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Don’t Keep Up With the Joneses
Posted by: bwalters on: January 24, 2012
Everyone’s “favorite” encyclopedia provides the following definition for “Keeping up with the Joneses” : ”an idiom in many parts of the English-speaking world referring to the comparison to one’s neighbor as a benchmark for social caste or the accumulation of material goods. To fail to ‘keep up with the Joneses’ is perceived as demonstrating socio-economic or cultural inferiority.” So what does this have to do with music? and why should I not try to keep up?
In a musical sense, “keeping up with the Joneses” often involves playing the “latest and greatest” piece to come along. Often these pieces are filled with musical pyrotechnics, the newest cutting edge extended techniques, and difficult (bordering on unplayable) accompaniment parts (ensemble or piano). Because of these factors these works are often viewed as being “important” or significant additions to the repertoire. And referring back to the above definition, many feel that if you are not playing these works you are somehow not as culturally refined. However, in recent months (and maybe years, if I really think back) I have decided that for me to “keep up with the Joneses” (musically) is often counterproductive and many times uninspiring.
Now, please do not infer from the preceding statement that I am against contemporary classical music. Nothing could be further from the truth! I am an advocate of contemporary (or new) music and currently involved in the commissioning of three new works for saxophone. Moreover, for the saxophone whose repertoire is still in its infancy (with the vast majority having been composed within the previous century), new music is the only way to expand upon a relatively small body of truly significant and artistic creations. Don’t ask me to list them, to quote Alton Brown, that’s another show and a huge can of worms! I am, however, very diligent about the projects and composers I involve myself with. Until the pieces are finished, each project is ultimately a journey of faith that may or may not have a “happy ending.” By this I mean that I have no preconceived ideas or assumptions that the music I have commissioned will be the next “it” piece. Frankly, I don’t care. I want to pursue projects with composers and other musicians that will feed my musical soul.
Therefore, instead of chasing the myriad of other performers playing the “must play” piece each year, my advice is to create projects that have meaning to you as an artist and strive to offer inspiring musical interactions with your audiences. This approach has been taken up by a colleague of mine, saxophonist Hart Linker, who has, in recent months, decided to pursue projects involving music composed in this century, with a focus on minimalist composers. While some might believe this approach to be limiting, I, like Hart believe that this will lead to a greater audience connection as this is music that he is passionate about, and not just playing because everyone else is! He has found his niche!
I have also found that there is an almost opposite problem in many other instrumental disciplines. Meaning, that instead of pursuing the next great cupcake recipe or perfecting bacon ice cream (sorry for the food analogies), many musicians are stuck performing the same over-performed and over-recorded masterworks of their instrument. Here is a quick read on this very subject (WARNING: contains strong language – I’m not responsible if you get offended easily).
I am still working on my particular niche – I prefer mid-century French saxophone music of a few lessor known composers. However, I am continual searching and refining my concert selections for the right balance. One of my mentors, the late Kenneth Fischer, gave me some advice once about music selection – Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. I think you can make the connection, however the “blue” does not necessarily have to be a blues, it could be anything from outside the classical realm. He did not claim this as his original idea, he stated that it came from Larry Teal, the first saxophone professor at the University of Michigan. Not bad company to be in.
So, what music speaks to your soul? Why? What is your niche?
Why We All Should Sing
Posted by: jdunnavant on: January 11, 2012
I am not a trained singer. I sing all the time, in the church choir, in the car, in the shower, sometimes in embarassingly public places like the grocery store…and I sing a lot when I’m teaching. I feel the need to add the disclaimer that I am NOT a trained singer because there’s so much technique involved in doing it right, and that’s not the kind of singing I’m writing about today.
