Be Your Own Manager

Enjoy the #classicalbuzz news roundup of classical music news from around the world. Esa-Pekka Salonen is heading back to California. Osmo Vänskä leaves Minnesota. Daniele Gatti got a quick contract in Rome. The Aldeburgh Festival won some of the most innovative musicians for the 2019 edition.

Bernhard Kerres speaks to John Anderson what it takes to do the first album as a young musician. John, a former pianist himself, is the founder of Odradek Records, a non-profit label and the only one which selects new projects anonymously by peer review.

Building a close relationship with your audience will make their music experience but also your music making much richer. This requires talking and relating to them.

Marketing for classical music needs content, community and conversation - the 3Cs.

This episode comes from Stockholm where I give a keynote with this title. The keynote starts with the customer journey of an audience member going to listen to a live concert. It is time to change that and to innovate the experience drastically.

A career as musicians can be a challenge for your private life. The constant travel, sometimes splitting your life between two or more places require a lot of understanding from partners and family. Having a bread and butter job especially when having a family is important to provide the necessary security for families.

Five years after creating HELLO STAGE we have decided to completely revamp our online classical music community. www.hellostage.com focuses even stronger on sharing the passion for classical music and creating a #classicalbuzz. Check it out!

An optimistic episode on the future of classical music with special guest Christian Ehlers. He believes that the future of classical music will be outside traditional concert halls and that it will be exciting and prosperous. Christian founded a non-profit organization in Los Angeles helping musicians to craft exciting programs and to play in house concerts. More about his organization can be found at www.futurereadymusicians.org.

The dinosaurs are lamenting their extinction. But classical music has more people listening to it than ever before. It is up to us to believe in the future of classical music and to drive it.

In an increasingly digital world, writing a note by hand can be a game changer.

Having coffee with violinist Marie-Luise Dingler of the The Twiolins we talk about cold calling and selling. Marie also announced an award for composers. And she introduced her Cold Calling online workshop on November 3 and 4.

Some more thoughts on how to structure your day to be more efficient and effective.

An Interview with Lithuanian Violinist Justina Auskelyte (www.auskelyte.com) who is going around on a bike in her new hometown of Malmö playing the music of Bach, Paganini and others in coffee shops, barber shops, parks etc. Hear all about Justina‘s project.

It is Leonard Bernstein’s 100th Birthday today. He is an inspiration for so many of us as a musician, a conductor, a composer, but above all as a true humanist. How does he inspire you?

Classical music can do we some innovation. Bernhard Kerres introduces Groupmuse which organizes house concerts in the US. He recommends looking at it and perhaps bringing it to other cities around the world.

When on stage you not only represent you and your fellow musicians but are an ambassador of music. Dressing and behaving accordingly seems obvious. Bernhard was shocked that some musicians seem to think differently.

Should a musician do a competition? Competitions are not only about winning but about seeing where you are in your career compared to your peers.

Being at the Inaugural Deans & Arts Leaders‘ Summit in Harbin, China, Bernhard talks about the importance of house concerts and outreach projects.

Split business and personal emails in two different accounts. This will increase your creative space but also make you more professional.

The time when a big label signs artists with a big check and a lot of artistic freedom are gone. But today’s world offers good ways for financing and distributing your recording.