ENTREPRENEURIAL UPBEAT: Vol. 4, No. 7
THIS WEEK ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEDNESDAYS:泭THE AUDITION: preparation & execution
The next installment in our series on the essential tools every musician needs. Mike Thornton, CU Horn Professor and Principal Horn of the Colorado Symphony, joins us to talk about the audition process: tips on preparation & nailing your audition. A great opportunity to bring your questions and concerns, and learn from someone whos been there and landed success!
5:00-6:30 in C-113. As always, Free Pizza & Drinks!
THE NEW VENTURE CHALLENGE IS COMING. . .
Whats the New Venture Challenge, you ask? Its the campus-wide business plan competition! But its also more than that: its great workshops, mentors with members from Boulders entrepreneurial community, and a chance to flesh out your dreams & ideas into a viable, career-sustaining venture. Theres also some泭serious prize money泭available (!), including a $3,000 Music Prize.
Got an idea? Not sure what to do with it? Think its too crazy? Think its not crazy enough? Come talk to me about it: the New Venture Challenge might be just the way to dig down into the idea further and see if its got potential!
KICK-OFF NIGHT: Tuesday, Oct. 25, 5:30 in the Wolf Law Building Courtroom. Boulder entrepreneur Paul Beberian will be our special guest speaker.泭All are welcome; no commitment necessary!
If you missed registrationget back to me ASAP: we have a few slots left!
Articles of the Week
十泭泭 What happens when your dream vanishes?泭Its a hard prospect to face: our dreams fuel us and guide us, and our work towards us can consume our life. But sometimes dreams fail to come to fruition, no matter how hard we work. Blogger Astrid Baumgardner shares some thoughts on the process
十泭泭 Partnering with Non-profits:泭The Musicans Way blog shares a good summary of how to leverage your fundraising efforts by partnering with non-profits.泭
十泭泭 Cultural Construction Slows:泭After a decade of major arts construction projects across the nation, the泭Wall Street Journal泭reports that new building projects are slowing in the face of the weak economy.
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Entrepreneurial Thought of the Week:泭Fear vs. Denial
Well theres no more news this week on the Colorado Symphony situation, though Im sure theres plenty going on behind the scenes. But conversations among several of the Colleges faculty this past week have got me thinking about the degree to which these crises can help motivate us to be more creative and pro-active about our career development especially for the students reading this.
There are two ways of looking at it. As a teacher, part of me wants to wave the most recent story from theDenver Post泭in students faces and say, Look! LOOK! The business youre about to enter is changing fundamentally changing. You cant just lock yourself in the practice room anymore. You cant just plan on the traditional career path(s) anymore. Time to get creative! Time to broaden your perspective! Time to get entrepreneurial with your future!
But a part of me wonders if thats helpful. Im not a big fan of fear as a motivator. For one thing, if were honest with ourselves most of us have plenty of fear already: we can all read those articles, we know its scary out there; if youre a student then you may very well have concerned parents who make the topic of your future the subject of your weekly phone calls home. Plus, in my experience, fear is just as apt to lead to denial as it is to motivate us to positive action.
Still, we cant just pretend there arent big changes already happening. And the danger of putting your head in the sand is that you cant breathe down there. So denying the reality of our times is not exactly a strategy for success.
What to do?? 泭Well安hat would an entrepreneur do? How do entrepreneurs deal with situations in flux? They look on times like these and ask:泭where is the opportunity?泭The world of music and not just classical music is undergoing enormous changes right now: the internet has changed every aspect of how we access and distribute content, while our old ways of presenting the canon of classical works is growing more and more distant from our interdisciplinary and multi-media culture. The old business models, especially for orchestras, are failing and no longer sustainable. Huge change at every turn! But also,泭enormous泭opportunities for creative musicians to invent new models and build careers for themselves that are both artistically fulfilling and economically sustainable.
The Video of the Week!
We have a TWO-FER this week!
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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
Follow us on泭
The Yvar Mikhashoff Trust for New Music泭is pleased to announce the guidelines for the fifth annual international competition for pianist/composer collaborations, the泭Mikhashoff Pianist/Composer Commissioning Project.泭The goal of the competition is to encourage the composition and performance of new works for solo piano reflecting and continuing the legacy of the distinguished American pianist, Yvar Mikhashoff (1941-1993). 泭The winning composer and pianist, who apply together as a team, will receive $3,000 each. The competition is limited to applicants, both pianists and composers, born on or after January 1, 1977. POSTMARK DEADLINE: November 15, 2011泭
Questions by email only to Amy Williams, Competition Coordinator (amy@mikhashofftrust.org).
Polyphonic On Campus Fall 2011 Webinar Series泭Earlier this year, Polyphonic On Campus began hosting a monthly webinar series featuring engaging 1-hour presentations and discussions on a range of musical topics.泭 Attendees from around the country can gather in a virtual space, view a live presentation from your own computer, and listen/talk to the speakers via your phone or computer speakers. These webinars are泭free to attend.泭 Below is a listing of the fall webinars.泭泭
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
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
COLORADO MUSIC FESTIVAL泭is looking for a Developing & Marketing intern for the Spring semester. For more information, contact Brandi Numedahl, Marketing Director:泭numedahl@coloradomusicfest.org