Have you ever noticed how much instrumental music teachers sing? As someone who observes lessons as well as teaches them, I have realized that many of us, and not just wind players, use singing as a metaphor for many aspects of instrumental playing, whether consciously or unconsciously. Have you noticed (as I have) the same thing in rehearsals? It seems so often that our first instinct when demonstrating is not to pick up an instrument and play the example but to sing it. If there’s music in our head or heart, singing must be the easiest way to get it out. Singing is our first music, and we seem to be born with it. My best friend’s 19-month-old son can match pitch as well as any undergraduate ear training student I have ever had, and no one has taught him that trick. How do we get to the point where singing becomes a frightening, forbidden thing?
I love to use singing in flute lessons to teach tongue and throat placement and musicality. When the student is not blocked against it as a concept, it works wonders to help create an open, singing sound and a polished sense of direction in a musical line. However, on more than one occasion, I have run into students who are so horribly blocked that the mere request for singing will bring on tears and hysterics. I must admit that I have never understood that reaction, but I have a respected mentor who thinks it’s because singing is so personal–your mouth is open, and unlike when we’re playing instruments, there’s nothing to block the openness of our mouths. She could be right.
I am not by any means trying to claim that no one can be a good musician without being able and willing to sing. However, if that first, intrinsic, personal sense of music is locked away and never accessed, I question how deep a musician’s product will ever be. And again, who wants to settle for simple competence? We want to soar. We want to touch the audience. We want to play musically, or why else do we put ourselves through the things we do?
We live in a world where Simon Cowell may always have a vehicle for shredding aspiring singers on national television, but I think it is an error to assume that all singing must be a professional product to be valid and valuable. I will continue to gently bully my students about singing, for their betterment, in my opinion. We should all encourage the most casual kinds of singing–in the car, in the shower, in the grocery store, and even in the music lesson.
2011 in Review
Posted by: tyonce on: January 3, 2012
It’s been a busy, full year. Usually, I assess what I’ve done (and haven’t managed to get done) at the end of the academic year; as a college professor, my concept of a “year” goes from August to May. However, it probably isn’t a bad idea to perform a mid-year check-up. While it’s easy to become frustrated as an ambitious, adjunct professor/classical musician, I think I’ve done a pretty decent job this year. I have several big projects in the works and will continue building on my experience, which will hopefully lead to a full-time professor gig in 2012.
Personally, there have been some tragic bumps in the road. My brother and sister-in-law had their first baby, Austin, in December 2010; she was premature. Baby number two, Cash, was born even more prematurely in September 2011. Both babies passed away this year. The March of Dimes has become my charity of choice, and I hope to be able to do some fundraising for them this year through music performance.
Professionally, things have been busy and varied. I spent a lot of time developing an online presence, finally biting the bullet and joining Twitter (@TammyEvansYonce) over the summer. I was reluctant to do so because I thought I was busy enough. However, I’ve met an entirely different group of people than I would ever meet through other avenues, and I’m able to interact with them regularly. It has definitely been worth it. I also redesigned my website this year, which I think makes it clearer and easier to navigate. I’ve also started adding blog posts to my site, with a primary focus on how to make practicing more effective and efficient. I’ve also written posts about teaching: my B-flat fingering rant is now in print, and there are posts about choosing a new instrument, how to prepare for a recital, and performance anxiety. I also started a new blogging site with the purpose of covering a wide variety of topics relating to a musician’s life: performance, music business, music education, and so forth. It has been growing by leaps and bounds, and we continue to add contributors. I’m really excited about this particular project and invite you to take a look at what we’ve done so far.
As far as performance, I’ve done less of this than I would have liked. I continued to perform as principal flute with the Ludwig Symphony Orchestra, which is based in the Atlanta area. That has been a great opportunity to play some of the real orchestral standards. I also continued playing in the Northwinds Symphonic Band, also based in the Atlanta area. I truly enjoy playing the band literature, and this is a fine group of colleagues. We also took a mini-tour through Georgia over the summer. When you play in south Georgia, they reward you with syrup! I had the opportunity to perform at Flute Festival Mid-South this spring, which was the perfect reason to take a little trip to Nashville. (Needed a new pair of boots, anyway…) Rhonda Larson was the guest artist, and I enjoyed taking part in the masterclass she led. I also participated in a concert of American music atUniversity of South Carolina Aiken, where I’m on faculty. I never turn down an opportunity to play Charles Ives. My biggest performance was my Newberry College faculty recital at the end of the year, which included works by CPE Bach, Roussel, Jennifer Higdon, Muczynski, Enesco, and Jay Batzner. It was a heavy program but I prefer to go all out in solo recitals.
