Royalty Administration at Royalty Exchange in Nashville, TN

I recommend actually doing what you want to do in the music business, while in school. For example, if you want to be an artist manager, manage a friend’s band or local artist while you’re in college and take them as far as you can! This is how some managers strike it huge at an early age. Even if you don’t end up with an artist that pops, the experience and contacts that you’ll get from it will set you miles ahead from your peers!

– Maura Duval, (CU Denver, 2013, Music & Entertainment Industry Studies), ASCAP Director of Membership, Pop/Rock in Los Angeles, CA

This is a very competitive industry and starting out it may be difficult to find opportunities to share your music, share your talent, share your work, or to learn something new. That is why I encourage you to say “yes.” With every opportunity you say “yes” to, you have the chance to meet new people and to show them why you’re in this industry. You never know, it might lead to a bigger and better opportunity, but you can’t know if you say “no”.

– Megan Peterson, (Millikin University, 2017, Music Business & Commercial Music), mastering engineer and studio manager at Georgetown Masters Audio LLC in Nashville, TN

CREDITS

Photo: Robert King Photography for CU Denver College of Arts & Media

Article:  Barbra Weidlein is a co-founder and director of �ƹ�app