Reprinted with permission by Illinois Wesleyan
Cultivating Individual Donors
General Principles
These days, crowdfunding is big news. Artists are using websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo to
reach fans and collect donations to support their creative projects. Online fundraising platforms
have made it easier to connect with supporters, and they’ve activated a generation of younger
patrons. Regardless of the medium, individual donors have long been the greatest source of support
for the arts—see the chart below from the Giving USA Foundation that breaks annual contributions
across sectors by source:
Personal relationships are essential to fundraising success, whether you’re collecting donations
online or in person. There is an art to asking for support from individuals; below are some guiding
principles.
Get to Know Your Audience. Keep track of who is attending your concerts. These are your allies,
your followers, your potential future patrons. Put out a sign-in book at all of your concerts for
placing names and email addresses on your mailing list. If possible, arrange for receptions after
concerts so that you can interact with audience members and begin building relationships with
potential patrons, donors, and collaborators.
290 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 | (617) 585-1118 | [email protected] | necmusic.edu/em
Reprinted with permission by Illinois Wesleyan
Web Presence for Musicians
Getting Started: The Big Picture
Cultivating an online presence is an inexpensive and dynamic way to build audiences and
support for your work. With the wealth of free and low-cost promotional tools, the process
of creating a professional identity online is easier than ever. With that, of course, comes a
marked increase in competition for fan attention. That said, maintaining a robust and
compelling online presence will greatly increase your chances of connecting with
audiences near and far. Your task is to cultivate an online voice that feels authentic to you
and will resonate with supporters, old and new. In order to achieve this, it’s important to
take time to evaluate your goals. Consider what you hope to accomplish, who you are trying
to reach, and what you want to convey to your audience about your music. The answers to
these questions will inform the aesthetic, technical and financial decisions you make about
your online portfolio. As an active musician, it’s inevitable that information about you and
your music will wind up online: in the form of a YouTube video, a bio on an organizational
website, or a few tagged photos on a colleague’s Facebook page. That’s (usually) a good
thing, but you will often have little to no control over the way this content is framed and
presented. Creating your own online portfolio will give you ownership over your artistic
identity—it will enable you to shape the story you want potential supporters or
collaborators to see.
The most basic building block of your web presence is a personal website. That may be a
personal website for yourself as a freelance musician, or one for your band/ensemble. In
some instances you may want to have both. Building a website can be overwhelming,
expensive, and time consuming, but it doesn’t need to be. You can choose to pay a
professional and build a very elaborate website, or use a free platform and build a very
simple one yourself. Remember, the goal is to be able to share your music and present a
dynamic picture of your identity as an artist. See ‘Building Your Website’ for tips on how to
tackle this project.
Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube, SoundCloud, etc.
provide avenues to share media rich content that will reach people where they spend most
of their online time. These tools will in turn draw people back to your website, where they
can find the most comprehensive information about your work. Maintaining a multilayered online presence can be time consuming, so it is also important to settle on a
realistic and sustainable model for this area of your work. To begin, figure out what appeals
to you most, and zoom in. If Twitter feels exciting to you, then really explore that platform
and use it regularly to build an online community. If you’re a great writer and love
290 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 | (617) 585-1118 | [email protected] | necmusic.edu/em
chronicling your work, get blogging. If video is your medium, make a YouTube channel and
start shooting. These platforms obviously work best in tandem, but making a meaningful
mark somewhere is an important first step.
Below, you will find basic guidelines and resources to help get you started. The realm of
online promotion is incredibly dynamic and ever-changing, so we offer this list as a point of
departure for your work.
Building Your Website
There are many free or low cost services that provide modern templates for designing and
hosting your website (see ‘Web Design and Hosting’ below). These services are a great
option for building a professional website, which with a little care and creativity, can serve
most of your basic needs. If you are building your first artist website, this is a good place to
start—not only because it is low cost, but because it pushes you to think critically about
how you want to represent yourself as an artist and puts the creative reigns in your hands.
If you want a custom design, or more complex features, you can elect to hire a developer to
build a website for you. If this is an option you’re considering, but your budget is modest,
seek out connections with students who are building their portfolios and might work for a
slightly reduced fee. Custom websites can range in price from $5,000-$35,000 depending
on the scope of your website and the experience level of the developer you hire. If you
choose to work with a developer, make sure you have an easy way to navigate the back-end
for updating text, audio, video and images on your website. Whether you design your
website, or hire someone else to do it, the task of populating the website with new content
and information will most likely rest in your hands.
Research
The best way to generate ideas and develop a set of personal preferences for your website
is to view other musicians’ sites with an analytical eye. Once you get a sense of the range of
possibilities for performing artist websites, browse websites of visual artists, writers,
filmmakers and other creative people to get aesthetic and functional inspiration. Also, think
outside of the virtual world - what grabs you visually on the streets or in print and consider
how you can use and adapt those design elements on your website. As you browse and
analyze any site, ask yourself:
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Do you get a clear idea of the artistic identity of the artist?
Is it easy to navigate? What’s on the menu? Are there interesting links?
Is there anything fun or unusual on the site? Any surprises?
Does the site offer opportunities to contact and interact with the musician(s)? Is
there incentive to do so?
If you were considering hiring this musician, would you find the information on the
site relevant? Interesting?
How does the site help the musician build an audience (or does it)?
What do you and don’t you like on the site? Why?
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Domain Name
The first thing you need to do to build a website is obtain a domain name. For about $15
per year, you can own the exclusive rights to www.yourname.com, unless, of course,
someone else already registered the URL. Two of the most popular sites for registering
domain names are www.godaddy.com and www.register.com. Some web hosting services
(see below) have tools for purchasing and registering a domain name built directly into
their interface, and in some cases you will get a discount for purchasing the name and the
hosting service together.
Architecture and Content
Before you begin building your website, you should first create a sketch of the site’s
architecture and prepare the content that will populate your pages. Great content can make
even the simplest of websites memorable. If you are building a website for yourself as a
freelancer, it will vary slightly from building a band or a project website, but much of the
content/sub-pages will be similar. Below is a list of pages that you should consider
including:
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Home
About or Biography
Media (photos, audio and video recordings)
Electronic Press Kit (EPK)
Projects (if a freelancer)
Reviews
Upcoming Performances or Calendar, including an archive for past performances by
date and venue
Store: Music and Merchandise
Teaching (if a freelancer)
Composition (if a freelancer)
Links to all other online presence (Facebook, twitter, bandcamp etc.)
