6 areas of improvement or long-term success in the arts
Step One: Business Writing
Yes, you want your technique to sparkle and give you years of healthy performance.
Yes, your languages and diction must be strong and ready to go.
Yes, your sightreading, ear training, choral skills and other musicianship skills need to be rock-solid if you want to be indispensable.
Our newsletters and workshops have long emphasized the importance of continuing education and ongoing skill-building, and the need for these crucial musical skills is a given. But as singers and other classical vocal pros continue to grapple with a floundering job market and persistent funding concerns, the importance of individual and organizational marketability is increasingly clear.
Therefore, in the interest of long-term success and generally fighting the good fight, we at Lauri's List have designated 2011 'The Year of the Skill'. In short, if you find yourself with more time on your hands now, or if you're working other jobs until gigs pick up, this period can prove immensely valuable, laden with opportunities to branch out and build your personal knowledge base. Whether you have a support team in place or tend to do everything yourself, understanding the basics of each of these areas of expertise will allow you to make smart decisions, present yourself in your best light, and spread the word effectively. Know your business, keep your eyes and ears open, and pick something to work on -- you'll be surprised how quickly your newfound know-how sinks in and becomes part of you.
This is the first of a series of articles, focusing on how to improve ourselves for greater career longevity and increased marketability in the present. If you don't yet have an entourage of your own to watch over the business details, make a commitment to investing in your career's big picture by making a little room for at least one of the following non-musical skills this year.
Read full article here.
You can do it!
Thanks, all of you, for being part of our community --
