Published: Feb. 21, 2012
THIS WEEK ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEDNESDAYS:
College of Music Director of Development Lissy Garrison

Don鈥檛 miss this great opportunity to learn about how to approach individual patrons for support, and how to develop and maintain relationships with donors. This is a skill that EVERY musician needs to learn, so what better time & place than with our own Lissy G.?

This Wednesday, 5:00-6:30, C-113

As always, free pizza and soda.

And mark your calendars for up-coming guests:听Entertainment Attorney Dave Ratner and Joan Braun, Executive Director of CU Presents talk about understanding and managing CONTRACTS. (I know I keep saying this, but another great opportunity you shouldn鈥檛 miss!!)

ARTICLES OF THE WEEK:

鈥⑻Marketing the arts via the smart phone:听Two-thirds of smart users have interacted with entertainment advertising on their smartphones鈥μ

鈥⑻ How arts presenters can capitalize on the smartphone

鈥⑻ Social Media vs. Email Fundraising听鈥 which do you think is better?
ENTREPRENEURIAL THOUGHT OF THE WEEK:听鈥淣ot all who wander are lost鈥

You鈥檝e probably seen that phrase at some point on a bumper sticker. Aside from the (unintended?) irony of pasting that on the back of a mode of听transportation,听it makes a good point: sometimes just because one is not on a straight-and-narrow, no-diversions path doesn鈥檛 mean one isn鈥檛 still heading forward in a meaningful way. It just means that we all travel our own paths, and those paths are as unique and varied as our individual selves.

I think this is particularly important in the arts. Our artistic education is, in one sense, a complete paradox: we strive to learn our craft and develop our creativity, and we do so within a highly-structured curriculum and a highly competitive atmosphere (both in school and certainly in the professional world beyond it). Yet craft and artistry are themselves very subtle, complex, and even delicate things: they often take years (decades!) to develop, and they can do so along an almost infinite variety of paths. Some musicians flower early and spectacularly, but fade quickly; others don鈥檛 really find their voice or their true creative purpose until well into their mid-life or beyond. In the meantime, their life experiences are shaping and influencing their art in a myriad of ways.

So, as I often do in these columns, I once again ask:听what has this got to do with entrepreneurship?听And this week the answer has to do with the role that entrepreneurship can play in the way your professional and creative life unfolds. You see, entrepreneurship is much, much more than simply giving you tools to build a professional career in music. It can certainly be that, if that鈥檚 how you choose to apply it. But because entrepreneurial tools are universal tools, learning how to use them opens up options for you in whatever direction you might take 鈥 whether it be into professional music or somewhere else (closely related鈥r completely different!).

There鈥檚 one more thing entrepreneurship can do, and it鈥檚 about creativity. See, entrepreneurs are creative people 鈥 whether they realize it or not. They鈥檙e able to look at situations and see them through a unique perspective, a perspective that in turn sees opportunities where others missed them. They find creative solutions to things, and they鈥檙e open-minded and flexible enough to drop what they thought was their Main Plan and go down a different avenue altogether in pursuit of an even better opportunity. In other words, they鈥檙e willing to allow their creativity to lead them wherever it might go 鈥 even if it鈥檚 down a path nobody else thinks is worth traveling. They might appear to be wanderers to the outside observer, but they鈥檙e simply on a different sort of path.

Maybe you鈥檙e not sure where your musical path is leading, and you鈥檇 like to broaden your options. Or maybe you have a clear idea of the path you鈥檇 like to travel, but you鈥檙e not certain the best way to get there. Either way, entrepreneurial tools can help you with your navigation.

Not already following us on Facebook? You should! Click听here.
And without further adieu鈥

The Video of the Week!

Britney Spears counterpoint!听

The Entrepreneurship Center for Music 鈥⑻Jeffrey Nytch, DMA, Director

Email:听jeff.nytch@colorado.edu听听鈥⑻齇ffice Hours: T/Th: 9-11 a.m.听 W: 2-4 p.m.鈥 or by appointment

Entrepreneurship Wednesdays: 5-6:30 p.m., C-113听 鈥⑻ Follow us on听Facebook

听OPPORTUNITY UPBEATFebruary 21, 2012

BRAVO! VAIL VALLEY MUSIC FESTIVAL听is seeking听Summer Interns听in听Marketing, Production, Development听and听Education.听Please provide a cover letter and resume via email to听egauthier@vailmusic.org. Deadline is听Feb. 27.

ARS NOVA SINGERS听is also seeking an Intern to assist with administrative and operational duties, flexible depending on the gifts and interests of the applicant. Contact Executive Director Chip Ross for more information:chip@arsnovasingers.com

Join听CLASSICAL MUSIC CITY, the social network for classical musicians, and get a listing in their听music teacher directory听for free. Lots of other stuff to check out here, too:听

THE INTERACTIVE THEATRE PROJECT听is seeking a graduate student to be an听Assistant Director.听ITP uses theater to address social justice issues on campus and in the community. Minimum Qualifications: Bachelors degree and enrollment in a graduate program (theater, sociology, education or related field). Background and understand of diversity/multiculturalism and/or social justice. Experience working with undergraduate students. Availability for ensemble rehearsals on Tuesdays from 5 to 7pm. To apply, send a resume and cover letter to:听trenton.norman@colorado.edu听or rebecca.brown@colorado.edu

ROAD OF CREATIVITY听announces its first听Summer Retreat听on becoming a musician entrepreneur June 3-9. The retreat is a five-day immersion into the fundamentals of music entrepreneurship. Participants will engage in innovative training sessions with groups such as Alarm Will Sound, and will expose skills and attitudes imperative for success in today鈥檚 music world.听

LONGMONT YOUTH SYMPHONY听seeks听 candidates for a听part-time Administrator听to help 听us sustain and grow our organization. The Administrator reports to the LYS Board of Directors and works closely with the board and volunteers. 听Responsibilities include organizing and participating in all 听aspects of the LYS operations, managing LYS听resources, coordinating and communicating with key stakeholders (students, parents, volunteers and music听directors). 听 The Administrator serves as the main contact for the LYS and as the 鈥済o-to鈥 person for LYS parents.听To apply, please e-mail cover letter, resume and references to:听info@longmontyouthsymphony.org

C4C GIGS AVAILABLE!听听The C4C is continuing their special 鈥淔ood Weeks鈥 that feature different cuisines from around the world. They鈥檙e interested in having CU musicians play for the dinner hour on selected nights, in return for a modest honorarium and free dinner for all involved. A fun and tasty opportunity to perform in a relaxed setting, for solo performers up to a group of 4 players. World music performers and works featuring Latin, Asian, or Middle Eastern influence encouraged! Contact CU GIGS Coordinator Nathan Hall for more information:musicref@colorado.edu.