I love that you always talk about a few main points and leave all the extras out. As you say, no one cares that you spent the last 3 years practicing the first two Chopin ballades if you can’t really sight read, teach or it takes you 1 month to learn a grade 5 piece because you don’t have a well developed musical vocabulary. Thanks, as always
Sight reading, Teaching, Improvisation are the cornerstones to making an income out of music, I believe. People WANT fast and good accompanists, that can learn or read a piece within hours, and cannot do it themselves. People WANT you to sit in their restaurant and pay you hourly for some jazzy improvised background music, and cannot do it themselves. People WANT you to teach their children, and cannot do it themselves.
Thanks again, Dr. M, for your true and appropriate words. Since it has been decades since I have been in school, I only hope that our music conservatories, schools of music, and music departments are giving this same (or similar) advice to young people through classes, seminars, lectures, presentations and even informal dialogues. "Back in the day" many parents encouraged their kids, who had great passion for and desire to study music performance, to have something "to fall back on." The implication was teaching, though it could have meant other areas or skills as well. Everybody's path is not only different, but personal. We only hope that each choice produces a fulfilled life. Again, loved the discussion.
Hello sir, I just discovered your channel by some classmates of mine at a Diploma of music teaching we're studying at. One thing we all agree is that the pandemic is a singular chance to know yourself and resume all the projects you were willing to do AND START WORKING IN THEM. I'm looking forward to create my own content as you already began. Greetings from a brand new suscriber in Mexico
These are great videos! I don't even play piano very much, mostly guitar and I do sound design but your thoughts on the business side of art really are gold. I wish I'd known..
A M E N! I wanted to be performer/ composer (jazz) a long time ago, then I went to a "business of music" seminar. It's just too hectic and complicated. I just wanted to make money doing something I enjoyed. I'm nowhere near as accomplished a pianist as any of your students, but in what I like to do... (not my job) I'm make a quid or two if I'm focused. That's another reason I watch your videos. The help me solve both problems of "motion and information". The "key" is to "transpose" the solutions, as accurately as possible, into the correct applications of life.
I like the way your mind works John. You break it right down into brass tacks and it's info that people can really use in their lives. It's ridiculously tough to carry an actual career in music and each musician needs be realistic, find their own unique selling point, identify demand, then get super tenacious to be successful in a world of virtuosic competition. Thank you and stay safe and well :-) ~Jackie
So very true! I entered college at the Petrozavodsk conservatory this year, and guess who I met here? Alexander Lubyantsev. The guy won bronze medal at 2007 Tchaikovsky competition.He is my neighbour now. Lives in a dormitory, in a small 12 square meters room. What else proofs do you need to understand that being even a highest-level musician means a little - you have to be able to sell&promote yourself.
1. If I had known music was a business, or about "doing business", I would never have bothered with it. Fortunately I didn't know that when taking lessons and having aspirations to have something positive and good come out of them. 2. I wish I had known when I joined CZcams that most people whose channels I watch and engage with would end out being too rude and indifferent to take the time to return the favor. I though social networks would be "social", and hopefully NOT just about business. 3. Enjoy your day. Thanks for another interesting video.
when your at a certain level having practiced 12 hours a day for years you wont have many other talents that might pay the bills I guess for all those that go to a serious music school there being paid to go through it and expecting them to pay back with there talent I suppose whats better than doing work enjoying what you love but how many are rich enough to do it
It was George Bernard Shaw who denigrated teachers. What he didn't realize is that teaching makes all other professions, including his, possible. By the way, is there any heat in your studio?
By sympathizing Stalin and the whole communism idea Shaw denigrated himself better than anyone or anything could have done it for him. Having said that, Shaw more than anybody would have benefited from mentorship in political, societal and anthropological matters.
I'm really surprised that anyone thinks music is not about business. Genuinely, what is wrong with education if people make it all the way to University/College to study music and haven't yet realised that Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and all the greats had to sell their music and write for people that would pay in order to live - it was a JOB!!!! The only reason there is so much religious music from the great composers is that the only institutions apart from Royalty/aristocracy that were wealthy enough to pay for music to be written for them, was the church! Crikey, do students these days study music thinking that they'll sit at home playing and writing and the money will just roll in from some magic benefactor? Nothing much happens without something being sold.
Your last sentence confuses me a bit. Would you be able to elaborate a little on that point please? Are you saying that there is not really a market any more for written compositions?
I love that you always talk about a few main points and leave all the extras out. As you say, no one cares that you spent the last 3 years practicing the first two Chopin ballades if you can’t really sight read, teach or it takes you 1 month to learn a grade 5 piece because you don’t have a well developed musical vocabulary. Thanks, as always
Sight reading, Teaching, Improvisation are the cornerstones to making an income out of music, I believe.
