Musical America Blogs

By: Edna Landau

When I visit with students at conservatories and music schools around the United States, the question I am most frequently asked concerns the right time for approaching management. I tell students, as well as young artists who are already actively concertizing, that developing artistic recognition, positive word of mouth and distinct marketability can take considerable time. We then discuss the various aspects of this process over which they have control and a strategy for embarking on the journey.

Sybarite5 has been on my radar screen since March of 2012. In October of that year, I featured them in my blog post titled A Flair for Marketing. The instrumentation of the group (two violins, viola, cello, double bass) and their varied and untraditional repertoire did not make them an obvious target for management, but I sensed that their gift for marketing themselves in a very warm and appealing way could be a strong plus for attracting attention in the management world. It was also of utmost importance that they play at a very high level and this was borne out in several of their performances which I was able to hear. Despite all this, I was very surprised (albeit delighted) to read, about two weeks ago, that Frank Salomon Associates had added Sybarite5 to its roster, the first new artist to join this prestigious management’s list in seven years. I wondered about the process that had led to such a momentous announcement and decided to call the Salomon office, as well as Steven Shaiman, Senior Vice President and Director, Artist Management, at Concert Artists Guild, which has managed the group since they won their 2011 Victor Elmaleh Competition.

I asked Steve if he remembered Sybarite5’s 2011 audition and what made them stand out. He told me that they were like a breath of fresh air. “They weren’t trying to be innovative. They had already hit on something very engaging and were able to get your attention and keep it.” He also said that they had very good presentation skills and a polished program which showed the variety of what they did. That program had already served them well when they performed a showcase at the Chamber Music America conference, an opportunity that had already opened some doors for them. The group had also showcased at other booking conferences (Western Alliance and Arts Midwest) prior to the Concert Artists Guild competition. They came across to Steve as extremely confident and had already released a five-track disc Disturb the Silence, which gave CAG an immediate marketing tool as they further introduced this unusual group in the marketplace. CAG released Sybarite5’s second disc Everything in its Right Place (ten arrangements of music by Radiohead) in 2012 on its own CAG Records label. The title of this album would seem to be a most apt description of how the ensemble has developed over the years.

How did Frank Salomon Associates (FSA) turn out to be the right place for Sybarite5? They seem like an unlikely choice for an agency that has been very discerning but also traditional in its roster choices over the years. In a call to its director, Barrie Steinberg and associate, Chris Williams (manager of Sybarite5), I was reminded that TASHI had been a long-time client of the firm and that they had performed in untraditional concert dress, announced programs from the stage, and offered both classical and crossover repertoire. Chris first heard Sybarite5 at a Midwest conference showcase and found them to be artistically compelling and “super cool”. Several of the FSA staff subsequently heard the group at a Young Performers Career Advancement (YPCA) showcase in January of 2013 and Chris heard them again three months later at one of their self-produced concerts at the cell in New York. He was impressed by the diverse crowd and found the concert experience to be very different and a great deal of fun. A classically trained violist with undergraduate and graduate degrees in Viola Performance, Chris had also developed a strong interest in pop music during his college years. He advocated for Sybarite5 at the Frank Salomon office, reinforcing the positive impression that Barrie had of the group, having heard them when they first started out, followed them through their newsletters, and spoken to presenters about them from time to time.  FSA had also been regularly updated by Concert Artists Guild with regard to the group’s development. Both Barrie and Chris confirmed to me that several additional factors contributed to their having been signed by the agency:

1)      Sybarite5’s  varied repertoire and style of presentation bring in a younger audience.

2)      The group is always finding ways to be visible, and they work hard at it. They never look solely to management to make things happen for them. Their newsletters are unfailingly gracious and informal, but also very informative. As I wrote this column, Sybarite5 were in Sarasota, Florida for their inaugural Forward Festival (described as the world’s first portable chamber music festival). It was launched, in part, with the help of a Kickstarter campaign that exceeded its goal of $50,000. The group’s choice of Sarasota reflects their innate business sense in undertaking a new enterprise in the home town of one of their members (bassist Louis Levitt). They also undoubtedly created a good deal of excitement and community engagement by including top-notch local musicians in their five programs, presented in five different venues, and offering outreach activities along the way. The programming, which featured repertoire ranging from Debussy and Bach to Bjork and Radiohead, also included the world premiere of Andy Akiho’s RESOLVE, commissioned with an award from Chamber Music America. It should come as no surprise that the festival attracted no less than six media sponsors.

