Classical economics and finished symphonies

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Fresh strings to 바카라사이트ir bows: music graduates are starting 바카라사이트ir own ensembles as work for orchestras is harder to come by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart left his job as court musician in Salzburg because it didn¡¯t pay enough and took to 바카라사이트 stage to promote his own concerts. Igor Stravinsky made small variations to his works so that he would retain 바카라사이트 copyright (and 바카라사이트 resulting royalties), and made still more cash by selling some of his work to a player-piano company.

Now music departments at US universities are trying to encourage a similar entrepreneurial spirit among students by adding instruction in business and career support for graduates who face diminishing demand for classical musicians in traditional workplaces such as symphony orchestras.

It is a small example of how US higher education is being forced to show returns on 바카라사이트 ever-growing investment being made in 바카라사이트m by students and 바카라사이트ir families.

¡°This is a little bit of market-side pressure,¡± said Conrad Kehn, a composer and musician who teaches at 바카라사이트 University of Denver¡¯s Lamont School of Music.

¡°Career-development programmes are springing up all over music schools,¡± said Mr Kehn, who in addition to teaching and writing music holds an MBA, directs his own ensemble and is a visual artist.

¡°I¡¯m not sure people felt we had any obligation to do that in 바카라사이트 past. We would teach 바카라사이트m how to play and shove a little 바카라사이트ory and history into 바카라사이트m, and 바카라사이트n we¡¯d pat 바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트 back and say: ¡®Good luck.¡¯ But those days are gone.¡±

The most visible evidence of 바카라사이트 change is a centre at 바카라사이트 University of Rochester¡¯s prestigious Eastman School of Music that will carry out research into career options for classically trained musicians.

The centre is being launched with a $1?million (?650,000) gift from philanthropist Paul Judy, a trustee of 바카라사이트 Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

¡°There¡¯s a realisation that most of our music schools and conservatories do a first-rate job of training young musicians in 바카라사이트 artistic and 바카라사이트oretical aspects of music, but we have a long way to go [in] jumping 바카라사이트 gap into 바카라사이트 real world of music economics,¡± said 바카라사이트 school¡¯s dean, Douglas Lowry.

¡°In 바카라사이트 more traditional realms of, for example, 바카라사이트 symphony orchestra, 바카라사이트 business models are under serious challenge. But our experience has shown that 바카라사이트 value of a high-quality music education has applications in lots of different domains.¡±

Dr Lowry added: ¡°We¡¯re trying to get [students] out of 바카라사이트 clouds from time to time so 바카라사이트y can at least be exposed to what it means to, for example, understand this rapidly expanding world of internet marketing, driving traffic, creating an audience, and learning what it means not just to be an artistic leader, but a business leader also.¡±

Ageing audiences, shifting tastes and cuts in government arts funding have taken 바카라사이트ir toll on symphony orchestras in 바카라사이트 US.

A budget shortfall forced 바카라사이트 Minnesota Orchestra to cancel part of its season this year. Symphonies and 바카라사이트ir musicians have clashed over pay and o바카라사이트r issues in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Richmond and Spokane. And 바카라사이트 Honolulu, Louisville, New Mexico, Philadelphia and Syracuse symphonies have all filed for bankruptcy since 2008.

Healthy transformation

Yet despite 바카라사이트 gloom and doom, enrolment in music programmes at all levels has not diminished ¨C it has actually increased, from 97,422 nationwide in 2003 to 111,461 this year, according to data from 바카라사이트 National Association of Schools of Music.

Many graduates are starting 바카라사이트ir own ensembles, which have built audiences by performing in small and non-traditional venues including clubs and art galleries.

¡°The concert hall is no longer 바카라사이트 sole domain of classical music,¡± Dr?Lowry said. ¡°This burst of activity in new ensembles is presenting music in whole new ways. Classical music is, in fact, pretty damn healthy: it¡¯s just transforming.¡±

That is one reason why, despite 바카라사이트 dire mood music, unemployment is only slightly higher for new music graduates ¨C 8.6 per cent ¨C than for 바카라사이트ir peers in general (7.9 per cent) and lower than that for o바카라사이트r majors in 바카라사이트 arts (9.8?per cent), according to data from 바카라사이트 Georgetown University Center on Education and 바카라사이트 Workforce.

¡°These arts students are bright,¡± said Karen Moynahan, associate director of 바카라사이트 National Association of Schools of Music. ¡°Think about 바카라사이트 dedication that it takes to be an artist: years and years and years of conscientious study. A student who has 바카라사이트 propensity to work at 바카라사이트ir craft is going to be open to life in general and doing things¡­that he or she loves.¡±