My angle on art has never been (and never will be) the practical how-tos of making a career out of art. There are myriad books on this topic, and anything I have to say would only be repeating what others can say better than I could. Rather, my content focuses on the motivations that compel us to create art in the first place. But I do have a practical word about getting performances. I’ve talked previously about embracing the identity of a nighttime artist without shame. One danger of this approach, however, is creating works in the privacy of your home that remain just that—private. You might be a fantastic composer but never get performances. I want to offer a few pointers that can help you put your work in front of others.
First, all of my live performances came about because I knew someone: a music director who knew I composed, a teacher who needed an arrangement of something, a friend who was willing to premiere a new piece, and so on. It took me a long time to realize I needed to be intentional about these relationships. Composer Saad Haddad helped me here by recommending composers write solos or small chamber works for musicians they know personally. If you know an oboe player, write a short piece for oboe. If you know a string trio, write a short piece for them. That’s how your compositions get performed. Moreover, if they like your work, these small investments open up doors for further collaboration and potential commissions.
Second, in regard to money, it’s possible to self-fund recordings and performances. One advantage to the nighttime artist lifestyle is having financial stability. Viewed in this way, I see the money I get from playing gigs or receiving commissions as money that can go directly into funding my next project. Because the musical side of my life doesn’t have to sustain my livelihood, it can financially sustain itself. I have the liberty to buy I a sample library or fund a recording by means of the funds I have through musical activities. I admit it’s slow sometimes, but it is a legitimate way to go that doesn’t break the bank.
I hope these two pointers can give you some ideas of what steps you can take next to hear your music come to life.
Leave a Reply