# Struggling with having a music career



## sabina

My name is Sabina and I'm a professional musician with a B.A. in Performance. 

I'm trying to have a career as a soloist, but I simply cannot get anything done. Here are the problems I've been facing while trying to survive as a performer (and no, I am not interested in teaching no matter how great it is, it's just not what I want) and this is what I found out:

- Orchestras only want to play with well-known soloists, anyone else will never be considered.

- Booking agents are only interested in people with established careers and a busy concert schedule. You'd expect them to actually do the bookings for you, since that's what they get paid for, but they want the job done for free.

- I contacted Artist Management companies, 99% never answer back and the remaining 1% send a list of requirements that nearly say "only if you won a Grammy Award or the Nobel Prize".

- When asking recording studios about recording a CD, they come up with high figures between $12.000-$20.000 for the recording alone, without rental fees for the hall, other musicians, etc.

- Record labels: same as Artist Management, but wont finance any of the recording costs, expect to own your master tape, you wont earn ANY royalties of the CD sales (eg. NAXOS). They also expect a busy concert schedule and in many cases expect the artists to pay for the first batch of CDs in order to minimize their risk. (Hey, free master tape, free CDs, 0% risk? Sounds great).


It really feels like everyone in the industry just want established artists in their roster. So they only want you, when you don't actually need them at all... does that make sense to you?

I know my post sounds very negative, but I'm frustrated with several failed attempts to live of what I love the most, performing on stage.


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## Lunasong

You don't mention from where you got your B.A., but most beginning musicians, even in ensemble, have a master's degree.
It sounds like you have done a lot of research, but if you really want to perform, you may have to start small and "give it away for free." Have a repertoire list and contact organizations such as community bands and orchestras, community colleges, maybe even high schools. Be willing to teach a "master class" in addition to your performance. Be able to show that you will add value; this is why no one will consider you now. Your name will not sell tickets. Thus you have to show that value in other ways. By teaching master classes, you will not be tied to a teaching studio (I don't know if this is your reluctance to teach). Most musicians, especially at your level, are flattered when someone with sincere interest asks them about their performance and craft, and how to do something. 
Also consider holding a recital and inviting musicians and community members who would be interested in your instrument and performance. It's no lie that one key to success is in building relationships and a contact list. Be willing to give and you might be surprised what you get.
You may find this to be an interesting resource.
http://www.musicianwages.com/

ps you didn't mention your instrument, but if it is conducive to playing without accompaniment, you may want to approach nursing homes, large doctors' offices, malls, etc. Any gig to which you go, make sure you have contact cards (like business cards) and copies of your repertoire list on hand. You never know who might hear you at venues like these.

Are you currently playing in ensemble, or what makes you now a professional musician?


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## Polednice

I'm no expert on this, but it seems that you're only trying to break into areas where it's pretty obvious that no newcomers are taken on. There are a lot of imaginative collaborations happening between burgeoning young artists out there - you need to find some people like you and think of something innovative.


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## LordBlackudder

Have you thought about trying jobs in other countries?

It will vastly expand your possibilities.


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## Praeludium

If I were you I just wouldn't limit myself to trying to play concertos/record CDs.

What about trying to work with a contemporary composer ? Meeting young artist in the same kind of case as you (this implies living in a town large enough I know), in order to work together, build projects, etc. ? Have you finished your studies ? Why having stopped with a B.A ? A lot of people with a very high level still have a teacher...

If I were you, I'd first continue my studies, in a way or another, even if it includes working alongside to live.
If you feel there's nothing to do where you live, you should maybe consider moving in an other (culturally active ?) place.
I also think, like someone has said earlier, that music - and Art - is all about people. It's just that meeting interesting people is an essential point in one's artistic development. I can't think of any great musician/composer/artist who spend his life without knowing any musician/composer/artist.
If you can't find what you want in orchestras, recording labels (btw, I didn't know for Naxos. Terrible...), you have to search elsewhere.

I have a philosophy teacher who told us, at the first course of the year, that the most important thing school couldn't give us was culture. He also told us we would have culture if we could quote ten living contemporary artists in every discipline (ten architects, ten painters, ten sculptors, ten poets, ten writers, ten composers, ten instrumentalists, etc.).
Maybe that's what's missing. Unless you win a great competition (hey, that's another suggestion) and you're thrown into the professional circuit (that's what Gidon Kremer was talking of when he cancelled his Verbier concert this year, so it mustn't be such a great thing), I don't think anyone can live solely from concerts in the classical way.