3)      Sybarite5 have an ongoing commissioning program that contributes to their vitality and their ability to continue to offer presenters new programs. In spring 2015, they will premiere the world’s first concerto for string quintet and orchestra by American composer Dan Visconti. Their residencies sometimes include an innovative New Music IDOL project, which invites collegiate level composition students to write short pieces that are performed and critiqued in a casual concert setting, complete with a panel of judges. A winner is chosen via a live text-to-vote system. The group hopes  that one or more of these pieces may someday become part of their  repertoire.

4)      The group is very well-structured (they are a 501c3) with an effective division of labor. They have a policy of answering everyone within 48 hours – a manager’s dream! They have worked tirelessly to create themselves as a brand, making it easier to approach presenters about them.

My own favorite manifestation of Sybarite5’s ingenuity and creativity is their online merchandise store. Featured alongside the expected T-shirts, sweatshirts and tote bags are bibs, an organic baby bodysuit, a license plate frame, pet bowls, and a T-shirt for your dog – all complete with the group’s logo.

I commend Frank Salomon Associates for signing this exciting, boundary-defying group and wish them fortitude in keeping up with them as they achieve new heights!

©Edna Landau 2014

By: Laura Hartmann

I am delighted to have as guest blogger this week the widely respected and admired founder of LVanHart Artist Productions, Laura Hartmann. This is the first Ask Edna post that addresses jazz, and it couldn’t be in better hands. — EL

This summer, while having lunch together, my friend and colleague Edna Landau and I entered into a discussion about the differences between management practices in the classical and jazz worlds.  Afterwards, she asked if I would write a piece on this topic for “Ask Edna.”  What an honor!  So, here you go:

In thinking about how to approach this subject, I remembered a panel that I put together for Arts Presenters in the late ‘90’s called “Demystifying the Business of Jazz.” In the audience that day were artists who wanted to know how to approach the whole concept of finding help with their careers.  They were stumped as to how to navigate among the different people who are involved in a jazz artists’ life.  It can be daunting, but the key to demystifying the process is to understand what roles we each play.

In the classical world, companies like Alliance Artists, CAMI, IMG, or Barrett/Vantage Artists are ‘one-stop shopping.’  They provide management services as well as booking services, and they even have publicity and travel or operations departments. Artists may not need to hire anyone else to help them with their careers and get them work. However, in the jazz world, a given artist may have a manager, a booking agent, a publicist, or any number of people who may work out of separate offices.  The size of the team, of course, depends on the level of the artist. So, let’s examine the different roles and define each one.

The manager is the person who is responsible for guiding the artist’s career (the captain of the ship, as I like to think of it). They would include Karen Kennedy at 24/7 Artist Management, Gail Boyd Artist Management, Louise Holland of Vision Arts Management, and myself, LVanHart Artist Productions. The manager may also advance concerts and tours (including planning flights, booking hotels, ground transportation, hiring sidemen, budgeting, making sure the artist’s technical needs are met by each venue), assist with business, help in developing promotional materials, and guide the artist in finding a booking agent, a publicist, an accountant, or a record label. For providing these services, a manager would typically ask for a commission of 10-20%, depending on what the artist requires. Some managers are also asking for a small monthly fee to cover administrative duties that do not generate income, yet are necessary to care for the artist.

The booking agent books engagements for the artist, without necessarily providing guidance for career advancement. (In many states a booking agency must have a license because it is viewed as an employment agency.)  Examples of jazz agents would be Myles Weinstein at Unlimited Myles, Ted Kurland & Associates, IMN, Michael Kline Artists, and Ed Keane & Associates.  A booking agent generally charges 10-15%.

A publicist’s job is to generate and manage publicity for their artist, gaining attention in the press for their concerts, recordings, and any noteworthy developments, such as prizes and special projects. Some of the publicists in jazz are Seth Cohen PR, Don Lucoff at DL Media, Jim Eigo at Jazz Promo Services, and Michael Bloom Media Relations. Publicists are usually hired on a project basis, for example to promote a CD release or a specific tour. The fee is likely to be based on the duration of the campaign or the number of cities in a given tour. The publicist might also be hired on a monthly basis to help the manager paint the ‘big picture,’ beyond a single event.  Fees for publicists vary widely and really depend upon what the artist wants him/her to do.  Monthly fees can range from $400 to over $3000.

As you search for someone to help you with your career, it is very important that you understand the difference between the artist manager and the booking agent.  The classic mistake an artist makes is to go to a manager and think that they will book them a whole bunch of gigs.  Booking concerts is NOT their primary function.  If you have all of your business together, have a clear idea of how you want to grow your career and how to make it happen, you would just want to seek out a booking agent.  There are artists that do that very successfully.  Bill Charlap is one.  He is booked by Ted Kurland’s office, but doesn’t have a manager.  He has done an impressive job of furthering his career and he really knows how to take care of business!