Links to other artists, organizations, activities etc. that you are excited about
Forum (if a band)
Contact
Images and Design Concept
As a performing artist, making a strong visual impact with your website can be a challenge,
because your art may not be visual in nature. This means that you have to be a bit more
creative about the visual impact of your images, fonts, color scheme, or design concepts. If
you have a small budget to dedicate to this project, consider investing in high quality
promotional photos, or hiring a graphic designer to create an attractive custom header for
your website. These elements can go a long way in making your website look inviting and
professional. If you are building a website for a band or project, it’s a great idea to come up
with a long term logo - an easily recognizable image that will appear on your merchandise,
your albums, and your website.
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Web Design and Hosting
Below are just a few options for designing and hosting your personal website:
Squarespace
Squarespace is an easy-to-navigate website building/hosting service that has many
attractive templates for online artist portfolios. For $90 a year, you can build and host a
personal website that is professional and versatile. They also provide quick and in-depth
tech support to address any development questions that may arise. Squarespace offers
significant discounts to students – even if your university is not a registered partner with
Squarespace, you can often still get a discount just by writing to customer service.
Wordpress
While Wordpress.com is commonly used as a blogging platform, it is also a great tool for
creating a simple, professional website. Many of the free themes will allow you to create
multiple unique pages, so that you can create the look and feel of a basic website. If you are
looking for more creative and aesthetic control, consider purchasing a premium theme,
which generally costs $50-$100 for the life of the website. Many of the premium themes
will enable you to adjust color, font, page format, and add custom headers through an easy
‘back-office’ editing system that requires no knowledge of HTML. If you are feeling more
adventurous, consider exploring Wordpress.org (distinct from wordpress.com), which is a
free web software you can use to create a more robust website. Many of the custom themes
developed for Wordpress are designed to work with the wordpress.org software and will
give you much more creative control. Using the software will require more research and
trial and error but it is within reach for anyone who is willing to dedicate some time and
effort to figuring it out. There are ample tutorials on YouTube and forums that can
introduce you to this software and help troubleshoot problems that may arise.
Tumblr
Tumblr, like Wordpress, is often used to host blogs but can easily be used to build a
website. Tumblr also has a wide range of free and premium themes with bold and modern
designs.
Wix
Wix is another popular website building service, with similar rates and functionality to
Squarespace.
HTML & CSS
With many free or low cost web design services, a little html and css knowledge can take
you a long way. All website building tools give you the ability to customize the code. If you
are very excited about learning to code, you of course have the option of building your site
from scratch. A great resource for building this skill is Code Academy
(www.codecademy.com).
Traffic and Analytics
Effective websites are those that receive a lot of traffic and return visits, and not just on
their first pages. When creating or revising your site, think about what will motivate the
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visitor to click through and what will generate more traffic. Keeping your web content
dynamic and up-to-date is an effective way to increase web hits—post relevant news,
photos, videos, audio clips. One great way to generate traffic and a high level of activity is a
having a forum - a place where your fans can post their comments, photos, videos etc. In a
sense you are providing a space for people to connect and create community based on their
shared interest in you and your art.
Also consider adding links to external websites that you find useful, interesting or relevant
to your music and/or your interests outside of music. This can be in a separate tab on your
website, or imbedded in your bio, blog, or news text. The more places your website points
to, the better it will perform with search engines. It’s also important to collect data that
measures the volume and quality of the traffic to your website. You can easily capture this
data by registering your website with Google Analytics (www.google.com/analytics), a free
service that tracks to how many visitors your website attracts, how long they stay on your
website, and what content they are most drawn to.
Blog
Blogs are a great platform for providing rich content about your current or upcoming
performances and projects. A lot of people get intimidated by the idea of blogging regularly,
but you don’t have to write a long essay for every post, nor do you have to post something
every day. You can use your blog as a platform to share links, articles, videos from recent
performances, and other interesting news about your life and work. Many of the free
website design tools allow you to create a blog and embed it directly into a page of your
website. Updating your blog regularly can give fans a reason to come back to your website
for updates and new content. You can make your blog as personal as you desire, or keep it
strictly about your music. Another great advantage of having your own blog will become
apparent when you start seeking coverage of your music or events by other music bloggers.
You will have insight into how blogs work and gain credibility by having your own. For
more on this, please see our “Publicity for Musicians” handout.
Social Media and Promotional Tools
Your website will serve as the central and most comprehensive source of information
about your work. However, in order to drive new people to your website and grow your
audience, it is important to engage in a wide range of promotional activities through social
media and other online platforms. Below is a short list of tools that you can use to drive
traffic to your website and grow your following:
Facebook
Facebook supports a wide range of options specifically designed for artists. You can create
a band/musician page and customize it with a variety of applications that will enable you to
easily share audio and video content. Facebook is also a great way to advertise upcoming
gigs and performances—you can buy ads and set very specific criteria for the demographic
that the ads reach (for example, you could set your sample as women between the ages of
18 and 25 who list ‘free jazz’ as one of their interests). If you are working on a tight budget,
there are ways to create buzz on your own for free: engage your fans with interesting,
thought provoking, or personal posts; share photos from performances or daily life; post
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recordings and videos from your performances; pose questions about interesting articles
that relate to your art; or just let your fans know what you’re listening to that day.
In terms of volume of activity, try to find a good balance between posting so much your
fans start to ignore you and posting so rarely they forget you exist. Depending on how
active you are on other platforms, you could post as little as two-three times a week and as
much as two to three times a day. If fans comment on your posts, make sure to respond to
let them know that you’re excited to interact and appreciate their involvement. Go back to
old events in your timeline and add as many details about your history as you can. Finally,
don’t be shy about using all of the different tools available - geo targeting, highlighting
posts, checking in at the venue etc.
Some artists prefer to curate their personal Facebook page and use it as a professional
networking and promotional tool. This is a fine option as well, and is simply a question of
personal preference and the extent to which you want to join your personal and
professional voice on Facebook. You may reach the point where you want to take full
advantage of the tools and applications that are available for artist pages and you may also
begin to deal with a volume of fan interaction that will require a separate artist page to
manage. Regardless of which route you choose, stay authentic, friendly and personal.
