So you’ve mastered everything from arpeggios to ostinatos. You’ve got the rock-star pose down cold. Not to mention that you’re smoking hot and can sling a mean axe as well as the next golden-tressed poseur.
Problem is, unless you’ve got some business smarts and a good dose of entrepreneurial drive, you might well spend the rest of your musical life as a weekend warrior playing dives and releasing self-produced CDs (at cut-out-bin prices) out of the back of your 1978 Ford Econoline touring van.
Bottom line: There are thousands of talented musicians and bands out there (as talented or more talented than you) who will never make it unless they expand their horizons to include the business side of the music business.
Luckily, there’s a conference coming up that might help aspiring stars make the most of their music careers — including nonperformance occupations in the music business that could far outlast your playing days.
The Brevard Conference on Music Entrepreneurship (BCOME) will be held July 27 to 29 at the Brevard Music Center. The conference will explore career tracks beyond the traditional job pathways with workshops, lectures and instruction on how to envision and establish a career as a music entrepreneur, with unique tracks specifically tailored for performers, college faculty and industry professionals. “The conference will provide performers with the tools they need to help earn a living doing what they love — whether it be establishing their own ensemble, organization or program,” according to BMC president John Candler.
But don’t wait too long. Registration is open to 75 participants, and the fee is $350. Limited scholarships are also available. For more information, including a complete schedule of events and registration information, visit online at bcome.org.
— Hal L. Millard, staff writer
