Posts Tagged ‘askedna’

« Older Entries

Broadening Your Repertoire Horizons

Thursday, February 7th, 2013

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

I am extremely grateful to the following individuals whose input was of great assistance in preparing this week’s column: Nadine Asin, Emanuel Ax, Bärli Nugent, Jay Campbell, David Finckel, Ani Kavafian, Jennifer Koh and Lucy Shelton.

Dear Edna:

I have read a number of your blog posts in which you encourage young musicians to incorporate into their programs commissioned works by their contemporaries and unusual repertoire that is deserving of more frequent exposure. With everything I have to do to meet the requirements of my Master’s degree in piano, it is hard to set aside time for researching this. I actually don’t even know where to start. Can you help? —Robin S.

Dear Robin:

Thanks for writing with a question that I expect will be of interest to many of our readers. Since you are still in school, you have considerable resources at your disposal. First and foremost are your teachers. Be sure to share your curiosity about repertoire with them as they will undoubtedly have ideas about works that will suit your musical temperament. If your school has a composition department, that should be your next port of call. Composers are eager to have their music performed and if they haven’t written anything for piano, consider commissioning them. While still at school, they may charge a nominal fee or nothing at all in exchange for getting their music heard. They might also tell you about their friends who may have written for your instrument.  You have also probably seen me write about the importance of going to concerts of music with which you are not familiar. You might hear a ravishing song cycle and discover that the composer also wrote solo piano works or chamber works with piano that you’d love to explore.

Here are some additional suggestions and resources which you might find helpful, both with regard to new and older music:

WEB RESOURCES

  • All music publishers list their catalogues online. Some give you the opportunity to listen to sound clips of particular works (for example, http://www.boosey.com and http://www.schirmer.com).  The Schott Music Corporation’s Project Schott New York features more than seventy new works by over thirty composers, with listening samples and videos embedded in the blog section of the website.
  • School libraries are a great resource. If you can’t physically get to them, many offer a wealth of information online. One example is Yale University’s Irving S. Gilmore Music Library (http://www.library.yale.edu/musiclib) whose website offers a broad variety of useful information.
  • Cellist Jay Campbell finds http://brahms.ircam.fr useful when seeking the comprehensive works of a particular composer, especially for 20th century music and music of today.
  • The website http://www.arkivmusic.com is primarily a source for purchasing recordings but it contains a great deal of information about a large variety of composers and their works, as well as listening samples.
  • Emanuel Ax told me about the Petrucci Music Library, a source for a huge amount of work that is in the public domain and can be accessed on computer for free. (I am told it can even be downloaded to your iPad.) He also told me about Music for the Piano: a Handbook of Concert and Teaching Material from 1580 to 1952 by James Friskin and Irwin Freundlich (Courier Dover Publications, 1973).
  • David Finckel called my attention to Classical Archives which offers a broad scope of works that can be listened to in full. A subscription costs $7.99 a month.

OTHER IDEAS

  • Look at catalogues of great composers to whose music you are drawn to see what they wrote for your instrument.
  • Explore the recordings of great artists of the past on your instrument. They often reveal neglected gems that were frequently played in times gone by.
  • If you have heard of a composer who you think might be of interest to you, they are in all likelihood represented by performances of their works on YouTube.
  • The ASCAP Foundation and BMI both give awards to young composers and have an impressive track record of having recognized gifted young composers before they became famous. The names can be found on their websites.
  • Look at programs from broad ranging and innovative concert series and festivals to be introduced to new works and composers. Don’t limit yourself to solo works. A chamber piece can be very refreshing on an otherwise solo recital program. Take a look, also, at works being performed by artists and ensembles who you admire.
  • Acquainting yourself with composer anniversaries (births and deaths) may draw you to works that you may not know and that may prove interesting to both presenters and audiences alike. A good source for such information is Classical Composers Database.