Twitter
Twitter is a micro-blogging tool that allows you in 140 characters or less to share what you
are doing with your friends, fans, and colleagues. It is also a platform that enables you to
follow topics and individuals that relate to your artistic and personal interests. Because of
the fluid and informal nature of Twitter, it can be a powerful tool for connecting with
artists or supporters that you might not be able to reach through normal channels (e.g.
email, phone or in person). When you set-up your twitter handle, start by following key
people in your realm of music—musicians, administrators, organizations, venues, etc. Once
you have settled into the twitterverse, start interacting with these individuals by
retweeting their content, posing questions, or sharing content of interest.
Soundcloud
Soundcloud is a great tool for recording, uploading, and sharing recordings of your music.
You can upload polished recordings or works in progress and Soundcloud will generate a
wave form player that you can embed in your website, blog, or Facebook page. Soundcloud
is also a social platform within itself—you can follow artists and comment on their
tracks. Your fans can even comment on specific moments of your recordings, giving you
valuable feedback about what they like and starting a conversation around it.
YouTube.com
YouTube allows you to easily upload and share videos—performance videos, promotional
videos, or videos documenting your adventures. You can create your own YouTube
channel, or embed YouTube videos on your website blog, or Facebook artist page.
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Instagram
Is a social photo sharing site that enables you to take, edit and share images and short
videos. This is a great platform to use if you already love taking photos and enjoy the
aesthetics of photography, or if your work has a heavy visual component.
Mailchimp
MailChimp helps you design email newsletters, share them on social networks, integrate
with services you already use, and track your results. If you have fewer than 2,000 emails
on your list, you can send up to six newsletters a month for free! Mailchimp provides a
wide range of modern, attractive templates to design your newsletter and has an easy to
navigate interface. Email is a great way to distribute news about upcoming performances
and projects, and keep your fans engaged in between events.
Conclusion
These are the basic concepts and tools you will need in order to begin the process of
building a dynamic presence online. You can find a wealth of online resources to help you
delve further into trends and topics in online marketing, social media, web development
tools, etc. Below are a few links to resources that can help arm you with more information,
ideas and tools:
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Mashable: a leading source for news and information about digital innovation
Hypebot: a blog that reports on music, technology, and the new music business
Seth Godin’s Blog: DIY Marketing Guru
Likeable Media: Keeps readers current on industry trends and new tools while also
providing strategies and tactics for using Facebook and social media marketing.
• Music Think Tank: a blog that deals with a wide range of topics affecting the music
business today, including digital marketing.
• Facebook Marketing Page: Facebook Marketing helps educate marketers on how to
make their business successful using Facebook.
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Reprinted with permission by Illinois Wesleyan
Speaking About Your Music
The Big Picture
Throughout your career, you will be called upon to communicate the value of your work to
audiences, collaborators, funders, and a host of other constituencies. Public speaking is a
skill that can help you achieve a wide variety of goals, including building strong working
relationships with other musicians, raising money for a project, enhancing visibility for
your music or ensemble, and creating understanding, among others. We often think of
public speaking in narrow terms: standing in front of a large audience, delivering a speech
or presentation. But public speaking, at its core, is about effective communication. It’s
about delivering your message clearly, engaging your listener, and in many cases, making a
compelling call to action. This skill can serve you in so many musical contexts—rehearsals,
one-on-one meetings, auditions, interviews, pre-concert talks, post-concert receptions,
lessons, and more.
For many musicians, the appeal of performing in public is the ability to communicate
complex emotions and ideas without the use of words. But just as you pay close attention
to musical dynamics, phrasings, and gestures—so too can you treat language, with its many
nuances and colors. Like musical interpretation, effective communication is a highly
subjective and personal matter. What engages one listener might bore another. A technique
that works for one speaker might feel strained to another. With this in mind, we have
outlined a set of ideas and techniques in this handout to help jumpstart your thinking (and
speaking). Ultimately, you will need to find an approach that fits your personality and
strengths as well as your audience.
What’s the Goal?
In order to effectively deliver your message, you must first get clear on your goals, or what
you hope to achieve with your presentation. Do you want to convince someone of your
perspective? Do you want to introduce someone to a new subject or idea? Do you want to
raise money? Do you want to sell something? Do you want to build advocacy? Do you want
to forge a new working relationship? The goal of your presentation should inform the style,
technique and structure you employ. Getting clear on the goal of your presentation will also
help focus your message. When preparing for a presentation or important conversation,
it’s helpful to decide what you want your listener to take away and then craft a speech that
delivers those points clearly and memorably. This backward design strategy can help to
organize your thoughts and ensure that all of the information you share supports your
main message(s).
290 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 | (617) 585-1118 | [email protected] | necmusic.edu/em
Techniques
There are many techniques and approaches that can be used to deliver an effective and
engaging presentation. Depending on the content and context of your presentation, some
of the concepts listed below may be more or less relevant.
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Your Voice. We have all suffered through presentations delivered by monotone
speakers. Using the full range and color of your voice can help bring your
presentation to life. Think about playing with volume, color, notes, intonation and
emphasis to underscore important points and keep the energy in your presentation
high.
Use of Notes. Consider whether the use of notes will enhance or detract from the
quality of your presentation. Having note cards can help you stay organized and on
point. Having note cards can also make it hard to deliver your presentation with
passion and spontaneity. Even if you decide that note cards are a must, push
yourself to deliver the speech without notes at least once—you might come upon
interesting moments or phrases that you’ll want to repeat when you’re working
from notes.
Use of Technology or Media. Depending on the content and length of your
presentation, you may want to consider using technology or media to enhance your
message or demonstrate a point. For example, if you are speaking about a piece of
music, playing a short excerpt or recording can help orient your listeners. If you are
delivering a long presentation, packed with a lot of information, you may want to
create a power point presentation to help your audience track the information
visually. Use of technology or media should be tied to your goals, not simply for
style.
Use of Handouts. Depending on the topic or context of your presentation, it may
make sense to provide a handout for listeners to follow. There are many different
kinds of learners and listeners—some do best with oral presentations, others visual,
still others written. If you are trying to transmit a lot of detail or complex concepts—
more than a person could be expected to remember at first listen—it might make
sense to prepare a handout that outlines the content you are delivering. You can a
handout to help your listeners follow along, or after, to give them a document they
can refer to later.