I was happy to return to my alma mater, the University of Georgia, to present at their Women’s Studies Research Symposium early in the year. I presented my dissertation research on the flute works of Joan Tower. I was also scheduled to present a workshop on effective practicing at the Carolina Flute Summit; however, the event was rescheduled for a date I was unavailable. Hopefully, I’ll be able to participate with the South Carolina Flute Society in the very near future.
I’ve continued researching the flute music of Joan Tower, and I’ve added the flute music of Jennifer Higdon as a primary research topic.
I increased my involvement with the Atlanta Flute Club when I was elected President in February. This group is a well-oiled machine, and I’m happy to be able to jump in and help brainstorm some new ideas within an already-successful group. Some of my specific goals are to increase our membership to include members of various ages and levels and to sponsor even more high-quality programs that give flutists in the Atlanta area access to teachers, performers, and information they otherwise wouldn’t have. This year we’ve instituted the brand new Junior Artist Competition for students through the 10th grade, which complements our well-established Young Artist Competition. We have several great events planned for 2012, so stay tuned!
Having an article published in the Journal of the British Flute Society was a particular highlight of the year. I was thrilled to have my research on Joan Tower, an American composer, published across the pond. It also gave me the chance, through this and Twitter, to meet some great British flutists.
My teaching responsibilities have increased this year, and I have eagerly embraced the opportunity. Being on faculty at two different colleges gives me the chance to perhaps teach a wider variety of courses than if I just taught at one place. (Of course, there are considerable pitfalls to being part-time at two colleges, but let’s focus on the positive.) This year, new teaching included: assisting with marching band, establishing a flute studio class, starting a flute ensemble, and an introduction to music literature class. I’ve also been busy preparing to fill in for the theory professor when he goes on sabbatical in January; I’ll be teaching two courses from the undergraduate theory sequence as well as form and analysis. I’m really looking forward to teaching these classes.
I’ve also done some of the other college stuff besides teaching classes. I’ve been doing quite a bit of recruiting for one college, which has included a lot of travelling and coordination with the admissions department. I’ve also been designated the chamber music coordinator, which means I schedule student performances throughout the community. Now that the big recruiting event for the year is finished, I’ll be focusing on this more in the first semester of 2012.
And the miscellaneous: I’ve got several big projects in the works for 2012. They’ve taken quite a bit of work this year and will be ready to go very soon. I was very excited to be able to judge the Newly Published Music competition of the National Flute Association. I’ve also started taking occasional lessons again withChristina Smith, principal flute of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. I can’t say enough good stuff about her – what a fantastic musician!
So what’s in store for 2012? As a musician, who knows. I’ve learned that it’s an unpredictable gig, and you just have to do the best you can. Hopefully 2012 brings a full-time job as a music professor. Regardless, I’m going to introduce three big projects and continue writing blog posts. I’m also looking for a new flute – technically, a new “old” flute – a vintage Powell. I’ll be presenting at theKentucky Flute Convention in January and the British Flute Convention in August; I’m also organizing the Atlanta Flute Club Flute Fair along with the rest of the board. I’m going to submit proposals to perform and present at as many flute conventions as possible, and I hope to also present at several universities over the course of 2012. I also have an article under consideration that I hope is published this year. My biggest plan for 2012 is to focus on musical collaboration. Several recitals are already in the works, but I want to be able to look back on 2012 and see that performing with other musicians has been my primary focus. It took me a while to learn but the collaborative aspect of music performance is really one of the best things about this profession.