All of the artists I spoke to in preparing this column weighed in strongly about the responsibility of today’s musician to explore the great heritage of repertoire for their instrument and to become part of the exciting community of new composers writing for it. They emphasized how much easier it is today than it was thirty or more years ago when research could only be done by physically going to a library. Ultimately, an artist should only play repertoire that truly appeals to them and that demonstrates their strengths to the fullest advantage. However, a musician who expends energy in meeting composers and is generally curious about repertoire  is someone who is likely to connect most successfully with fellow musicians, presenters and even record companies, and enjoy the richest and most meaningful experiences throughout their career.

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2013

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Ask Edna | Comments Closed

Who Should Write Program Notes?

Thursday, October 4th, 2012

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

Congratulations to Mollie Alred of Sciolino Artist Management who won a $25 gift card for submitting the following question

Dear Edna:

As a manager of classical musicians, I have the opportunity to work with many different presenters. No matter the type of presenter, size of the hall, the budget or the number of staff members, one question frequently pops up: Who is writing the program notes? Some organizations hire a professional writer, others handle the task on site, and still others have generous (and well informed, very skilled) volunteers. Yet, there are others who expectantly ask me for this material. This has led to the very last thing I want to have: an uncomfortable exchange with a presenter. As a concert goer, I love program notes and read them carefully. I think they go a long way in engaging our audiences. I also see the presenter’s point of view that the notes should be included as part of the “whole package”. Nevertheless, as an artist manager, writing program notes on Beethoven string quartets falls outside of the duties I can realistically handle. Please help me solve this. What is the industry norm? — Mollie Alred, Associate, Sciolino Artist Management

Dear Mollie:

Thanks for sending in your excellent question. I understand that this was a hot topic at a recent Major University Presenters meeting so it is clearly on many people’s minds. As I usually do in a situation like this, I surveyed a number of manager and presenter colleagues from various parts of the country. What emerged is that there is no industry norm but that most presenters view it as their responsibility to produce program notes. They usually hire someone to do this or resort to one of the solutions you mentioned in your question. The one exception mentioned by everyone I spoke to is new music. It is common for composers to write notes for their works and I would go so far as to say that it is even expected. There are some instances where artists who write well like to submit their own notes. This lends a special personal touch to the program and is gratefully received by the presenter, especially when the works on the program are rather unusual. In the case of vocal recitals, presenters will not necessarily expect to receive program notes but they will expect to receive song texts and translations from foreign languages into English. Most managements keep a data base of such texts and will also refer to the REC Music Foundation’s website, www.recmusic.org.

You might be interested to know that some managements put in their contracts that they don’t provide program notes. I haven’t seen the exact language but I’m sure there is a way to state this which acknowledges that you wish it could be otherwise. In cases where this doesn’t go down well, it should be possible to explain over the phone that it is becoming harder and harder to provide top level service in every aspect of artist booking and servicing in these difficult economic times and that you must concentrate on the essentials. You might also want to add that it is not in your management’s budget to commission program notes for presenters and that you are keenly aware that it is illegal to reproduce and provide notes that have been written and copyrighted by others. One manager told me that since she knows where each artist is playing each program, she sometimes puts one presenter in touch with another to see if they might be able to share the cost of commissioning the notes. Another knew of situations where exceptional students received credit for writing program notes. Bert Harclerode, Executive Director of Chamber Music Sedona, told me that they are fortunate to have Northern Arizona University nearby, where often the Chair of the School of Music has provided informative and witty notes. There may be other presenters who haven’t thought of these possible solutions and who would be grateful to learn of them from you.

I hope that the above suggestions and feedback from both presenters and managers will reduce, or even eliminate, the possibility of you having any further uncomfortable exchanges on this subject in the future.

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2012

 

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Arts Administration, Ask Edna | Comments Closed

Is It Dangerous to Cross Over Too Soon?

