Beyond Talent: Creating a Successful Career in Music

Benjamin Disraeli, “As a general rule, the most successful people in life are those who have the best information.”

A satisfying work life for a successful musician often includes concurrent start-up ventures. This is just one benefit to being a musician: the diversity of ways you can contribute to society.

The challenge for all ensemble musicians is to be able to “get over ourselves,” our habitual thinking and behavioral patterns, so that we can see things from our colleagues’ perspectives.

The history of the arts, after all, is a testament to the human drive to create. Musicians compose new works, invent new instruments, and develop music software. They launch new ensembles and performance series, and, in the process, they build audiences and transform communities.

The majority of today’s professional musicians create satisfying “portfolio” careers, braiding together part-time work and entrepreneurial ventures to capitalize on their talents, interests, and experience.

Conductor and vocal coach John Greer, when asked what career advice he had for musicians, described the three keys to success he gleaned from the Canadian entrepreneur Edward Mirvish. These were to “fulfill a need; go against the trend; and keep it simple.” John Greer translates these tips for musician entrepreneurs:

You are the best person to tell your story.

on paper. These levels of relationship can be represented graphically: draw a set of four concentric circles, like the rings of a tree, with you at the center. Consider your existing relationships, the people in your life. Where would you place them on the chart?

Whatever the genre, the person organizing the performance cannot guarantee you an audience. It is part of the musician’s job to build a fan base. Posters, calendar listings, and season brochures are not enough. Think about it: you are much more likely to attend a concert if you know the performer and if you have received a personal invitation. And

But networking is actually about creating and nurturing relationships. It’s developing relationships over time with mutual friends, trusted colleagues, fans, and supporters. Some of these relationships are closer than others, but we are still talking about real relationships with real people. Think of your network as your community and your support