What a year! What are your goals? Want to collaborate? Follow me here or on Twitter @TammyEvansYonce.
The Season of Singing
Posted by: dhaslam on: December 23, 2011
This time of year is about different things for different people. For some it’s about gifts, for some worship, for some family, but I would like to suggest that for almost everyone there is at least a part of this Holiday season that is about singing. Even the most reticent singer will find himself raising his voice singing carols in church or around the Christmas tree or holiday songs along with the radio. And whether you are listening to Bing Crosby or Carols from Kings, there is something about the songs that is essential to our holiday enjoyment. Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without singing.
Not only do we become crazy for holiday songs, we suddenly love singing together. At no other time of year do you hear so much choral music pouring from radios or iPods, and at no other time are you so likely to find people singing songs they have known for as long as they can remember with friends and family. I suppose in some ways this singing fervor is reflective of the cozy togetherness we associate with this season – singing together becomes a way of expressing the desire we have for closeness with the people we love. Churches are packed to the brims for Christmas services, and dare I suggest that some of this enthusiasm is not just for the important story everyone wants to hear, but also because worshippers know they will hear, and be able to join in with, carols they hold so dear.
It is no surprise that songs also stimulate memory but for some reason songs of this season seem to have a greater power than most for transporting us back in time. When I hear particular Christmas songs I have very vivid memories of my childhood in England. On hearing Away in a Manger, for instance, I am transported back to the beautiful village church in my home town – I can even smell once again the mustiness of its centuries-old timbers.
Here in Aiken, SC, I am music director of a community choir and we perform every Holiday season in nursing homes and assisted living communities. Looking out into the faces of the elderly people we sing for, I see the pleasure they take in the familiar songs and even greater joy when they begin to sing along. I watch tears flow readily as they remember Christmases past while listening to ‘White Christmas’ and childlike ebullience as they sing along with ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’. When one very old lady told me she was originally from Holland, I watched her eyes light up as I began to sing in Dutch a little Santa Claus (Sinta Klaas) song I had learned when I lived in Amsterdam. She had me sing it over and over, as if with each repetition she was forming a clearer recollection of her childhood days. Finally, in barely a whisper, she sang it herself, and I left her reflecting on her memories with a broad smile on her face.
I have always believed that singing is good for us – physically and mentally – so it warms my heart that there is some sort of imperative for people to sing at this time of year. But perhaps we don’t really pay attention to the power singing has or notice its benefits. So with this I encourage you to discover that one of the true gifts of this season are the songs we share. Turn off your TV with all that gloomy news and listen to the music around you. If you want to feel good or relieve the stress of the holidays or cheer someone up or break the ice at a party, all you have to do is put on your favorite Holiday CD and sing along. It’s as good as a spa treatment any day and much less expensive.
Happy Holidays and joyous singing to all!
Diane Haslam
Using the Holiday to Advance YOUR Career
Posted by: Paula Brusky on: December 22, 2011
What are the holidays great for? Cookies! Family! Football! NETWORKING!!!!! The holidays present one of the very easiest opportunities to network. Why bother networking? Your career in music depends on it. The music field is about who you know and more importantly who knows you. Often times the person that gets the job is the person that was remembered first at the critical moment. How do you get remembered first? NETWORK!
Networking is a way of life. It’s about being a genuinely nice person who cares about others. For some of us this is natural, for others it is a learned skill; regardless of how it came to you, it is essential to have a successful career in music. I should probably write a blog on networking in the future to go into detail on this. But for now, how can you network during the holidays is the topic!
The holidays are a great time of year to build and support your network because people are around. Are you going “home” for the holidays? In addition to seeing your folks it’s a great time to talk to an old teacher or have tea with a colleague. You’re also going to be attending parties with rooms full of people who care about you, so talk to them about your career, future plans, and social things! Networking is conversation so make sure to listen and care about what they are saying too!!!!!
