Notes on Article for Business and Entrepreneurship Class
September 9, 2015
Talking points for Musicians' Way Articles
"Don't Be Like Your Teacher" also see article "The Master-Apprentice Model is Dead"
http://musiciansway.com/blog/2015/01/dont-be-like-your-teacher/
http://musiciansway.com/blog/2013/04/the-master-apprentice-model-is-dead/
Talking Points:
• 'Trust you gut' and take your own advice as well as that of your teacher -- but take your own advice with
conviction
• be your own artist and learn from your teacher, but do not simply duplicate your teacher
• play music that showcases you and that shows you as an individual
◦ this shows your personal artistic voice to the world through the performances and through your instrument
◦ this "expresses personal taste"
• learn from a group of different teachers and artists from all different walks of life in order to have a diversity
◦ we are products of all our parts, not just one teacher and our own thoughts -- therefore learn from as many
'parts' (teachers) as possible
◦ take something from every lesson, every class, ever lecture, every performance
‣ a positive
‣ a negative
◦ learn from teachers who might not be considered pedagogues of the instrument
• Take risks
◦ both in playing and in attempting to showcase yourself
◦ always stay true to who you are as an artist
• play in as many places and in as many classes and for as many people as possible.
◦ self-promotion through playing
◦ experience playing is the most invaluable experience
• modern musicians are required to know more and more of different things and on different topics than our
pedagogue teachers and current teachers might have had to know in order to be successful
◦ business smarts
◦ how to cultivate a personal image through social media
◦ self-promotion through the social media
◦ economics of the arts and of the world/country
◦ cultures of different arts and the basis of the arts in different cultures
"It's not just how good you are. It's how intriguing..."
http://musiciansway.com/blog/2015/03/its-not-just-how-good-you-are/
Talking points:
• Be Distinctive and take artistic risks-- cannot stress this enough
◦ without being distinctive, you do not showcase yourself as 'you' and you are not giving audiences who you
truly are in a performance.
◦ do not change who you are in order to gain popularity.
‣ stay true to yourself as a person
‣ stay true to yourself as a musician
‣ stay true to yourself as at ARTIST!
• Study with the best and learn from a variety of sources and teachers, but do not become your teacher ^^
◦ "Be your own best teacher" - Linda Strommen
◦ maintain an identity as "you"
• audience/community engagement
◦ this not only applies to interacting while performing but also to being an active member of the community or
the group with whom you are trying to connect
◦ engagement to the community can also be found through non-music business/philanthropy ventures
‣ nonprofit organizations
‣ fundraisers to support the arts in education
‣ benefit concerts
‣ lectures
‣ masterclasses
‣ partnership with an already existing community
• play new, interesting music which might have a wider breadth of appeal
◦ new music
◦ interesting programs
“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words
and that which cannot remain silent.”
-Victor Hugo, The Musician’s Way, p. 5
