ENTREPRENEURIAL UPBEAT: Vol. 4, No. 5
THIS WEEK ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEDNESDAYS:泭WRITING GREAT BIOs & PROGRAM NOTES
The next installment in our series on the essential tools every musician needs. Join Professor Elissa Guralnick for a great discussion on how to write effectively about yourself and your work.
Polyphonic On Campus Fall 2011 Webinar Series
Articles of the Week
十泭泭 Arts Districts and the New Economy泭Presidential Advisor, telecommunications executive, and scholar John Eger delves into the argument for arts districts as an important tool for economy revitalization.泭
十泭泭 Online Arts Fundraising Organization Passes $1 million Mark泭The headline says it all. Check it out:
Entrepreneurial Thought of the Week:
Sundays paper brings news of another orchestra in serious trouble and this time it hits close to home with our own Colorado Symphony. While in many respects the CSOs situation is not unlike many others high fixed costs and dwindling revenues have created an unsustainable financial crunch theres one really critical difference in this case:泭their audience is growing.泭In fact, the CSO is doing the exact things that I and other advocates have been advising orchestras nationwide to do for some time: engage in a wider range of programming styles and venues as part of a larger strategy to connect with new audiences. And its working: CSO attendance numbers are up, and the percentage of earned income from ticket sales is among the highest in the country. So why is the group still struggling?
Im not going to try to solve the CSOs problems in this little weekly column. Im not privy to the particulars of the CSOs finances, and Im new enough to the Metro area that I dont feel qualified to speculate on the broader issue of how the greater Denver community views the arts. But I can say this with confidence: somewhere in the mix theres a disconnect between the product and the market. Part of that disconnect is apparent in higher numbers of people buying tickets to the orchestra but not enough of those individuals furthering their connection with the organization through their giving. Another is that we have an arts organization that is growing its community impact but corporate donors and large philanthropists are apparently not taking notice.
Ive seen a similar dynamic back with my Pittsburgh group, PNME: in the last eight years, season attendance has grown more than 600% while individual donations held more or less steady. The mistake we made at PNME and a mistake I think many arts groups make is to assume that higher audience numbers will automatically lead to higher individual gifts. Clearly this is not the case. While finding new audiences is critically important to an organizations survival, its only part of the mix. The next step is recognizing that new audiences may not be aware of the importance of their individual gifts, or they may not value the culture of giving that arts organizations of all sizes and types rely on. What this means is that growing audiences is just the first step: the next step is泭building a relationship with them泭in which they come to value the important role they can play in the organizations survival. Once that relationship is solidified, and they value the greater role they can play, the financial complexion of the organization should begin to change, too.
The Video of the Week!
Nothing like finishing with a bang
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Thanks to Curtis Broome for sending this in.泭Please send me your fun music-related videos!! I know youve got them bookmarked and stashed away on your iPhones Send them my way and share the wealth!泭J
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The Entrepreneurship Center for Music 十Jeffrey Nytch, DMA, Director
Email:泭jeff.nytch@colorado.edu
Office Hours:
Tues & Thurs: 9-11 a.m.泭 Wed: 2-4 p.m.泭 or by appointment
Entrepreneurship Wednesdays: 5-6:30 p.m., C-113
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CREATE DENVER BUSINESS WORKSHOP SERIES泭This Saturday morning workshop series is tailored specifically to members of Denvers artist community, with valuable resources to de-mystify the business challenges and issues facing creative entrepreneurs. Workshops are $10 each.泭
acoustic dubstep band forming泭Leeds Business School student Colin Bugge is forming an acoustic dubstep band and is interested in performers and/or business-oriented music students to be a part of his venture. Any instrument is welcome. Colin may be interested in entering his venture into the New Venture Challenge with a shot at the $3,000 music prize. If youre interested, contact Colin Bugge at泭colin.bugge@colorado.edu
MISS THE PHOTOSHOOT? JB HEADSHOTS IS COMING TO TOWN!泭Chicago-based headshot photography firm JB Headshots is coming through Boulder in early October, and is interested in booking interested musicians for promotional shots. For more on this company, check out their website:泭
Young Performers Career Advancement 2012 YPCA,泭a program泭of the Arts Presenters Classical Connections initiative, is designed to assist classical musicians in the formative stages of their careers by offering opportunities to meet and泭work with established presenters, managers, agents and artists. The YPCA program provides a practical overview of the presenting and touring industry, expert instruction in the development of audience engagement skills and the chance to perform live in front of a wide array of professionals from the field in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. For more information on applying, visit:
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The Louisville Cultural Council泭is seeking musicians for its fledgling Chamber Coffeehouse series泭held in the Louisville Center for the Arts, approximately one Sunday afternoon per month from October through April. The series is loosely modeled after the popular Coffeehouse series which is held on Friday nights (again about once per month) and which features folk and bluegrass types of music. Musicians receive 80% of the collected admissions (admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors/students, $5 for children). For more information, contact: LCC Board Member
Susan Honstein at泭303-666-0032泭or by email at泭shonstein@gmail.com.