Do you have a website/youtube channel/whatever ?
And we don't know which instrument you play.


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## Sid James

I echo what others have said, the gist of their posts. Just try thinking outside the box/square.

Lunasong's ideas are good also. Playing with semi-professional orchestras, or community groups, may be a way to start.

This might be disheartening but getting a career going outside of music, or not strictly related to it, is often what I come across in regards to musicians (or former musicians) who I know. A lot of them end up in totally different career areas to make a living. Some end up totally "losing" the skills they learnt, eg. by not maintaining practice and performance, etc. This is not to be negative just to show that many musicians end up not having their day jobs in what is a very competitive industry, as you're obviously well aware of.

I know you say you don't want to teach music but it can be a good way to kind be in the music industry, eg. or be at least on the sides of it. It keeps you on your toes, eg. knowing your instrument/s very well. It can be like a way to maintain your skills for a purpose. But it's not an easy job, to teach, but one-on-one teaching of music is probably better than teaching it to a class in a school, which I'd agree is not even a half-good way to teach music properly (unless it's conducting a school orchestra or something of the sort).

I'm not in the industry but just know people in it. I'm talking from the sideline, take what I say with some degree of salt. It's not from my experience, I am not a musician...


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## Vaneyes

sabina said:


> ....When asking recording studios about recording a CD, they come up with high figures between $12.000-$20.000 for the recording alone, without rental fees for the hall, other musicians, etc.
> 
> - Record labels: same as Artist Management, but wont finance any of the recording costs, expect to own your master tape, you wont earn ANY royalties of the CD sales (eg. NAXOS). They also expect a busy concert schedule and in many cases expect the artists to pay for the first batch of CDs in order to minimize their risk. (Hey, free master tape, free CDs, 0% risk? Sounds great)....


Not only are newcomers having problems, so are established artists, as this recent article reflects...

http://articles.philly.com/2012-05-...mophon-classical-music-philadelphia-orchestra


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## Romantic Geek

Definitely Vaneyes, I think most classical musicians record now for legacy rather than for income. The recordings will last far beyond their lifetime.


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## superhorn

I know just how you feel . It's very tough to make in in this field . But don't feel discouraged .
Have you considered entering competitions? These are pretty much a crap shoot, but do help launch careers.
I tried for many years to make it in the field myself but am no llonger active performing because of a physicla disability . I audiitoned for orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, the Washington National symphony, the New jersey symphony, the Los Angeles Pilharmonic and others without success .


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## Jaws

In the UK, one way of getting your name known is to do recitals at community music clubs. You may not earn very much to start with, but if the audiences like your work you can start to build up a name for yourself.


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## kv466

Paying for everything strictly through music is no easy task but I guess it did pay off to write a few dozen songs and learn a few hundred others. That along with gigging for four instruments definitely adds to the workload which in the end is no work at all; oh,...well, there are the endless cables and setting up and breaking down drums and pa's and pedals and heavy speaker cabinets...oh, but it really does become part of the fun in the end.


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## Moira

kv466 said:


> Paying for everything strictly through music is no easy task but I guess it did pay off to write a few dozen songs and learn a few hundred others. That along with gigging for four instruments definitely adds to the workload which in the end is no work at all; oh,...well, there are the endless cables and setting up and breaking down drums and pa's and pedals and heavy speaker cabinets...oh, but it really does become part of the fun in the end.


The only people I know who make a living solely through playing music rather than teaching, playing, doing other things, all do the same kind of thing you describe above. They play classical, jazz, pop, and advertising jingles.


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## kv466

Moira said:


> The only people I know who make a living solely through playing music rather than teaching, playing, doing other things, all do the same kind of thing you describe above. They play classical, jazz, pop, and advertising jingles.


Pretty much...luckily I get a fair amount of recording work but stuff that probably won't ever be heard; mainly to help students learning how to engineer. Sometimes, you think it's getting a little rough and that's where my side-job ain't so bad. I rarely do it but when there are no gigs, I gotta...I'm a legal transcriber and interpreter; both of which I do when I want and from home and easily. I'll almost always take work my sister gives me; she's a court reporter. But for the most part I like to have my days free. I can play every night of the week before going into an office for even one day.


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## Vaneyes

Proposed pay-cut for musicians? Ugh!

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/10/17/pandora_fairness/


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