Body Language. Giving a speech can be very nerve-wracking. If you aren’t mindful of
your body language, the way you carry yourself, walk, or use your hands can convey
just how nervous you’re really feeling. Nerves can become embodied in all sorts of
ways: staring at feet or over heads, fidgeting, slouching, pacing, flipping hair, etc.
Everyone has a nervous tick or two – the trick is to be aware of your body language
and make sure that those nervous ticks don’t distract your listener. The best way to
step out of your own body and see what your listener sees is to record yourself as
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you deliver your pitch. It can be excruciating to watch yourself speak in a video, but
it is also incredibly eye opening. Beyond taming nerves, you can be proactive and
creative with your body language. You can incorporate physical cues that will help
underscore or demonstrate a point. You can fill the space that’s given to you by
walking around, or changing your location for different parts of the presentation.
Making direct eye contact with different members of your audience can help keep
them engaged and make them feel that their presence is appreciated. When you
rehearse a speech, don’t only practice delivering the words, practice delivering it
with your whole body.
Dress. Your presentation begins the moment you enter a room and the way you are
dressed can give social cues and set the tone of your presentation. For example, if
you’re wearing a suit, that might communicate a certain formality, which depending
on the circumstance could be desirable. Your audience will be looking at you, and
your dress can be a source of distraction or a point of interest. Give some attention
to this element and decide what message you want to broadcast to your audience
(casual, formal, professional, student, adventurous, quirky, earthy, etc.)
Repetition. Repeating a phrase or an idea can be an effective way of driving a point
home. Sometimes repeating a word or phrase in succession can build tension or add
weight. Repeating an idea or phrase at the end of a presentation can be a nice way to
close the loop and end your remarks. Think about how you can use repetition to
highlight, reinforce or add a dramatic touch to your words.
Memorable Phrases. Much like repetition, coining a memorable phrase and using it
as an anchor for your presentation can help you leave a lasting impression. All the
best speech writers use this tactic—think for example about President Obama’s
2008 campaign slogan, “Yes We Can.” These phrases can last well beyond the scope
of a speech and come to represent a person, idea or cause.
Use of Silence. Umm...like…you know. These pesky words pop up in our speech more
than we’d like to admit. They fill the silence between thoughts and give us a few
desperately needed seconds to regroup and launch into the next idea. As a
musician, you shouldn’t be afraid of silence; you understand how silence can be
effectively used to communicate an idea or to build tension. You encounter silence
in music all of the time, but somehow, when it comes to speaking in public, silence
becomes something to fear. Everyone uses filler words from time to time. But, if you
use these words excessively it can start to distract your listeners and undermine
their confidence in your message. So again, record yourself! Evaluate how often you
are using these words and experiment with the use of silence – maybe pausing for a
few seconds will give your pitch a nice arc.
Humor. People like to laugh. People are drawn to people who make them laugh. Use
of humor can be a powerful way to build rapport with your audience. You don’t
have to do a stand-up routine, but think about ways that you might be able to lighten
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the mood and draw your audience in. Try being a little self-deprecating, make a
humorous observation about something people in the room all know about, you can
even tell a joke. If getting laughs is not your thing, that’s okay too. But if you do enjoy
making people laugh, and you’re good at it, use this to your advantage!
Knowing Your Audience. Building rapport with your audience is an important step in
creating understanding, advocacy, or a new relationship. One way you can
accomplish this is by getting to knowing who is in your audience. If you can, do a
little research about who you’ll be talking to. If you can draw someone in your
audience out with a specific detail about their life or experience, it will show that
you are engaged and interested in the people you are addressing. If the group is
small enough, and there is time, consider actually getting to know your audience
during the presentation by doing a quick go around or a show-of-hands activity.
Audience Participation. If the setting and context permits, think about creating
moments for your audience to interact with you and one another. This can be
achieved through movement, an activity, small break-out groups, inviting volunteers
to demonstrate concepts, etc. This type of active participation can go a long way in
keeping your listeners engaged. Know too that it might not always work. Depending
on the level of flexibility, openness and rapport that the group you are working with
has, these moments of interactivity can be more or less effective.
Storytelling. Some people find that beginning a presentation with an interesting
story can be an effective way of introducing your subject and building rapport with
your audience. If you decide to open with a story, you will want to make sure that
the details of the story actually support your core message. You will also want to be
careful that the story itself doesn’t become the subject of the presentation—keeping
it short and transitioning smoothly to the body of your presentation are key!
Structure. As we have outlined above, there are many different techniques and
approaches you can use to structure any kind of public presentation. If you are new
to public speaking, or if you need to give a formal verbal presentation, you can use
this basic structure as a jumping off point:
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Introduction – introduce yourself and the occasion of your presentation
Announce Subject(s) – explain what the content of your speech will be
Explain Subject(s) – explain the concepts or ideas that you have announced
Recapitulation – provide a brief summary of the points you have covered
Conclusion – wrap up the presentation with a call to action, next steps, or a
simple thank you
This is a very logical progression and one that will help your listener easily follow
the flow of your presentation.
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Timing. It is rare for people to complain that a presentation or speech was too short.
Keep this principle in mind when you are preparing a presentation and think critically
about what information is necessary and impactful. If you are working with a strict time
limit, make sure to time yourself giving the speech several times (and record!) to ensure
that you are within your limit.
Specific Pointers for Pre-Concert or Performance Related Presentations
Below are a few concepts and prompts to jumpstart your thinking about speaking within
the context of a performance, whether it is educational, formal or informal, small or large.
As with all public speaking, there is no formula, no one approach that will work in every
situation. Delivering a sense of your passion for the music you are performing, giving the
audience a window into your creative process, or just offering a personal anecdote can do a
lot to draw your audience in and make the performance more meaningful for everyone
involved.
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Describe why you love playing a piece (in terms that anyone can understand).
Describe something you find fascinating/compelling/engaging in the music.
Describe the first time you heard/played this piece, or the circumstances under
which you composed it. Give a personal framing to the music they are about to hear.
Illuminate some interesting musical aspects, again in terms any audience member
can understand. No inside baseball—avoid overly technical terms or concepts.
Instead do your best to describe and provide live examples of what they will hear
during the course of the piece.