Thursday, March 29th, 2012

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

Dear Edna:

I am a parent of a very serious pre-college classical instrumentalist who has professional aspirations. Recently, she was offered a possible opportunity to perform and record with a singer-songwriter friend who has just signed a contract with a major agency and whose eclectic work is garnering increasing attention. While my daughter is flattered and quite eager to engage with musicians working in a wide range of genres, she is concerned about accepting this opportunity when she is aware that she is not yet well known in the classical world. We know a number of artists who have “crossed over” into other genres but it was always after they had achieved substantial recognition. Do you think our concern is unfounded? We both agree that your perspective will be extremely valuable in making a decision. –DLP

Dear DLP:

Thank you for sending in such an interesting and thought-provoking question.  In thinking about it, I realized that my answer now is probably very different than it would have been ten years ago. We are living in a time when we are increasingly seeking ways to attract younger audiences to classical music. I believe that the younger audience is drawn in not only by the music but by the personality of the performer. Young people listen to many types of music and they may shy away from classical music if they feel they don’t understand it. If they happen to discover your daughter via a collaboration with a singer-songwriter and they like what they hear, it may be much more comfortable for them to explore what she sounds like playing a concerto with orchestra. The bottom line, as I see it, is the quality of any venture that an artist undertakes.  If your daughter’s friend is extremely talented and both writes and performs at a high level, I see no reason why she shouldn’t consider a collaboration with them.  My guess is that we are probably talking about one track on an album and a few performances, which are not likely to cause any confusion with regard to your daughter’s major musical focus.  I would also add that in my experience, there is an enormous amount that instrumentalists can gain from working with singers, and even dancers. Instrumentalists concentrate a lot on the notes that appear on a page. Singers do too, but by necessity, they also have to concentrate on breathing and phrasing.  Dancers are, of course, always in motion. I feel that if instrumentalists would take the time to sing or dance some of the passages they regularly play, the music would come alive in an even more meaningful way. There are also genres of music that involve substantial improvisation, which is a skill and an art that I find sorely missing from the curriculum of many conservatories.  I encourage your daughter to interact with musicians from other genres whenever possible, having fun along the way and learning from one another. I am sure that her primary area of concentration will continue to be the classical repertoire and developing her artistry to the highest level possible, but she will become a much more interesting artist and she might play a valuable role in attracting new audiences to the music she loves so much.

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2012

Tags:, ,
Posted in Ask Edna, Listening to Your Inner Voice | Comments Closed

Exceeding the Limit on the Freeway

Thursday, March 22nd, 2012

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

Dear Edna:

I have been working for the past five years as an assistant in the admissions office of an American conservatory. I would like to embark on a new direction – perhaps artist management or artistic administration at an orchestra. I know some people to whom I feel I can turn for advice but I’m not sure whether I should be offering to pay them or whether this is the sort of thing that people do for free. Can you please let me know how I should approach this and what one can expect from them? —R.S.

Dear R.S.:

Thank you for writing in with this excellent question. Happily, the world of the performing arts is a very nurturing one. Individuals who are in established positions are happy to share their expertise and insight with young people who are still building their careers. They probably benefited themselves from such input when they started out and this is one way for them to give back. They do not expect to be paid for their time, which typically will not exceed an hour. Nevertheless, one should not take this largesse for granted and there are certain guidelines that you might want to keep in mind:

1)    When you approach someone for this purpose, it is advisable to indicate as concisely as possible why you have approached them and to express your gratitude in advance for their consideration of your request, in light of their very busy schedule.

2)    It is best to avoid making an open-ended request. Be specific about the information you are seeking. For example, it is ok to ask someone if they think you are suited for a particular position but it may not be ok if you ask them to review your resume and tell you the kinds of jobs for which they think you might be qualified. It might be more suitable to address that to a paid consultant.

3)    Avoid putting time pressure on the person you are approaching. Try to make your request sufficiently in advance of the date by which you need the information. This is even more critical if you are asking for a letter of recommendation. If your need is sudden and unexpected, express your understanding that it may not be possible for them to respond in such short order.

4)    In general, if you are asking someone to share their expertise and they are not a family friend, colleague, former teacher, director of the alumni office of a school you attended, or someone with whom you have regular give and take with regard to sharing information, it is advisable to offer to pay that person for their time. Let them decide whether to offer their counsel for free.

5)    If someone has given you free advice in the past, perhaps as part of a mentoring program at a trade conference, do not assume that they will continue to advise you going forward. If they promised to follow up on some things, they will undoubtedly be true to their word, but do not expect or request any further action on their part without offering to pay them. For example, if they have agreed to let you use their name in expressing support for a project you are undertaking, that should not send a signal to you that they are happy to assist with your pitch letter or marketing materials unless they specifically indicated that in advance. Here, too, there are consultants who can provide such services.

