The Working Musician: Military Jobs

With the possible exception of saxophonists and euphoniumists, few musicians dream of a military career. Yet this path can provide a dependable income, solid benefits, and varied opportunities. “This is a good four year job for just about anyone. It can be a GREAT 20+ year job for many,” explains Michael Mench, Commander of the US Air Force...

Don’t Quit Your Day Job

This hilarious video presentation, by cellist/composer and TSM artist Zoe Keating, answers the age old question “Should you quit your high-paying tech job to become a professional musician?”  While her talk is tongue and cheek, it does present some of the unique challenges that face touring musicians.         Share and...

23 Resolutions

A new year, and decade nonetheless, present an optimal opportunity to reflect, re-assess, and re-calibrate our lives.  As you jump into 2010, what resolutions do you have to advance your career?  Below are 23 (my favorite number) proposed resolutions to consider. Obviously, don’t resolve to do all of these!  It’s much more...

The Working Musician: Full-Time Orchestra Member

Tens of thousands of classically trained musicians dream of obtaining full-time employment in a top-tier orchestra.  In some cases, they believe this is the only desirable prospect available for achieving a successful life in music (though anyone who has read The Savvy Musician surely understands that many other exciting and feasible paths...

The Rule of Four

Of course!  You chose music in order to pursue meaningful and gratifying work. Sure, paying your dues and taking on a fair share of lame gigs along the way is permissible.  You might even temporarily accept a “day job” to, you know, help out with the bills. But this is all leading somewhere. Somewhere important.  Ultimately, the vast...

This Holiday Season, Give the Gift of Success

If you have friends, students, colleagues, or family members who are musicians, why not give them a present this holiday season that helps them achieve greater professional success?  Or maybe these ideas can be added to your own wish list:              Success-Oriented Books.  This inexpensive and helpful gift can range a number of...

Writing an Approach Letter

In my recent post Career Mentorship: The Lost Education, I argued the benefits of seeking out individuals to serve as role models and coaches when it comes to career related issues.  The article generated a lot of questions, which I will address in this and future posts.  What’s the best way to make initial contact with a career mentor,...

Career Mentorship: The Lost Education

Most of the musicians I know are highly educated.  Many have multiple degrees in their field of expertise.  Along the way, they typically work closely with several mentors who move them forward in their journey towards artistic excellence: private teachers, chamber ensemble coaches, conductors, classroom instructors. Obviously this form of...

When to Take a Gig

All musicians, and especially entrepreneurial ones, are presented with many opportunities throughout the course of their artistic life.  When a gig or other opportunity comes your way, you will be confronted with whether or not to take it.  Some offers are clearly too good to pass up, while others are riddled with problems and not worth your...

Competitive Auditions

In many ways, the act of auditioning provides a stark contrast to almost everything else described in The Savvy Musician. The lengthy preparation phase before an audition has been compared to training for an Olympic event, culminating in a highly competitive experience that allows only one person to emerge victorious.  It requires a separate set...