Explain programmatic issues or non-musical inspiration for the work.
Put the work in context: describe the historical/social events of the period in which
the piece was composed or relate the work to other art of the period. If you go this
route, try to find the right balance of detail, and employ storytelling when possible.
Speak about the composer and your connection to his/her work.
Additional Resources
Public speaking is a complex skill that requires a great deal of practice and
experimentation. We encourage you to utilize some of the following resources to continue
your exploration:
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www.Toastmasters.org - Toastmasters is an organization that offers free practice
and instruction in public speaking. Toastmasters has clubs around the country and
if there isn’t currently one where you are living, you can start one!
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•
www.YouTube.com – search the name of a favorite politician, actor or public figure,
plus the word “speeches” and try to figure out what makes their speeches so
unforgettable.
www.ted.com – a wealth of riveting talks from artists, scientists, business leaders,
and technology mavens.
www.Americanrhetoric.com: American Rhetoric is a growing database of 5000+ full
text, audio and video versions of public speeches, sermons, legal proceedings,
lectures, debates, interviews, and other recorded media events.
6
Reprinted with permission by Illinois Wesleyan
Recording and Distributing an Album
Overview: The DIY Album
The recording industry has undergone massive changes in the past ten years. Technological
advances have upended the old business model. Widespread downloading and sharing of music
files has left some record labels with dwindling profits while others have simply gone out of
business. Technology has also made it easy and inexpensive for musicians to record, promote, and
distribute their own music. The model of an independent, entrepreneurial musician is quickly
becoming the norm. Today, musicians are taking matters into their own hands and going the do-ityourself route. Musicians who release their own recordings have some specific advantages: they
control the project, artistically and financially, and keep more of the profits, eliminating the need
for the middleman.
There are now companies to help with the production, marketing, and distribution of your music.
Digital retailers such as Bandcamp, Reverbnation, CDBaby, ArtistShare, iTunes, Nimbit, and Amazon
allow you to sell your music directly to fans online. There are also many services for online
streaming, including Pandora, Spotify and Soundcloud that help push your music to new listeners.
Many musicians have started their own labels or formed cooperatives with other musicians to start
a label. Violinist Gil Shaham’s contract with Deutsche Grammophon was cancelled after ten years
and more than fifteen albums, so he started his own label, Canary. Cellist David Finckel, of the
Emerson Quartet, and his wife, pianist Wu Han, started their own label, ArtistLed, in 1997. Since
then they have recorded and produced ten albums, which they market online at www.artistled.com.
Flutist Ransom Wilson’s label, Image Recordings, has released CDs by violinist Joseph Silverstein
and pianist Christopher O’Riley. GM Recordings, founded by composer Gunther Schuller, focuses on
jazz, classical, and multigenre works. Other artist-run labels include composer John Zorn’s Tzadik
label, Bang on a Can’s Cantaloupe Music, violinist Paul Zukofsky’s CP2, pianist Santiago Rodriguez’s
Elan Records, and cellist Matt Haimovitz’s Oxingale Records. Since 2003, the Borromeo String
Quartet has made recordings of their live performances available through their Living Archive
Project (www.livingarchive.org).
This handout will offer, in broad strokes, the technical steps required to self release an album. You
will also find several references to additional handouts covering topics such as copyright laws and
tools for self-promotion. These topics are closely related, but were too complex to cover here in
full. We encourage you to reference them as you work through this handout.
Recording and Releasing an Album: The Step-by-Step
Recording an album includes several distinct stages, listed below and fully outlined in this section:
1. Select and prepare the repertoire
2. Create a budget for your recording project
290 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 | (617) 585-1118 | [email protected] | necmusic.edu/em
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Fundraise
Obtain rights to record and distribute music that is under copyright
Choose a venue/studio and recording engineer
Mix , edit and master the album
Create album art and craft liner notes
Press the album or prepare tracks for online distribution
Promote and sell the album
Select and Prepare the Repertoire
For most musicians, the real reason to record an album is to capture a body of work or document an
independent project. Most often, the goal for the album will dictate what repertoire you select—
see below for a few guiding questions to get you started:
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•
•
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•
•
Are you creating a recording for applications and auditions?
Will you use it as a demo for booking performances?
Are you documenting a creative project that you hope will attract publicity?
Are you documenting original compositions?
Do you plan to sell the recording at live performances?
Will you also sell the album online?
Create a Budget for your Recording Project
It can cost as little as $1,000 and upwards of $15,000 to record, produce, and package a
professional CD. The cost will largely depend on where you do the recording, who you pay to assist
you, and what format you chose for packaging.
Start by writing a list of all anticipated costs for recording, editing, mastering, producing, packaging,
and promoting your CD. Below is a sample budget that you can use to project your costs.
INCOME
Donations
Grants
Ticket Sales
In-Kind Donations
Total Income
$
$
$
$
$
EXPENSES
Sidepersons/accompanists
Recording Studio Rental
Recording Engineer: Recording, Mixing and Mastering Fee
Equipment Rental or Instrument Cartage
Recording Producer
Graphic Design
Piano Tuning
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
2
Copyright Licensing Fees
Copyright Registration
Packaging
CD Duplication
ISBN # (bar code) registration
Promotional Pieces (Printing)
Online Ad Purchase
Documentation: Photography/Videography
Release Party Venue Rental
Total Expenses
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
Fundraising
Many independent musicians now use crowd-source funding platforms to raise money to record
and release their albums (e.g. Kickstarter.com, Indiegogo.com, pledgemusic.com, etc.). You can also
host fundraising events or house concerts, solicit donations from individuals, or set aside personal
savings. There are also several grants available for recordings projects, though they often have
longer timelines and are very competitive. Below are a few options to explore:
Iguana Music Fund
The fund awards annual grants between $500 and $2,000 to artists with a residential or tour-based
affiliation to New England. www.clubpassim.org/about-fund
Aaron Copland Fund for Music
Grants to support the production of new recordings of contemporary American music. Eligibility: Nonprofit professional performance ensembles, presenting institutions and non-profit or commercial
recording companies. www.coplandfund.org/recording.html
The Jerome Foundation
The Jerome Foundation supports the creation, development, and production of new works by emerging
artists. The Foundation makes grants to not-for-profit arts organizations and artists in Minnesota and
New York City. www.jeromefdn.org
Local Cultural Councils
See www.nea.gov/partner/state/SAA_RAO_list.html for a list of regional cultural agencies
Obtain Rights to Copyrighted Music
1. To record a copyrighted work, you need to obtain a mechanical license from the copyright
holder (the publisher or composer). The only exception to this is if the work is in the public
domain, meaning, the copyright has expired. Keep in mind that CD manufacturers require
proof of mechanical licenses before they will begin work on a client’s recording, so it’s
essential that you obtain the licenses before you record.