6)    If someone agrees to give you free advice over a cup of coffee, try to grab the bill before they do. If they insist on paying, it’s OK to let them pay. A handwritten thank you note following the meeting is always welcome. If they happen to mention something that is important to them during the course of the meeting, with which you are in a position to assist, surprise them by following up on it. They may not have time to look for the perfect yoga teacher but if you know someone really good who is located near their home or office, send them the contact information. They will surely be impressed with your thoughtfulness.

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2012

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Ask Edna, Career Etiquette | Comments Closed

Ten Do’s and Dont’s of Career Building

Thursday, March 1st, 2012

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

Dear Edna:

In this fast paced changeable world we live in, we artists feel like a little boat in a vast ocean, many times lost and orphans of good guidance. A wonderful legacy, and a practical one from an accomplished pro like you, would be for us new artists to have a list of ten things to focus on and a list of 10 don’ts. Would you be so generous to share that with us? —Susana Galli

Dear Ms. Galli:

It is a weighty task to come up with ten do’s and don’ts and hope that they comprise some sort of legacy! However, I have done so below, and perhaps I will follow up at a future time with a second installment.

DO’S

Spend considerable time identifying your particular strengths, soliciting input from teachers and others who know you well, in order to plan your career and performance repertoire in a way that emphasizes them.

Make sure that you have good quality, attractive photographs and that your promotional materials are well-written and always up to date. In addition, take care that any video samples you post on YouTube show you off to best advantage. Having a fine quality performance dvd, or at least a demo cd, is definitely an advantage.

Go to a healthy number of concerts, especially if you will hear music with which you are unfamiliar or performances by artists you admire who are likely to inspire you. Go backstage to meet them after the concert. It is an added plus if some of these concerts take place in untraditional venues.

Look for opportunities to perform for audiences who may not go to concert halls, and identify performance spaces that might allow you to engage with new audiences in a more informal setting. If you are aware of series, for example at a library, which present artists at your level of career development, write to them directly, proposing an attractive program that you are prepared to perform. It might be helpful to go to one of their concerts and to try to meet the director of the series in person. You can also write to institutions with whom you have been associated in the past, who might be interested in presenting you in concert (e.g., a school, competition or youth symphony).

Consider forming a chamber ensemble, especially as performance opportunities may be more numerous and competitions and residency opportunities might afford avenues for exposure.

Begin to build a list of people who might be interested in supporting special projects you plan to undertake and also identify individuals whom you would like to meet through others. Whenever you succeed in getting such meetings, be sure to read up on the person in advance so that you can ask intelligent questions and evidence your awareness of their considerable accomplishments. Be sure to let these people know of your ongoing career successes.

Look for opportunities to attend training workshops that will expand your horizons, such as those offered by Carnegie Hall. Even if you are unable to attend in person, bear in mind that some, such as Chamber Music America’s “First Tuesdays”, are archived online.

Plan to spend your summers in places where you might be noticed by established artists and industry leaders who regularly visit.

Try to meet composers, especially those of your own generation, who might welcome the opportunity to write something for you that they know will be performed.

Go the extra mile and be nice to everyone. Write a handwritten thank you note to anyone who does something nice for you. So many of the significant things that happen for artists evolve from the good relationships they have established over the years.

Dont’s

Don’t use superlatives about yourself in your bio, on your website, or in written communications with presenters.

Don’t perform a concerto or other substantial work in an important place for the first time.

Don’t enter a competition seeking greater exposure unless you feel comfortable with the process and motivated by the potential for artistic growth, and for gaining valuable performing experience, regardless of the outcome.

Don’t push too hard too soon. For example, you should only seek out management when your artistry comes across as distinctive and personal.

Don’t think of being on a management’s roster as prestigious unless the management is recognized as being effective on behalf of its artists and has earned respect and recognition in the industry.

If you have management, don’t arrange concerts on your own, thinking that the management won’t find out and you won’t have to pay commission.

Don’t record music that is not in the public domain without first exploring rights payments.