Semester just ended. Students, send “thank you” cards to any professors who you liked. This separates you out from the rest of the class and will have you remembered. A student of mine brought me homemade cookies at the last class with a thank you and I was really touched and will now remember her for a very long time. Often times teachers aren’t appreciated for the time and work they put in (especially in Wisconsin, but I won’t digress….) so a small card that takes you 30 seconds to write can actually mean a lot.
Did you send Holiday cards? No?!? Well, next year plan to. I did this year and found it only marginally more painful than expected. It is NOT TOO LATE to send Holiday emails. Or New Years well wishing cards! Who should you send cards to? Anyone that you care about or want to care about you. It’s an opportunity to let people know you’re thinking about them.
Send gifts to the “super important” people. Gifts don’t have to cost a lot. A bottle of wine (if you don’t have to mail the gift) or a box of chocolates (easy to mail) are great ways to let someone know you appreciate them. People like to be appreciated. They remember the people who make them feel worthwhile. That’s human nature really, you remember the people who make you feel great or horrible and remember very little about the middle. So make sure YOU fall into the “great” category.
A network doesn’t operate if you only access it when you need something. The holidays offer many easy opportunities to strengthen your network by being festive. So take advantage of this time of year to help strength your network and build your career.
Attempt to Make Mistakes
Posted by: bwalters on: December 12, 2011
“Attempt to make mistakes…” and “I want you to push yourself to the point of falling off the beam.”
While attending my daughter’s Thursday night gymnastics team practice, I repeatedly heard these statements (and others like them) from the coach and they immediately stuck in my head. Why would anyone want someone to make a mistake? I have been taught over the years that you want to avoid making mistakes and to strive for perfection. I began to watch and listen with a more attentive ear and what I experienced during the remainder of the practice was very inspiring and thought provoking. I will attempt to share with you this experience and how I believe musicians can produce more inspired performances by “attempting to mistakes” and “falling off the beam.”
First, a little history of the gym that my daughter belongs to. The owner/coach is a former NCAA two-time all-around champion and was a member of the 1998 national championship team from the University of Georgia; her husband is also a coach at the gym and has a collegiate athletic background. The gym is home to both current and former University of Georgia Gymnastics members and produces gymnasts that compete at the highest level (attested to by the numerous state and regional championship banners hanging from the rafters).
It is important to note that the gymnasts that I was watching were working on perfecting learned routines, not learning new material. Now on with the story. As I began to listen more closely, I heard the coach remark that the gymnasts should think about each rotation (one time through the routine at each discipline) as a competition and not practice, and to get into mindset that they only have one shot, therefore they needed to push themselves beyond their comfort level. The musician in me thinks, OK, if this is my one shot I would not want to “make mistakes” because that would mean I would play wrong notes (lose points to another competitor); so I’m really confused. The coach continued and I listened some more.
Coach began to focus attention on a couple of gymnasts and it became apparent that their performance was not up-to-par with the others. As I observed the interaction the coach pointed out that these gymnasts were not doing the exact routine – they were altering the routine and were playing it safe to avoid falls and ultimately deductions. The picture gets a little clearer now (as an unlearned gym dad I was unaware of the changes). By altering the routine the gymnast is automatically at a point deficit because the score is calculated from the base-line 9.5 with deductions taken for missed elements. Ah, now coach is starting to make sense! For the musicians – this would be the equivalent to performing an etude or excerpt with alterations in articulation, playing a passage in a lower octave, or even playing at a slower tempo to avoid missing a note.
Coach went on to explain (probably for the 100th time) to the gymnasts that their point deduction for a mistake while attempting the harder element would probably be less than the deduction for leaving the element out altogether. Ahh! Now I get it. And to quote Harvey Korman’s character from “Blazing Saddles” Hedley Lamarr: My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives.