2. If you plan to record a work that has never been recorded, then you negotiate the license
directly with the copyright holder (the composer or the publisher) and confirm your
agreement with a written contract that both parties sign.
3
3. If a work has already been recorded, you need to obtain a compulsory mechanical license.
The cost for the license is set by Congress, and the fees are dependent on the length of the
work, the number of copies of the recording planned, and the intended online use. The
administrating organization for mechanical licenses is the Harry Fox Agency (HFA) see
www.harryfox.com. If you plan to make fewer than 2,500 copies of your recording as either
physical products or permanent digital downloads, you can request licenses at the HFA site
under “Songfile.” For details, see the FAQ page on the HFA website.
4. Every musical recording inherently contains two distinct copyrights. There is the copyright
for the musical composition (the piece itself, no matter who performs or records it), and
there is the copyright for the sound recording (a particular performance fixed in tangible
form). This means that if you write a song, you own the copyright for the musical
composition. If you are the performer who records someone else’s song, you own the
copyright for the sound recording (as distinct from the composition). And if you perform
and record your own song, you own both copyrights. To register your copyright and protect
it against future infringements, see www.copyright.gov.
5. For more detailed help and information on copyright and licensing issues, see our handout
“Copyright Issues for Musicians.”
Where to Record
Recording in a Studio
If you choose to record in a studio, keep in mind that rates vary depending on the studio’s
equipment, location, and its local competition. Most studios do not provide concert-quality grand
pianos; if you need one, you will face fewer choices and higher fees. In the Boston area, the hourly
rates, as of this writing, range from $50 to $200 per hour. When choosing a studio, get references
from trusted colleagues. Ask to hear samples of demos or any commercial releases. You may also
want to tour a prospective studio to make sure you’ll be comfortable recording there. Studios
typically offer various package deals with a certain number of recording hours, an engineer, and
editing.
Recording on Location
The second option to consider is recording on location, most often in a performance venue. This is
generally how classical recordings are done, to take advantage of the acoustics of a particular hall
or to use a specific piano. Do some research to find where musicians in your area record. If you have
a church job or a teaching gig, you may be able to use a great space for free or a discounted price.
Do It Yourself
The third recording option is the DIY route. You can do it all yourself or enlist a friend with
recording experience and equipment to help. If you have access to a space with good acoustics, you
might be able to record with rented or borrowed equipment at minimal cost. If you have the right
equipment and know how to use it, almost any good acoustic space will work.
Mix, Edit and Master the Album
4
There are several steps required to transform your raw recording into a professionally produced
album. Editing and mixing include splicing together different takes of a given track and balancing
the sound levels. Mastering is the process by which the sound is equalized, compressed and any
unwanted noise is reduced. Depending on your technical background, you can edit and mix the
individual tracks with your own software (Pro Tools), but it is important to bring in ‘outside ears’ to
master the album. This can be a time-intensive process and makes a huge difference in the quality
of the final product. You may also elect to hire a professional sound engineer to handle this whole
process for you.
Album Art
The first impression a recording makes is often visual. You see the cover design of an album online
first before you hear it, and what you see may affect whether or not you decide to click through,
listen, or buy. The same is true at concerts: we peruse albums prior to buying them. Graphics have
an immediate impact and make a statement about the energy of your music and your
professionalism. CD manufacturing companies offer various packages that often include design,
layout, jewel boxes, bar code, assembly, and shrink-wrapping. You can also seek out an affordable
graphic designer or visual artist through a local art school or on Craigslist.
Pressing and Distributing
There are many online retailers that will press, duplicate, and package your physical album as well
as distribute your tracks to the major music download sites. For example, CDBaby offers an easy
interface for uploading your tracks, artwork, liner notes and selecting your packaging. You can also
sign-up to have your album distributed to iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Pandora, Rhapsody, etc. One
great benefit of CDBaby or similar DIY services is that they enable you to purchase small runs of
your album—as few as 150. This is ideal if you primarily want to sell your music online, but also
need physical albums for promotional purposes or to sell at small performances. If you choose to
solely distribute your album online, there are many free platforms such as Bandcamp.com that
enable you to easily sell tracks through your website and also push your music out to new listeners
who are active on the site.
Creating a “Buzz”
Releasing a new album is a great reason to organize a release party or tour. At the performance,
make sure there is a dedicated person whose job it will be to talk to audience members and sell
your album. Make sure to talk about the new album from the stage, several times, and encourage
people to visit your merch table. Releasing an album is also a great hook for reaching out to local
and national media—see our handout on ‘Publicity for Musicians’ for more information about how
to leverage a recording to attract media coverage. You can also use your album as a ‘business card’
at events—always have a few copies on hand to share with potential collaborators, presenters or
funders.
Additional Reading and Resources
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•
Nine Mistakes to Avoid When Recording Your Own Album from Music Think Tank
How to Get Your Music in Digital Platforms by Kristin Thompson from the Future of Music
Coalition
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•
•
•
Kickstarter Expects To Provide More Funding To the Arts Than NEA by Carl Franzen for
Talking Points Memo. This article prompted a national discussion about how Kickstarter is
providing a new pathway for independent artists of all media.
We Wouldn't Mind Getting Less Money From Pandora and Spotify, Indie Musician Says an OpEd for Billboard Magazine by Patrick Laird of Break of Reality.
Is Pandora Really Short-Changing Songwriters? By Graeme Mcmillan from WIRED
6
Reprinted with permission by Illinois Wesleyan
Publicity for Musicians
Overview
Publicity is the process of stimulating public interest in your work—whether for an upcoming
performance, an album release or an artistic project you are undertaking. Publicity can include a
wide range of activities and strategies, including smart use of social media, non-traditional
collaborations, and even crowd-sourced funding campaigns. However, one of the most effective
methods of reaching a wide and diverse audience remains coverage in public media. This handout
will focus on the process of attracting press coverage, including print and online publications, blogs,
public and college radio stations, newsletters, university papers, city music guides, instrument
specific journals, educational journals, and TV.