Don’t grant any rights to another party unless you understand everything about how those rights will be used and are comfortable with the terms.

Don’t let your concert attire divert the audience’s attention from the impact of your performance and affect the memory of it that they carry away with them.

Don’t address someone you don’t know by their first name, unless it’s me in my Ask Edna column!

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2012

Tags:, , , , , , , ,
Posted in Ask Edna, Managing Your Own Career | Comments Closed

Finding Your Unique Path to Success

Thursday, February 23rd, 2012

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

It has been pointed out to me that in my column last week, I inadvertently misspelled the name of the author of an article entitled “Being a Professional Chorister” which appeared on Laura Claycomb’s website. His correct name is Martin L. Poock. My apologies to Mr. Poock for this oversight on my part.

Congratulations to violinist, Mina Um, winner of the First Prize in the First Anniversary Ask Edna contest. Mina has won a free career consult with me and I look forward to meeting her soon.

Dear Edna:

How does a classical musician get to the international status of someone like Yo-Yo Ma or Itzhak Perlman? In the 21st century when classical music is no longer the “popular music”, do classical musicians need to make themselves look “hip” or “fun” to attract audiences? How did these people rise to fame and success, and would their methods work for students who are beginning their career now, in the 21st century? —Mina Um

Dear Mina:

It is interesting that you say that classical music is no longer the “popular music”, as if it was when Mr. Perlman and Mr. Ma were young. Regretfully, I don’t think that was ever the case, especially  in the United States. What is true is that the world of entertainment was very different then than it is now. With the absence of e-mails, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Netflix and text messaging, there were much fewer distractions competing for people’s leisure time. Music tended to be a more regular part of the school curriculum, thereby exposing people to the beauties of classical music and helping to build future audiences. When Itzhak Perlman appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show at the age of 13, he was an instant success. A huge mainstream audience who may not have ever before heard the music he played was captivated by him, eagerly awaiting more.  Yo-Yo Ma also appeared on American television at an even younger age in a concert conducted by Leonard Bernstein. Despite this early exposure, the careers of these artists were handled with great care and sensitivity, with Mr. Perlman cementing the early impression he had made by winning the prestigious Leventritt Competition six years later. Both artists were taken on by the legendary impresario, Sol Hurok, who had the contacts to book them in high profile tours throughout the world.

So you see, there were no real “methods” that worked for these artists which could be applied to aspiring artists today. Perhaps there was a smaller number of gifted and promising artists populating the music scene in those days but the key to success then was the same as it is now – extraordinary talent and accomplishment, and the ability to communicate with audiences in a very personal, heartfelt and memorable way. You didn’t need to listen to too many measures of music performed by Mr. Perlman or Mr. Ma to know that you were hearing something very special. These artists clearly loved to perform and were not afraid to take risks on stage. Their talent was totally natural, and there was no need to think about superimposing anything additional in order to please an audience.

It is rare today for a classical artist to become an “overnight sensation”. Mainstream television shows are rarely interested in presenting them. As always, careers with longevity are largely built by word of mouth. And what gets people talking? Artists with extraordinary ability who have something special to say and to offer their audience. The challenge for young artists, therefore, is to determine what makes them special. If they can identify what that is and let it guide them in choosing the music they want to share with their audience, they will stand the highest chance of building a devoted following. They can help to introduce themselves exactly as they would like to be known by creating an informative, appealing website and by uploading samples of their performances on YouTube. If part of their nature is a wonderful sense of humor, they shouldn’t hesitate to show that in their performances, especially if they choose to give spoken introductions to any of the works. If fashion is a passion for them and they want to reflect that passion in their performances, they can certainly do that and, in all likelihood, it will come across as genuine. It is only when artists try to be “hip” for the sake of being different that it is likely to backfire.  If you look at the genres of music that are reflected in both Mr. Perlman’s and Mr. Ma’s extensive discographies, you can conclude that they were very inventive in coming up with projects and collaborations that would engage their public. However, it is important to realize that Mr. Ma’s ventures into Appalachian music and the rich heritage of the Silk Road came out of a tremendous intellectual curiosity and awareness of a diversity of cultures. He was fascinated by this music and wanted to make it part of his concert life. Similarly, Mr. Perlman’s irresistible recordings and concerts of klezmer music were inspired by music he heard in his childhood and learned from his father. He was thrilled at the thought of sharing this music with his classical music audience. I feel confident that if young artists today bring this same kind of genuine excitement and imagination to the decisions they make regarding programming, they will stand the greatest chance of attracting a sizable and diverse audience, as well as gaining the attention of people with the stature and influence to help them advance in their careers.

