Beyond Talent: Creating a Successful Career in Music

Here’s an example of an elevator speech I’ve used: “Hi, I’m Angela Beeching; I run the Career Services Center at New England Conservatory of Music [1 and 2 above]. I just wanted to introduce myself because I heard your performance last month at the X club and I’m a big admirer of your work!” [The other person responds favorably, so I go on with:] “

thinking of a bio as a “call to action—

The kind of musician who puts these success principles into action can be described as an entrepreneur. Cultivate your entrepreneurial skills, and you cultivate your career.

There are simply far too many good musicians. Without something to distinguish you from all the others, you are anonymous.

For your mailing list database, the searchable fields you want to set up are: first name, last name, e-mail address, street address, city, state, zip code, country, website, and cell phone.

“There is a misconception amongst music students that you get a job in an orchestra and you live happily ever after. It’s incredible to get and keep that job, but it doesn’t guarantee artistic satisfaction.”

Also, make sure to add a field for keyword search. By adding a descriptive keyword tag for each entry, you can sort your contacts by who they are and what they do (your keyword categories might include: festival contacts, club managers, concert presenters, media professionals, friends, family, and fans). This allows you to tailor your communication

You are the best person to tell your story.

Ultimately, your music is a form of communication, a way to contribute positively to the world. Your image and brand should be an extension of this positive energy.