While this handout focuses on “traditional media” it is worth noting that the lines between social
and traditional media have become increasingly blurred—many writers are very active on social
media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, and some maintain private blogs that could become
outlets for information about your work. Much of the content that is created for print and air has a
second life online, and increasingly, there is unique content created for online platforms. If a piece
about you is published in an online e-zine, and a reader has no address to find further information
about you online (in the form of a website, Facebook fan page, SoundCloud account), the impact of
the coverage will be greatly diminished. Your promotional efforts will be most successful if you are
present and active both on and offline. In our handouts “Web Presence for Musicians” and
“Audience Development” you will find tips for using social media, e-newsletters, blogs, poster
campaigns and other creative projects to reach your audience directly.
The sections that follow will cover general tips on increasing your media literacy, reaching out to
journalists, crafting press and radio releases, and the range of outcomes you can expect from hiring
a publicist.
Increasing Your Media Literacy
There are many small but crucial steps you can take now to increase your media literacy, build
contact with writers, and collect rich information that will enable you to be an effective DIY
publicist, when the time comes.
•
Read writers who cover music in your genre, write for the arts and culture section of your
local paper, or maintain blogs that hold sway in your community. This will help you gain
awareness about trends, ideas, challenges and special projects in the arts community and
will expose you to the writers who, hopefully, will one day cover your work. This will also
help you figure out which magazines and publications contain certain types of coverage:
previews, live reviews, CD reviews, profiles, news stories, industry news, educational
pieces, etc.
290 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 | (617) 585-1118 | [email protected] | necmusic.edu/em
•
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Maintain a running list of writers who cover music in your genre or who might be interested
in the work you do. When you have a project or album that you are looking to promote, this
will help you target the right individuals.
Many writers also participate in panel discussions, lectures, CD releases, classes and other
events. Attending these programs will give you the opportunity to meet writers and begin
cultivating a relationship around shared interests.
Consider hiring a professional writer to write your bio, press release or liner notes.
Working with a professional writer could potentially give you access to new contacts and
professional advice. Just be aware of conflicts of interest (i.e., a journalist who writes your
bio cannot review your album or otherwise cover your project because you have paid them
for a service).
Another way to participate in the arts journalism community is by contributing yourself
through a blog, letter to the editor or your own column. If you like to write, consider this as
a way to promote your own work and build relationships with other writers in the
community.
Categories of Media Coverage
There are many different categories of media coverage, and your strategy will vary based on the
type of coverage you are seeking. ). In order to attract this kind of coverage, you will need to
submit a press release to the relevant writers at a number of local, regional, national
publications (see below for tips on writing an effective press release, with samples).
•
•
•
•
Event Listings: Most print and online publications have local arts event listings. Depending
on the circulation and prestige of the publication, you may be able to simply submit your
event information for free. Whether or not a publication curates its events listings, there
will likely be clear instructions for how to submit your event information. Follow those
instructions religiously, and make sure that you’re submitting all the information requested,
on time. Having a visually appealing press photo really helps here—make sure to submit it
in print resolution (300dpi or higher). If the staff writer has to go fishing for missing
information or a hi-res photo, he/she simply won’t include your event.
Event/Concert Preview: An article or radio piece that provides a rich portrait of an
upcoming performance can go a long way in attracting a diverse audience that may be new
to your music, and to upping attendance at the performance itself.
Review: Attracting a writer to your concert to write a review can bolster your reputation in
the community and serve as an asset for your promotional toolkit or for future grant
applications. In addition to a press release, you will need to invite potential reviewers
themselves, usually with the offer of comp tickets to the performance you hope they will
review.
Album Release/Review: If you are looking to promote a new album, you will need to
submit a press kit, either physical or electronic, which includes a press release about the
new album and events associated with the release.
2
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Profile of an Artist: Writers and radio correspondents often publish or create pieces about
artists, or groups of artists, whose work connects to larger, timely narratives or new trends
in a particular discipline. This kind of press coverage is less likely to come about through a
cold press kit or release, but rather through the process of networking, establishing one’s
work and reputation in a community, and making clear links to broader narratives in one’s
own writing and promotional materials.
Artistic Project or Program: As an artist, you will likely be involved in a range of activities,
ensembles, organizations and communities. It is possible to get coverage through your
involvement with larger organizational structures. If a writer or radio correspondent is
doing a profile on an organization or program with which you are intimately involved, you
may be included in the form of a quote, interview, soundbite, short mention, photograph,
etc. If you are actively seeking coverage on behalf of your organization or project, you will
need to send press and radio releases that highlight a new or newsworthy aspect of your
work.
Blogs, E-Zines and DIY Podcasts
While print media is still a sure-fire way to promote your music, online publications such as blogs,
e-zines and DIY podcasts are also great outlets for coverage, and may in some cases be a more
effective avenue for reaching a young audience. There are literally thousands of affinity based blogs
and online publications that cover music of all-genres. Create a list of the online publications that
cover music in your genre, and get involved by commenting on posts and sharing content via social
media. Many blogs are intensely local, which make them ideal for promoting a performance in a
particular neighborhood or geographic area.
Many online publications are run by music fans—the writers that sustain blogs and e-zines see it as
a labor of love. Be personal and generous in your outreach to these writers: offer a free ticket to an
upcoming show, share a link to their blog on your website, send fan mail if you really loved a piece
they wrote. These gestures can go a long way in establishing relationships with writers in your
community.
Writing a Clear and Compelling Press Release
There are three important factors that will increase the chances of your press release attracting
coverage: content, format, and timing. You need to quickly and effectively show that your release
is newsworthy. You are competing with hundreds of other releases for very limited print space, so
creativity and brevity are paramount. Below is a step-by-step guide for writing a release:
1. Write a headline for your release that encapsulates the main focus of the story. Make it
catchy or engaging for readers. If you’re from the area, emphasize your local connections,
since editors (especially at smaller media outlets) are looking for news of special interest to
local readers.