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2012

Tags:, , , , , , ,
Posted in Ask Edna, Listening to Your Inner Voice | Comments Closed

Telling the Truth about Injuries

Thursday, February 9th, 2012

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

Congratulations to Patricia Goodson who is Third Prize winner of the Ask Edna First Anniversary contest, affording her a free review of her resume. I am grateful to all of you who submitted questions and will be answering many of them in the coming months. Please keep them coming!

Dear Edna:

How should one handle having an injury? I recall a friend being advised to keep a hand problem quiet as presenters might avoid him, thinking he might cancel. He found himself unable to commit to concert dates because he did not know when, or even if, he would be up to playing again, and he felt nervous about revealing why. As it is not uncommon for musicians to suffer from some sort of career-slowing injury at some point, should we have contingency plans ready? — Patricia Goodson

Dear Patricia:

As with so many situations in life, I think that honesty is the best policy. I have heard of artists who were unable to perform due to a hand injury but who publicly canceled their concert due to the flu.  This can become problematical if the injury doesn’t heal as quickly as anticipated. The flu no longer seems like a credible reason. And who wants to stay home for weeks on end to cover up for a hand injury? Based on my experience, most presenters are very understanding about artists suffering injuries. They take it in stride and may agree to canceling or rescheduling the concert without giving a specific reason. However, they may be pushed by the press for more information, in which case a sprained wrist, infected finger or even tendinitis or a bone spur will not be a cause for alarm. Matters get a little more complicated if an artist has a chronic hand problem and the prognosis for complete recovery is uncertain. Even then, it is best for the artist or manager to be up front with the presenter, saying that they want to help them avert any last minute problems and therefore they are putting them on notice that the concert date could be in jeopardy. In such cases, the presenter might look for a substitute artist who is available, if needed. The presenter wouldn’t be booking the artist if they didn’t admire them and value having them on their series. Consequently, they will wholeheartedly hope for their recovery. If an artist or manager is dishonest with a presenter, only revealing the truth at the last minute, it could cause resentment and erode the trust that had existed between both parties, thereby making the presenter a bit hesitant the next time the artist’s name comes up.

As for contingency plans, I don’t think that most people go through life worrying about what they would do if they could no longer enjoy their current profession. They will hopefully have disability insurance, which will help to mitigate the potential financial loss that could accompany an injury. Artists should also have disability insurance. Beyond that, many artists also teach, or could turn to teaching, if necessary, in relatively short order. They might prefer to go in a totally new direction, such as artistic administration. I think there are enough pressures on any performing artist that they don’t need to live with the constant fear of possible impending injury.  They should trust that if faced with an unexpected disability that brings an end to their performing on stage, they will have many colleagues and friends who will offer their support and help them transition to the next phase of their career.

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2012

Tags:, ,
Posted in Ask Edna, Career Etiquette | Comments Closed

Getting a Feel for Fees

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

Dear Edna:

I am a pianist, seeking to obtain performance opportunities without a manager. Can you please give me some guidance with regard to negotiating a fee? How can I tell what is reasonable and within the budget of the organization in question? How much of a range should there be, depending on venue? I want to find the right balance between coming across as expensive and underselling myself. Is there a way to do any research on this? —K.G.