But if you are like most artists, you want help with your career. You want help in making it grow, or you want to have someone to take care of business so you have more time to practice or write music. A manager is really what you are seeking. When my client Steve Wilson came to me almost 16 years ago, he was working in the bands of Dave Holland, Chick Corea and many others.  Yet Steve was anxious to lead his own ensembles.  That was a priority for him in taking his career to the next level.  Over the years I have helped him bring his quartet to Europe and have made introductions that led to dates in larger and more prestigious venues. We have also worked together to develop his creative ideas. A project with string quartet, featuring music from Charlie Parker’s ‘Bird with Strings’, began as a residency in colleges and has expanded into a program including a chamber orchestra and newly commissioned works, at venues such as The Kennedy Center and the Detroit Jazz Festival.

Now, as with all things, there are gray areas. Myles Weinstein is a booking agent for some artists who have managers, and others who don’t.  He finds that with the clients who don’t have management, he does have to step in from time to time to help with travel and advancing their dates, or even give general guidance. His primary focus, however, is on booking concerts, not guiding his clients’ careers. Karen Kennedy is a manager, all of whose clients are currently with booking agencies; but if she signs an artist who doesn’t have an agent — an up-and-coming artist perhaps — she will book gigs to get them going. Clearly, nothing is black and white, but if you keep the above guidelines in mind as you search for partners in your career, you will maximize your chances for finding the right team.

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

by Edna Landau

This promises to be a hot topic on “Ask Edna” and I will undoubtedly address it repeatedly, so please don’t be discouraged from sending further questions of this type. I have a hearty appetite for queries about my former line of work!

Dear Edna: 

I recently heard the story of a young artist who was on the roster of a management agency. He was finding and booking all of his engagements by himself, but still paying a percentage of the fees to the manager. From your experience, how common is this situation? For an artist who is talented but young and not well-known, do you think it is better for him to have the added prestige of being on a management roster even if the manager is not doing much for him?

–Daniel Teitler (Taipei) 

Dear Daniel: 

I find it appalling that a young artist is finding and booking all of his own engagements and still paying a percentage of the fees to his manager, unless the manager is providing some other service of value to the artist. This might consist of contracting the engagement and/or interacting with the presenter to relieve the artist of logistical details such as travel arrangements or providing publicity materials. In such an instance, the artist should still not be paying full commission to the manager and might want to contemplate whether it would be cheaper to hire a capable friend or student to do this for him. 

N.B. There is NO prestige related to being on a management roster unless the management is recognized as being effective on behalf of its artists and has earned respect and recognition in the industry. If not, their calls to presenters will go unreturned and the artist might be better off employing a very bright, personable and healthily aggressive individual with some basic orientation in the process of artist management to work on their behalf, until their performance profile reaches a level that might truly attract a prestigious management, large or small.

                                                               ****************** 

Dear Edna: 

I am an aspiring artist who has recently been selected from a large number of my professional colleagues to appear on two well-known, nationally prestigious showcase opportunities this year. Both of the stages on which I am to perform contain the possibility of changing my professional trajectory, as they have for others, if utilized in the right way and seen by the right people. Will these highly publicized events typically attract distinguished artist managers and/or would it be appropriate to contact a manager from within a firm and invite them to the event? What is the best way to attract positive attention from the managerial world for these important opportunities? -Unmanaged 

Dear Unmanaged: 

Congratulations on having been chosen to appear on not one but two nationally prestigious showcases. 

You ask whether these showcases will “typically attract distinguished artist managers.” Unfortunately, there is nothing typical when it comes to discussing artist managers except to say that all the really good ones are overworked! If they have room to add an artist, it will often be one that was recommended to them by someone they trust in the field. If they recently lost an artist (heaven forbid!) or want to add a certain type of artist in order to have more variety to offer a presenter, they might go to a national showcase because they recognize that the participants represent top quality emerging artists. Your first step should be to contact the organizations presenting the showcases to urge them to invite distinguished managers, if they haven’t done so already. Feel free to review with them your proposed list of the most appropriate managers to target. You should then think about people you know who have clout and could write to those managers to give them a heads up about the opportunity to witness your artistry. After that you can follow up personally, expressing how much it would mean to you to have them attend. In your letter, point out any connections that you think might have significance. For example: “I know that Artist X on your roster would be happy to speak favorably on my behalf.” Or, “I’m sure you are in regular contact with Presenter Y who has seen me perform on several occasions. I would be most grateful if you would be willing to give them a call.” Be sure to attach or enclose the most recent, most favorable testimonials of your work (limit your choices for maximum effectiveness), as well as links to video footage if it represents you at your best. The only thing left after that is to pray!