Tenor Section Leader, Paid position.泭Grace Lutheran Church, 13th and Euclid, Boulder. For job description, contact Director of Music Joyce Shupe Kull:泭jskullmail@msn.com.
PART-TIME CHOIR DIRECTOR泭Westminster Presbyterian Church. For more information, contact Pastor Jack Cabaness:泭jackcab1223@gmail.com
FALL INTERNSHIP at PARLANDO SCHOOL OF THE ARTS泭Parlando is looking for an intern who can work in the Development/Fundraising area of one of Boulders leading community music schools. Hours flexible, but 10 hrs/week is a minimum. Available for academic credit. For more information, contact Travis LaBerge, Executive Director:泭labergemusic@gmail.com
ARS NOVA SINGERS泭is seeking a new Executive Director. Click here for more information: http://arsnovasingers.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55:ed-announce&catid=6:staff&Itemid=73
Shining Mountain Waldorf School泭in Boulder is seeking a part-time jazz band instructor to do two classes a week with high school students. Approximately 15 high school students (combo style with rhythm section and horns). Two classes a week (Tuesday 10:15-11:00 Friday 1:25-2:10). Pay is hourly at approximately $40/hour. Weekly music department meetings TBA.泭For more information contact:泭marcus.e.turner@gmail.com.
COLORADO MUSIC FESTIVAL泭is looking for a Developing & Marketing intern for the Fall semester. For more information, contact Brandi Numedahl, Marketing Director:泭numedahl@coloradomusicfest.org
The Boulder Symphony泭(the community orchestra of Boulder County) currently has the following opportunities for musicians for the 2011-2012 Season (all positions are volunteer unless otherwise noted): Concertmaster (Contracted Position), Principal Cello (Contracted Position), All Strings (some Associate Principal positions available), Principal Oboe, Second Oboe, Principal Bassoon, Bass Trombone, Associate Principal Tuba, Percussion, Harp. Subs in other instruments: the Boulder Symphony maintains a highly active substitute list.Auditions for the upcoming season take place 8/29-8/31泭at the First Presbyterian Church in Boulder.泭 You may view more information and the 2011-12 Schedule online at:泭or inquire by email:泭info@BoulderSymphony.org
FORD FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIPS Starting September 1, 2011 Applications will be accepted for the 2012 Ford Diversity Fellowships Program for Achieving Excellence in College and University Teaching. Full eligibility information and online applications are available on our website at: http://nationalacademies.org/ford
Eligibility Requirements: U.S. Citizen or National; Planning a career in teaching and research at the college or university level in a research-based filed of Science, social science or humanities.
Awardees have expenses paid to attend one Conference of Ford Fellows.
Approximately 60 predoctoral, 35 dissertation, and 20 postdoctoral fellowships sponsored by the Ford Foundation and administered by the National Research Council of the National Academies.泭For more information, email:泭infofell@nas.edu