Dear K. G.,

Addressing your last question first, I know of no way to research fees paid by a majority of presenters. The easiest situations to research are the more informal venues, such as libraries and clubs. In the case of clubs, the artist will often receive a percentage of the amount taken in at the door. Further details can be obtained by simply calling the venue and asking for their standard arrangement. In the case of more formal concert series, you might want to see if the presenter has engaged anyone you know in recent years and, if so, you might contact that person to see if they will reveal what they were paid and what they know about the range of fees in general. Even if you succeed in getting this information, the fee that a presenter will pay an artist may vary from performer to performer, depending on the level of their career, how much exposure they have had, and how confident the presenter feels about selling tickets to their concert. If you find yourself talking to a presenter without the benefit of any advance information, here are some tips to keep in mind:

  1. Before you enter into a conversation about fees, figure out what your expenses relating to the performance will be and  how much you would ideally like to make on top of that. It is also good to check the capacity of the theatre they use and their typical ticket price for a concert such as yours. This information should be accessible on the internet. Keep in mind that in addition to your fee, the presenter will have a range of costs, including the hall and expenses related to advertising and marketing the event. During the negotiation, you might have occasion to refer to this information, if you consent to a lower fee and want to give a reason, such as sensitivity to the size of their venue.
  2. If at all possible, ask the presenter to tell you how much they have in mind, based on their budget. There is always the possibility that they will offer an amount higher than what you would have suggested.
  3. Most presenters know that any number you quote them can potentially be negotiated downward.  (They learned that from managers who always try to get the best fee for their artists!) Therefore, leave “wiggle room” in your negotiation by starting a little higher than the amount  that would have satisfied you. You can say: “Typically, my fee has been x, and I hope that will be possible for you.”
  4. If you end up with a fee that is quite a bit lower than what you had hoped for but you feel you have to accept it to save the date, you might want to ask if the presenter is in a position to provide housing or ground transportation (including  travel from and to the airport). Many organizations have volunteers who are happy to help with this. You might also ask if they have any suggestions of other presenters in the area (far enough away not to compete with them for ticket sales) who might potentially be interested in having you as well. If the conversation has gone really well and you feel that the presenter finds you very accommodating and reasonable, you might want to say that if they are happy with your performance and intend to engage you again in the future, you hope that the fee you have accepted will not set a precedent for the next negotiation.

Typically, community venues such as libraries and churches, will have a much smaller budget than established recital series. It might be somewhere between $300 and $1000. Established series might offer a young artist somewhere between $1000 and $3000. If you have little performing experience to point to, be prepared for the fee to be at the low end of that range. Orchestras might offer slightly higher fees and may present you in multiple concerts (typically two or three). Some orchestras will offer a per performance fee and others will offer a discounted fee for the repeat concerts. So if your single concert fee is $3000, they might offer $4500 for two and $5500 for three. The latter arrangement is most usual.

It is not easy for individuals to negotiate on their own behalf but if you bear in mind that you are delivering value to the presenter and their audience, and you feel confident in what you have to offer, the experience will become much more comfortable within a relatively short period of time. Your display of understanding, flexibility and sensitivity to the presenter’s needs will put you on a strong footing for reengagements in the future, as they will undoubtedly walk away from the discussion feeling that you are pleasant to work with before you have even entered their concert hall.

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2012

 

 

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in Ask Edna, Managing Your Own Career | Comments Closed

The Secret Ingredient for Success

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

I was recently honored to be asked to participate on a panel at the annual Astral Artists auditions, during which I listened to a substantial number of pianists and wind players. While all were on a rather high level, I was struck by the relatively small number who grabbed my attention right from the start of the audition and sustained it all the way through. It got me thinking about a three letter word, not often mentioned, that for me constitutes an essential ingredient of successful performance, whether on stage or in the workplace:  JOY.  While it is indisputable that beloved artists such as Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma have earned their place as musical legends first and foremost by virtue of their extraordinary artistry, I am convinced that their joy in music making has been an essential ingredient in making them household names. It is palpable from the very first notes that they play. I believe that this element of performance is rarely addressed in the practice room, where the majority of attention may be focused on the mechanics of playing. Can joy be taught? Probably not, but I do think that all teachers can encourage their students to identify and perform repertoire that brings out the best in them and in which they feel they have something special to say. For works that are relatively unfamiliar, the artist should be encouraged to share with their audience some spoken comments regarding why they chose to program the work, thereby increasing the potential receptivity to it from their listeners. Joy in performance may result from confidence that a program has been well prepared, and from the artist’s belief that it offers works or interpretations that might be new to an audience or juxtaposed in an interesting way. The artist might pause, almost imperceptibly, before a phrase that they find particularly special, just as a storyteller would do, thereby sharing that moment more meaningfully with the audience. It seems to me that our most treasured artists are those who give us the impression that there is nothing they would rather be doing than performing for us. While a healthy schedule of performances is essential to a successful career, a concert should never be a means to advance to the next rung on the career ladder. It is a special moment in time, and the opportunity to communicate with a live audience should be savored.