The ultimate lesson to be learned here is don’t play it safe (in music or gymnastics). Go for it! If you miss a note (fall of the beam) in an extremely technical passage but attempt it with energy, drive, musical line, and musical passion, the audience (the judges) will be forgiving as they will be carried along your musical journey with you and not stuck at a bump in the road (the error). This does not mean that we should perform sloppily or without care of the musical surface (the notes on the page). However, the real joy of music is found in how we express ourselves on our journey from the “upper left hand corner” to the “lower right hand corner,” not in how many mistakes we didn’t make!
Winning by Losing
Posted by: jdunnavant on: December 4, 2011
- In: Band | College/University Teaching | Flute | Oboe | Uncategorized
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This is the season in Tennessee for many high school and middle school flute players to try out for our regional bands and orchestras, and the results of those auditions establish a list of students from East, West and Middle Tennessee who are invited to the All-State Band and Orchestra. As anyone reading this post can well imagine, the flute auditions are an absolute bloodbath. This year in Middle Tennessee, 31 students out of 124 got their name on the list–5 for All-State, 26 who will participate in Mid-State and 4 alternates. Sixteen of my private students tried out, six of whom are very, very happy, but today I’m in the mood to write about the other ten. I can very clearly remember my own experiences trying out for this very event when I was in middle and high school, and believe me, I was often one of those other ten kids! And every time that list went up without my name on it, I was just crushed. Who could deny how hard it is to spend so much time practicing the music, the scales, the sight-reading—whatever requirements there are—only to feel that your attempt and your talent are unappreciated?
Once, a few years ago, I was asked by a colleague if my teaching style was more about process or progress. I think it was a brilliant question, and we can apply it here–was the total experience of auditioning more about process or progress? What was learned through the study of the audition materials? In most cases that question has a multitude of answers. I frequently use audition time to teach vibrato, how to play with a metronome, and expression, just to name a few topics. In other words, it’s all about the process, the journey, the walk down the yellow brick road, and many of the lessons learned will carry the student far beyond one simple audition.
There are too many times in life when the outcome of a situation doesn’t live up to our hopes and expectations, and of course, not all those situations are musical. In the musical realm, however, we often fall into the trap of comparing our performances to other people’s rather than to where we ourselves have been–again, we make it all about the progress over the process of learning. But truly, there is no permanent record here, no scorekeeping of wins and losses, and it breaks my heart a little to see the discouragement that some of my students feel over the whole thing. I frequently wish that they had my strong memories of how they sounded when I first met them so that they could remember how far they’ve come.
So, to them I say this: don’t forget what you learned in this process! There will always be someone with a shinier flute, someone who started preparing earlier, someone who seems to play all of their scales three octaves and faster. You can’t compete with them, not because of any innate deficiency within you, but because you can only truly ever compete with yourself. Don’t focus on not being one of those 31 names on the list. Focus on your personal progress, on your own personal musical joy, and on the very natural sense of relief and rest that comes at the end of a big audition. And then go practice your scales–because it won’t be long until we’re doing it all over again!
Recital Preparation
Posted by: tyonce on: December 2, 2011
Preparing for a recital can be a daunting process. If you’ve ever given a recital before, you’ve discovered that there’s more to the process than just learning the music. You often collaborate with a pianist or other chamber music partners. You perform in a space that might differ significantly from your usual practice room, acoustically speaking. You perform in formal attire as opposed to your usual clothes. And let’s not underestimate the effect that nerves and adrenaline have on a performance. So what do you do? Here are some ideas.
- Technical work. As you get closer to the date and the music starts coming together, there might still be some technical spots that continue to give you trouble. As reassuring as it is to keep practicing the music that you *can* play, it’s a smarter idea to focus most of your available practice time on working out the tricky spots.
- Recordings. Listening to recordings is incredibly helpful. They can quickly clarify questions that you might have about interpretation or ensemble. On the other hand, they might also be a good indication of what you *don’t* want to do. Either way, listening to a variety of recordings is a valuable investment of time when preparing for a recital.
