What Artists Can Learn from Steve Jobs

Today, as the world mourns the loss of visionary leader Steve Jobs—responsible for creating Apple, the Macintosh computer, iPhones, iPods, iPads, and Pixar Animation Studios—is an ideal opportunity to reflect and grow as individuals.  Eric Jackson recently published an article in Forbes called The Top Ten Lesson Steve Jobs Can Teach Us—If...

Building Your Portfolio Career Part 3: Doing the Math

This is part 3 on a series devoted to Portfolio Careers. Part 1 of this series examined the kinds of work streams that might be included in your portfolio career. Part 2 unveiled 21 incomes models that can be integrated. Now it’s time to do the math and determine your Portfolio Career Plan (PCP). As you’ll see, this process is quite logical....

Building Your Portfolio Career Part 2: The 21 Income Models

This is part 2 in a series devoted to Portfolio Careers. For Part 1: Imagining the Mix, click here.   If you have money to invest, any financial advisor worthy of their corner office will suggest you diversify the portfolio. In other words, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Include a variety of investment types so that if one tanks, others...

Building Your Portfolio Career Part 1: Imagining the Mix

Portfolio career is the term used to describe a professional path involving multiple streams of income. This profile is commonly adopted by artists of all stripes. I, for one, have developed a portfolio career, and wouldn’t have it any other way.             Advantages of a portfolio career include: The opportunity to control your own...

What Professional Orchestras Should Learn From YouTube

These days, when symphony orchestras make national news, the topic is usually not a happy one.  Yet one group has received a very different kind of coverage: the YouTube Symphony Orchestra (YTSO).  Culminating in a performance at Australia’s Sydney Opera House on March 20, 2011, this experiment has generated unprecedented buzz and...

This Summer, Build Your Career with the Savvy Musician

Though it may be hard to believe, with snow still melting on many of our sidewalks, summer is rapidly approaching.  This season—when school is out and many gigging scenes slow—is an ideal time to reflect on your career trajectory and strategically plan the path forward.  If you’re so inclined, I’d love to help you plot that journey at...

Why YOU Need a Powerhouse Topic

As a musician, you certainly already have one or two specialties: playing the violin, bebop improvisation, recording chamber ensembles.  But no matter how skilled you are in these types of areas, you are likely just a small fish in a large ocean competing to be noticed. For those desiring more work and opportunity, imagine how your career might...

Does Conservatory Really Prepare for Business Success?

Everything I Know about Business, I Learned at the Conservatory is the title of a recently posted TSM article by Brian Pertl.  In it, he argues that his (enormous) successes as an employee with Microsoft were the result of Conservatory training.  Here are 5 attributes Pertl claims are valuable to the business world and developed in music...

Everything I Know About Business, I Learned at the Conservatory

by Brian Pertl My guess is that the title of this blog caught your attention, because it seems so incredibly unlikely. The world of business and the world of music appear to have very little in common. What on earth could playing a Mozart symphony have to do with leading a budget proposal meeting? Most of us would say, “absolutely nothing at...

Balancing Family with a Career in Music

“Is it possible to successfully raise a family and have a career in music?”  There’s a question that perplexes many aspiring and emerging musicians.  My answer…absolutely. If you truly want these things out of life, unconditionally YES!  Of course, building a great career in music is never easy.  Nor is having a family.  But the best...