And what about the workplace? In my twenty-three years as Managing Director of IMG Artists, I interviewed many job applicants and often made a positive decision after the first few minutes. A good number of people that I hired still work at IMG after ten years or more, and they have all advanced through the ranks to higher levels of responsibility and more distinguished titles. Their excitement about working at a dynamic and distinguished international agency was visible to me from the start, and it quickly became apparent that the pleasure they took in their work overshadowed any eagerness they may have felt to advance in their career. The promotions came naturally because they were great team players, galvanizing everyone around them with their enthusiasm and joy in having a job that allowed them to be surrounded by great performers and inspiring colleagues. This created a family atmosphere throughout the years, despite substantial growth in the size of the artist roster and number of employees, which I think was a key element in the company’s success.

Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony may be the most beloved work in the classical music literature, uplifting all who hear it with the final movement’s magnificent setting of Friedrich Schiller’s Ode to Joy. Our lives will undoubtedly be richer and more meaningful if we can compose, and actually live, our own personal ode to joy.

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2012

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in Ask Edna, Communicating with Your Audience | Comments Closed

You Don’t Know Me, But…

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

By: Edna Landau

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

Dear Edna:

I’m an artist sending out letters of inquiry to a handful of presenters. Can you give me an example of an inquiry letter you might send, as an artist, to a concert series or presenter when proposing a concert? —Kimball Gallagher

Dear Kimball:

In a time when the DIY approach is increasingly the way to go, especially for young artists, I commend you for plunging in and seeking engagements on your own. While nobody really knows how many presenters actually read unsolicited letters from artists, some I have talked to indicate that they might at least read the first paragraph, and if the letter is well-written and compelling, they will finish it. They might even listen to a little bit of an accompanying demo cd. It is therefore critical that your letter is concise and to the point. Your letter can demonstrate your awareness of the presenter’s typical series offerings and how you think you might fit into their artistic planning. If you have a particular repertoire strength that is somewhat unusual or can offer a new work that you commissioned, that should certainly be highlighted. You might also want to mention your interest in doing outreach activities, if applicable. While each situation might call for a specifically tailored approach, here is an example of what might prove effective:

Dear Ms. Caldwell:

In a time when recital series seem to be dwindling in number, it is a pleasure to see the commitment you continue to make to solo artists and to introducing your audiences to musicians whom they might not yet know. I am a pianist and graduate of Juilliard who seeks to offer somewhat unusual programs and enjoys engaging with audiences before or after a concert.

In the 2013-14 season, which marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Benjamin Britten, I will be offering a program which will include his Five Waltzes, Opus 3, as well as other works related to dance, from a Bach suite to tangos by Astor Piazzolla. I have enclosed a sample of a recent cd and hope that despite your very busy schedule, you might have time to listen to at least a little of it. Also enclosed are sample programs from some recent concerts, my bio, review quotes, and a brief description of some educational and community activities I have offered to presenters.

I will call you in a few weeks to see if it might be possible for us to work together. With much appreciation for your consideration,

Sincerely,

My informal survey of presenters has not revealed a clear preference for receiving this sort of letter by traditional mail or by e-mail, with a downloadable music sample. However, several I spoke to did admit that e-mails have a way of getting overlooked in the hubbub of a given day and that they sometimes like to listen to demo cd’s en route to or from work. At the bottom of the letter, be sure to include links to your website or to YouTube, but take care to ensure that any video clips are recent and good quality. Good luck!

To ask a question, please write Ask Edna.

© Edna Landau 2012

Tags:, , , , , , , ,
Posted in Ask Edna, Managing Your Own Career | Comments Closed

« Older Entries