- The importance of rehearsals can’t be overstated. No matter how easy the coordination between the different parts of a work may seem, there are always those quirky mistakes that can spring up unexpectedly. If you’ve spent a reasonable amount of time in rehearsal, you should be able to minimize those unfortunate mistakes. Write in cues for music in the other parts that you seem to always notice. Even if the performance is going perfectly well, those aural reassurances might be just what you need to set your mind at ease.
- Try to practice in the recital hall as much as possible. In larger venues, this isn’t always possible since they tend to be booked up all the time. You can still talk to people who have played in the space before. Is it a live space? Muffled? Hard to hear your chamber music partners? Do there always seem to be balance problems? Get as much information as possible before your dress rehearsal and performance.
- Do some practice run-throughs in your formal clothing. For guys, this probably isn’t such a huge change, but for ladies, this can be a major adjustment. Think about the temperature in the hall. Do you want to wear something sleeveless, or will you be shivering? If you’re wearing a dress, make sure it isn’t too long; you don’t want to trip over the hem on your way across the stage. And don’t forget to think about your shoes! If you tend to stick to flats most of the time, this might not be the time to try out those 4-inch stilettos, no matter how good they look. It’s a good idea to practice in the shoes you intend to wear for the performance itself.
- I’m a big believer in practicing in small sections. As far as learning technical material, it’s really the most efficient way, even though it requires more focused practice. However, the experience of giving a performance is completely different from working in these small chunks. As your recital date approaches, it’s a really good idea to start playing through your entire program. A couple of weeks before is usually a good time to try this because your technique should be solid and you should be quite familiar with the music. If you can’t make it all the way through, that’s ok. You still have a couple of weeks to build up endurance. Keep trying to make run-throughs of your recital program and try to get a little further in it each time.
- Basically, preparation is the key to a successful performance. Trying to visualize all aspects of the performance from the actual music to the performance space to your clothing will help you pull off a polished, solid recital.
The Price of Recording
Posted by: Paula Brusky on: November 28, 2011
When deciding if you want to release a recording there are many things to consider; one of the main things to think about is price! How much will the recording cost to produce? Do you have the funds to do this, at this time. Budgets for recordings can range from a few hundred dollars to a few hundred thousand. On average, a full length CD budget is $6,000-10,000.
A lot of things need to go into your recording budget. Expenses include:
- Collaborating musicians
- Studio cost
- Hall rental
- Recording engineer
- Producer
- Editing
- Mastering
- Piano tuning
- Graphic design
- Photography
- Liner notes editor
- Copyright registration
- Licensing fees
- Bar code registration
- Artwork printing
- Distribution
- Press materials
- Promotional materials printing and assembly
- Mailings to radio
- Mailings to press
- Phone call follow-ups
- Booking fees for release concerts
- CD release flyers
- CD release invitations
- Online retail distribution fees
The bottom line is that all of the above listed costs must equal the resources available before you’ll turn a profit.
There are usually a lot less resources than there are expenses. Types of resources include:
- Savings
- “Daddy”
- Loans
- Grants
- Gifts
The cost of doing business to create a record can be high. But what most artists find difficult is that most of the costs are required upfront, long before sales will start. For most recording projects all costs are paid at least 2 months before the CD hits stores. Therefore you need to plan your funding well in advance. Many artists take out personal loans. This means you put something you already own up as collateral if you can’t pay back the loan (like your car or house). You can try for a business loan (if you have a business associated with the record) but the costs of a business loan (such as closing costs) usually make it very difficult for artists to use. Another option, if you have decent credit, is to take out a credit card with 0% APR for a number of months (sometimes this can be 12 or 24 months!) But I don’t recommend this unless you are confident you can pay it back before the APR goes up!!!!!!!!
Making a recording is very exciting. But the truth is that most recordings lose money. So make sure you clearly understand how much money is at stake before deciding to record. By knowing your expenses and resources you’ll know how high your sales need to be….or at what price point you want to sell your CD.
How do I get my students to practice more?
