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ARTICLES OF THE WEEK:听In search of excellence
ENTREPRENEURIAL THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: 听What happens in Vegas鈥�
Some of you may remember the thoughts I shared last year after going to see Kelly Clarkson in concert. I was struck by how the show was put together, particularly in how the space was utilized and how lighting and video created an integrated, continuous experience. (If you鈥檙e interested in more, it was the March 21, 2012 issue.) Well, this weekend I took in another pop show, and I was struck by many of the same things in terms of unity and continuity; but I have something additional to share this time, too: multitasking.
The show was Shania Twain, opening a new run at Caesar鈥檚 Palace in Las Vegas. I would not have made this trip on my own, but our best friend from Pittsburgh days is a huge fan (the obsessive kind), and bought his tickets 18 months ago. Since we hadn鈥檛 been to Vegas before, we agreed to come along.
First of all, Vegas is a hoot. I could write about my new-found obsession with Blackjack, but that would take us off-topic. That said, while we鈥檙e talking about obsession鈥ow many people would buy tickets to a classical concert 18 months in advance (and for a hefty price) and travel across the country to see it? If your answer to that is, 鈥淣ot many!鈥� I think it鈥檚 worth asking ourselves why that is, and what we might do to change that. But that, too, is not what I wanted to write about today.
What I wanted to share concerns the artists with whom Shania was performing. The total cast was about 20 people, some more prominent than others, and there wasn鈥檛 a single person on that stage who didn鈥檛 do multiple things: the backup singers were also instrumentalists (sometimes coming together to create an entire string orchestra); the keyboard player was also a percussionist and a killer harmonica player (at one point I experienced the highest note I鈥檝e ever heard on a harmonica!). Her lead guitarist played a number of other stringed instruments and was also an incredible fiddle player. And her four main dancers were also back-up singers, members of the string orchestra, and percussionists (and in one occasion, dancing percussionists!). The thing that struck me was how valuable these performers were: they were not only excellent in their primary area (and each artist clearly had their 鈥渕ain thing鈥�), they were also accomplished in a range of other things. This in turn allowed the designers of the show to do more sorts of things without blowing their budget by hiring lots of additional personnel. Here, art and economy came together through these extremely diverse performers.
The traditional rap against pursuing this approach professionally is that one ends up as a 鈥渏ack of all trades, master of none.鈥� That is, in an attempt to be all things one never really masters any of them. I think this is a false choice, however. If you鈥檇 seen these folks on stage Saturday night you would have never accused them of not being masters of their craft. But somewhere along in their training they made the decision to have more than one skill in their bag of tricks: they developed multiple skills simultaneously. I encourage you to think about this as you consider your own career plans, because multi-talented performers are going to become more and more valuable, and not just in the pop realm. The way concerts are being presented is changing, and performers with additional skills will have options to create opportunities for themselves that others will lack. I have a professional flute player friend who is also studying voice, and after some years of study is now getting paying gigs based solely on her multiple abilities. Some of you may know of musical theatre productions in which the instrumentalists are also characters on stage. It鈥檚 only a matter of time before more and more of this enters the classical realm as well. Personally I think these trends are good things: they will be part of a renaissance for classical music that I believe听can听be on the horizon 鈥� if we see to it, that is. Hopefully, in this case, what happens in Vegas won鈥檛 stay there.
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And without further adieu鈥�
The Video of the Week!
Keep those videos coming鈥�
This has made the rounds before, but I couldn鈥檛 resist a little holiday鈥�
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The Entrepreneurship Center for Music 鈥⑻�Jeffrey 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.听鈥� or by appointment
Entrepreneurship Wednesdays: 5-6:30 p.m., C-113听 鈥⑻� Follow us on听
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HAPPY听HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE!
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OPPORTUNITY UPBEAT!听Dec. 11, 2012
The Opportunity UPBEAT! is your weekly listing of job postings and other professional opportunities that come the way of the ECM. Check this space out for jobs, volunteer opportunities, internships, grants, festival auditions, and more!
WESTWOODS CENTER FOR PERFORMNING ARTS听is hiring听voice and piano instructors听to start in January. If interested, contact Shannon Wilson at听shanmwilson@gmail.com听.
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THE INSTITUTE OF READING DEVELOPMENT听is seeking candidates for听summer 2013 teaching positions. We seek applicants with an undergraduate degree or higher from any discipline. We provide a paid training program and comprehensive on-going support. Summer teaching positions with the Institute offer the opportunity to earn more than $6,000 during the summer; teachers typically earn between $500 and $700 per week while teaching. Gain over 500 hours of teacher-training and teaching experience with a variety of age groups and help students of all ages develop their reading skills and ability to become imaginatively absorbed in books.听The Institute is an educational service provider that teaches developmental reading programs in partnership with the continuing education departments of more than 100 colleges and universities across the United States. Our classes for students of all ages improve their reading skills and teach them to experience absorption in literature.听We hire people who:
We invite you to submit an online application and learn more about teaching for the Institute at our website:听
LANDAU MUSIC听is now hiring听musicians to perform on cruise ships. Destinations include: Europe, Australia, Caribbean, Hawaii, etc. Free Room/Food/Travel. Production shows (Broadway, Pop Review), Headliner shows ,Top 40 sets , Jazz Combo sets, Big Band sets, and more. Our auditions are done online and we are seeking听experienced musicians who are are: 1) Solid readers, 2) Proficient in all styles, and 3) Have a great attitude.听Positions are currently available for听the following instruments: 听Keys, Drums, Bass, Guitar, Trumpet, and Sax. For more information, contact Steve Such, Music Manager:听steve@landaumusic.com听858.755.3320,
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THE PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL is now accepting applications for summer study with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra. For more information, visit their website:听
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THE BANFF CENTER is accepting applications for their summer music program. Deadlines in January. Follow this link:听
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THE SOUNDSCAPE FESTIVAL is accepting applications for its summer study and professional development seminar, June 30-July 13 in Maccagno, Italy. For more:
INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE!听The ECM offers a broad range of internship opportunities for students, ranging from positions with non-profit arts groups to for-profit businesses. Internships can be for academic credit or not, and can often be customized to suit your schedule and interests. If you鈥檙e interested, stop by the ECM office and we鈥檒l talk about the options!