People WANT fast and good accompanists, that can learn or read a piece within hours, and cannot do it themselves.
People WANT you to sit in their restaurant and pay you hourly for some jazzy improvised background music, and cannot do it themselves.
People WANT you to teach their children, and cannot do it themselves.
You're right, but most of that stuff is not taught in music svhools, except for jaxz musicians.
@@barbarasmith6005 Hopefully that will change.
Thanks again, Dr. M, for your true and appropriate words. Since it has been decades since I have been in school, I only hope that our music conservatories, schools of music, and music departments are giving this same (or similar) advice to young people through classes, seminars, lectures, presentations and even informal dialogues. "Back in the day" many parents encouraged their kids, who had great passion for and desire to study music performance, to have something "to fall back on." The implication was teaching, though it could have meant other areas or skills as well. Everybody's path is not only different, but personal. We only hope that each choice produces a fulfilled life. Again, loved the discussion.
Hello sir, I just discovered your channel by some classmates of mine at a Diploma of music teaching we're studying at. One thing we all agree is that the pandemic is a singular chance to know yourself and resume all the projects you were willing to do AND START WORKING IN THEM. I'm looking forward to create my own content as you already began. Greetings from a brand new suscriber in Mexico
Best advice I have ever heard! Love your video every time!
These are great videos! I don't even play piano very much, mostly guitar and I do sound design but your thoughts on the business side of art really are gold. I wish I'd known..
Very true, difficult realization but absolutely necessary.
Great down to earth video. Sadly, I guess.
Thank Heavens you changed your mind about teaching. I look forward to your book.
A M E N!
I wanted to be performer/ composer (jazz) a long time ago, then I went to a "business of music" seminar. It's just too hectic and complicated. I just wanted to make money doing something I enjoyed. I'm nowhere near as accomplished a pianist as any of your students, but in what I like to do... (not my job) I'm make a quid or two if I'm focused. That's another reason I watch your videos. The help me solve both problems of "motion and information". The "key" is to "transpose" the solutions, as accurately as possible, into the correct applications of life.
I like the way your mind works John. You break it right down into brass tacks and it's info that people can really use in their lives. It's ridiculously tough to carry an actual career in music and each musician needs be realistic, find their own unique selling point, identify demand, then get super tenacious to be successful in a world of virtuosic competition. Thank you and stay safe and well :-) ~Jackie
So very true!
I entered college at the Petrozavodsk conservatory this year, and guess who I met here? Alexander Lubyantsev. The guy won bronze medal at 2007 Tchaikovsky competition.He is my neighbour now. Lives in a dormitory, in a small 12 square meters room. What else proofs do you need to understand that being even a highest-level musician means a little - you have to be able to sell&promote yourself.
1. If I had known music was a business, or about "doing business", I would never have bothered with it. Fortunately I didn't know that when taking lessons and having aspirations to have something positive and good come out of them.
2. I wish I had known when I joined CZcams that most people whose channels I watch and engage with would end out being too rude and indifferent to take the time to return the favor. I though social networks would be "social", and hopefully NOT just about business.
3. Enjoy your day. Thanks for another interesting video.
when your at a certain level having practiced 12 hours a day for years you wont have many other talents that might pay the bills I guess
for all those that go to a serious music school there being paid to go through it and expecting them to pay back with there talent I suppose
whats better than doing work enjoying what you love but how many are rich enough to do it
I suck at piano and cant get through a song but I love your vids!
It was George Bernard Shaw who denigrated teachers. What he didn't realize is that teaching makes all other professions, including his, possible.
By the way, is there any heat in your studio?
By sympathizing Stalin and the whole communism idea Shaw denigrated himself better than anyone or anything could have done it for him. Having said that, Shaw more than anybody would have benefited from mentorship in political, societal and anthropological matters.
Great stuff!
Is this the way you think it should be though?
this is so true lol
I'm really surprised that anyone thinks music is not about business. Genuinely, what is wrong with education if people make it all the way to University/College to study music and haven't yet realised that Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and all the greats had to sell their music and write for people that would pay in order to live - it was a JOB!!!! The only reason there is so much religious music from the great composers is that the only institutions apart from Royalty/aristocracy that were wealthy enough to pay for music to be written for them, was the church! Crikey, do students these days study music thinking that they'll sit at home playing and writing and the money will just roll in from some magic benefactor? Nothing much happens without something being sold.
Your last sentence confuses me a bit. Would you be able to elaborate a little on that point please? Are you saying that there is not really a market any more for written compositions?
Anne Goodwin now edited to correctly state ‘without’. Yes, it didn’t make sense with the autocorrect!
it sucks, I want to teach but I'm not a good player bc I'm newer :(