Posted by: jcotton on: November 22, 2011
- In: Band
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If anyone has the definitive answer to that question, please let me know. Of all the problems band directors have, I’d say that the lack of individual practice on the part of students is number one on the list. Many would say that “back when I was in school we practiced all the time,” or “years ago this wasn’t a problem.” Both statements are probably true. However, today’s students have many more options, responsibilities, and pressures than those of earlier generations. The pressure to succeed in Advanced Placement courses, the cultural and community pressure to succeed in school sports, and the temptations of video games, the internet, and other technologies often trump time spent practicing an instrument. Furthermore, my students are involved in far more extra-curricular activities than anyone I knew while growing up. Commitments like art lessons, ballet, club soccer, travel baseball, and church trips are constant reminders of how involved students are even at very young ages. While all of these activities serve to enrich the lives of children and are always encouraged, the fact remains that they often take the place of time spent practicing music. Therefore, we must be vigilant in our efforts to encourage and reward good practicing habits.
One way that may help push your students into practicing is through pass-offs. Grading these is more work for you, and often cuts into regular rehearsal time. However, I’ve found that regular pass offs (done in class, in front of peers) are a sure-fire way to get your students practicing. Granted, you’ll never have 100% of your class taking these seriously. But enough of them will want to perform well in front of their peers (and make a good grade in band class) that the overall effect will be positive for the group as a whole. Some students will try to persuade you to listen to their pass-offs in private, which I allow on occasion due to extenuating circumstances. However, I believe that being able to play short exercises in front of other musically knowledgeable students and working through nerves is great training for middle school musicians. Pass-offs also provide a systematic method for linking a student’s performance (rather than just their participation) to their grade in band. No student makes an A in math simply by attempting the work presented in class. They must understand and correctly solve the work. Music class should be treated in a similar manner while still being fun for the kids.
When attempting to figure out why your students aren’t practicing as much as they should, you may need to check out your choice in literature for improvements. Is the music they are attempting beyond their capabilities? I’m all for challenging students, but putting a piece in front of them that is unapproachable will shut them down from even attempting to practice it, which could ultimately lead to a lost interest in music and therefore a student who quits the program (worst case scenario). On the other hand, playing music that presents no challenge to a group whatsoever will also turn students away from practicing since there is a lack of accomplishment present with completing a piece of music. Literature should be FUN for the students while also being educationally sound. There is a great deal of quality literature being written specifically for school bands today that is also a lot of fun for both directors and students. Check your state’s approved large group music list, and go to concerts presented by high quality bands in your area and at state conventions. These resources can help steer you in the right direction to find literature that is both fun and educationally rewarding for your students.
Finally – a method I do not suggest: practice records. Not to take this down a completely pessimistic road, but I’ve found these to be a waste of time. Students will either lose them, forget to turn them in, or forge them, each coming with its own set of excuses. Additionally, I was shocked to see how many parents would lie for their students just to secure a good grade on paper. It was very obvious that their student spent zero time practicing at home. However, the practice record filled out and signed by the parent said otherwise. There’s really not much you can do about that except grin and bear it. I tried practice records for two years, and got tired of the time spent collecting them and recording the grades compared to the actual benefits my band program saw from them. Take my advice – save yourself the trouble.
As with everything I write, please take into account your own program, your own situation, and your own teaching style. Maybe methods I use do not work for your students, and maybe practice records are a home run for your band. The most important thing is to find what motivates your students to get that horn out and practice!
Jon Cotton
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Paula Brusky - Bassoonist, injury prevention expert, professor, founding director of BCMCC. |
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Jon Cotton - Middle school band director, music education expert. |
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Jessica Dunnavant - Flutist, professor, early music enthusiast. |
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Diane Haslam - Singer, professor, writer. |
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Stephanie Henke - Oboist, DMA student. |
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Bart Walters - Jazz and classical saxophonist, popular music expert, former Army musician. |
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Tammy Evans Yonce - Flutist, professor, chamber and orchestral musician, contemporary music fan. |