Oftentimes, as part of an academic job, you’ll be asked to give a brief teaching demo. This is a part of the interview that often sinks candidates. Use these tips to help you prepare a solid teaching demo and avoid common pitfalls. Picking the Topic A topic will usually be assigned to you, but sometimesRead more about How to Give a Successful Teaching Demo[…]

DISCLAIMER: This blog is a general guide on PROs. This is not intended as legal advice. The information on this page may be incorrect or outdated. Please confirm any information in this post with an attorney and/or the relevant PRO. For transparency, the author is a member of ASCAP. Performance Rights Organizations (PROs) are organizations around theRead more about Understanding Performance Rights Organizations[…]

Musicians are deeply dependent upon the talents of graphic designers to create posters, logos, websites, and more.  However, graphic designers all too often fall into common traps that render their designs nonsensical or unintentionally amateurish or comic in appearance.  Here are some tips to help avoid these pitfalls! Musical Clichés One common issue in musical graphicRead more about Graphic Designing for Music[…]

It’s important for all musicians to be able to read from a full score and to know about common ensembles, even ones in which they don’t play.  This primer is meant as an introduction to score reading and orchestration. Post Navigation Navigate to your area of interest: ENSEMBLE INFORMATION Common Chamber Ensembles  |  Common Large EnsemblesRead more about Introduction to Score Reading[…]

In this post, we’ll look at the different options for studying music in a post-secondary institution. We’ll consider the different types of institutions and the degrees you can earn.  Different Types of Schools There are different types of music schools one can attend for education at the bachelor’s level or above: A university with a musicRead more about Earning a Degree in Music[…]

In this modern age when academics seem to eschew most binaries, it may seem impossible to say what anything is anymore.  In the music world, the distinction between musicals and operas is a thorny one that plagues music students, audience members, and professionals alike. Attempts to define musicals as distinct from operas (or vice versa)Read more about Musicals vs. Operas[…]

It’s important for emerging musicians in all fields to immerse themselves in those fields. To help, I’ll be releasing a series of basic guides that offer starting places for learning about your field. It’s critical to note that these guides are very incomplete and meant as entry points for people who have inadequate exposure to theirRead more about Genre Guide: Opera[…]

It’s important for emerging musicians in all fields to immerse themselves in those fields. To help, I’ll be releasing a series of basic guides that offer starting places for learning about your field. It’s critical to note that these guides are very incomplete and meant as entry points for people who have inadequate exposure to theirRead more about Genre Guide: Musical Theatre[…]

While all musicians will play music by composers that are well established and often dead, many will also have the opportunity to perform new works by living composers with the composers present. While this can present some of the most exciting opportunities in music making, it also introduces certain challenges. Here are some tips on howRead more about The Care and Feeding of Composers[…]

If you’re on the creative end of the arts, you have probably at some point felt creatively “blocked,” as though you reached a brick wall and can’t figure out how to break through.  Here are some tips for avoiding and countering writer’s block: You Don’t Have to Write from Start to Finish Many writers fallRead more about Coping with Writer’s Block[…]

One of the most paralyzing fears for many artists is a fear of failure.  However, we often fall into the trap of fearing failure and dreaming of success without really defining either term.  In my experience, too few artists really live with the question of “What does ‘success’ mean to me?”  Instead, we too often blindlyRead more about Coping with Failure[…]

Musicians are often under high amounts of stress. Gaining a better understanding of stress can help you learn to manage it. Stress management is a lifetime commitment, but you will be hard-pressed to find something else with as much of a pay-off for your quality (and perhaps even quantity) of life. DISCLAIMER: I am notRead more about Stress Management[…]

This list is chiefly assembled from various lists by other composers and musicians. This list is to get you started in listening to 20th and 21st century composers.  It is by no means comprehensive, but it should give you a taste of some of what’s out there. JOHN ADAMS Short Ride in a Fast MachineRead more about Contemporary Concert Music Listening Guide[…]

At some point in your career, you’re going to need to provide a short biography (or “bio”). Here are some tips on constructing a suitable bio. Style Third Person: Write your bio in the third person.  (Use he/she, for instance, rather than “I”) Formal Tone: Keep the tone fairly formal. Some contexts may demand a less formalRead more about How to Write a Bio[…]

Interviews are a tricky landscape.  While in auditions, people are generally rooting for you to succeed, interviews can be a little different.  When a company hires you, it’s not just for one gig; it’s ostensibly forever.  So while you’re trying to show the best version of yourself, their goal is often to try to seeRead more about How to Prepare for an Interview[…]

With so many excellent compositions submitted to contests, calls, and colleges, adjudicators have to look for ways to thin the herd.  If your score doesn’t look good, chances are that it will be cut before it’s given a really earnest listening.  Attention to detail in your presentation can also help rehearsals run more smoothly andRead more about How to Prepare a Professional Score[…]

Congratulations on starting your college career!  In my time in higher education, I’ve noticed a number of similar problems that first-time-in-college students  tend to have when they arrive.  I recommend that all college students familiarize themselves with these tips.  These are based on my experiences with students, as well as recommendations from past students and fellowRead more about A Primer for First-Time-In-College Students[…]

You should never cancel a gig if you can avoid it, but sometimes we all have to.  Here are my 6 tips for canceling a gig with the least negative impact on your professional career.  While this may seem like a lot of work, you should try to get this wrapped up in a day.Read more about Need to Cancel a Gig?[…]