ABC STRING TRIO LAUNCHES RESIDENCY PROGRAM AT HOMELESS SHELTERS
SOPRANO CONQUERS STAGE FRIGHT, WINS INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
5TH ANNUAL BRASS BASH WELCOMES TUBA -TOTING MAYOR AS GUEST ARTIST
3
2. Cover the essential facts in your opening sentence (your “lead”). This should be the who,
what, where, and when (the four Ws). Your language should be succinct and direct.
The Quintet of the Americas will present a special program of Polish music for wind quintet on
Sunday, April 27, at 3 pm at the Kosciuszko Foundation, 15 East 65th Street, between Fifth and
Madison, in Manhattan.
3. Consider the “Why”—the fifth “W.” Why does this news item matter? What’s the real story
here? Is what you have to say of interest to others in your community? Journalists need to
provide readers with compelling and thought-provoking information about the cultural
happenings in their area. If the item is of only marginal interest to a select group of readers,
then you’ll have a hard time gaining media attention. Emphasize what would be of interest
to the general public. Make sure your release passes the Who cares? and the So What? tests.
4. Stick to concrete facts. Newspaper editors want news, not advertising. Avoid superlatives
or “hype.” Instead, state your credential and provide a dynamic overview of your
background. Include quotes from presenters or teachers (if you’ve first obtained their
permission). You can also quote yourself, as though you’d been interviewed, as long as you
have something interesting and fresh to say about the repertoire or some other aspect of
the performance. Note that some journalists prefer not to get quotes from other journalists,
so use these with discretion.
Ms. Smith is looking forward to returning to Whoville for this performance and says, “Whoville
is where I got my start. So I’m thrilled to be performing for both new and old friends to help
celebrate the opening of the ABC community center.”
5. Language—think carefully about your target audience. Consider submitting your release to
appropriate specialized newspapers. If the paper is published in a language other than
English, it’s best to send the press release in that language. Be sure to avoid music jargon or
technical terms that might alienate a reader. Find engaging ways to describe the program so
that non-musicians can “get” it.
Hill’s work, “Thoughtful Wanderings,” features natural horn and a taped accompaniment of
nature sounds and percussion instruments. The piece was inspired by the music of the Native
Americans from the Plains.
6. Use short, well-organized paragraphs—newspapers prefer them. Keep your paragraphs
to 2-3 sentences each, in logically organized units of thought. After the lead paragraph,
where the essential information is covered, subsequent paragraphs should flesh out the
story with background info on the performers and details about the program, composers,
and sponsors. Keep in mind that editors assume that the essential info is in the top of the
release (“inverted pyramid” style), so they generally cut from the bottom.
7. Double check your details. Don’t forget the all-important information such as ticket prices
& purchase information (phone number or web link), performance date, venue address, and
the necessary contact information. Leaving out crucial details is an all too common mistake
and very often why releases don’t make it into print. Have friends proofread your work
carefully before sending it out.
4
It’s best to send your press release directly to a contact you have with a publication. If you don’t
know who to contact, check the publication’s website to identify the correct person and/or email
address. Make sure to pay attention to the genre specialty of each writer. Sending a press release
about your classical performance to the jazz/world critic will not get you coverage. Another
resource for media contacts is The Musician’s Atlas. You can buy a hard copy for $50, or subscribe
online. It is a thorough database of national and local media outlets complete with information on
when to send press releases, and other useful tips.
Timing is also key—print publications deal with strict deadlines. The general rule of thumb for
daily publications is allowing six weeks lead time for your event or album release. For weekly or
monthly publications you may need to allot even more time. National magazines such as Spin, for
example, require that you submit a press release three months in advance.
It’s good also practice to keep track of who you sent your releases to and when, as well as any
feedback you receive. Keep an excel sheet with this information for each promotional campaign you
work on. If you receive a response from a writer—even if it’s a simple rejection—make sure to send
them a thank you note and/or follow up on their email as soon as you can.
Calendar Listings
In addition to feature articles and reviews, most newspapers and magazines print listings of daily
cultural events. Most news organizations will have one person, the calendar editor or listings
editor, who is responsible for these announcements. A calendar listing should be in the same
format as a press release; however, it contains only the basic information about a concert—who,
what, when, where, how much, where to call for ticket information, a brief program description, and
a hi-res photo. Many venues submit their own listings, in which case you don’t need to duplicate
efforts. Remember to check with the venue to find out if you need to send your own listings.
Radio Announcements
If you are seeking promotional coverage from a radio station, you can submit a radio
announcement, which is effectively an abridged press release that accounts for the format and
timing of radio programs. The ideal length of a promotional announcement is 15-30 seconds, and
the time it takes to read your announcement should be included at the bottom. The following word
count will give you a rough idea of time: 10-15 words—10 seconds; 25-40 words—20 seconds; 5565 words—30 seconds. Be sure to find out who at the station usually receives these listings. Give
the reader a prose version of the announcement and a “bulleted” list of the key points (see sample
below).
General Format for Radio Announcement
Release Date
HEADLINE
Contact Name
Telephone and email
5
Include who, what, where, and when in short. Give the announcer two version - a bulleted list of the
vital information, and a prose version. Be sure it can be read and understood easily. Include
phonetic pronunciations of unusual proper names.
(— seconds)
###
Sample Radio Announcement
Radio Announcement
April 15, 2012
CONTACT: Bob Annis, Manager
(617) 721-5423
[email protected]
COLLAGE NEW MUSIC FINISHES SEASON MONDAY, MAY 9 AT
SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY’S C. WALSH THEATRE
30-Second Announcement:
Join Collage New Music on May 9 for this prestigious contemporary music ensemble’s final concert
of the season. With premieres of works by Jacob Druckman, Cameron Ince (IN-say), and David Lang,
this concert presents the very newest of new music. Frederick Rzewski’s (SHEV-skee) Song and
Dance in also on the program. Collage New Music performs on May 9 at Suffolk University’s C.
Walsh Theatre at 8:00 p.m.; for tickets and information, call (617) 573-8680. That’s 573-8680.
(30 Seconds)
At a glance:
• Collage New Music, David Hoose, Music Director
•
•
8:00 p.m. Monday, May 9
Program:
Boston premiere of Jacob Druckman BO
Frederick Rzewski (SHEV-skee) Song and Dance
Boston premiere of Cameron Ince (IN-say) Night Passage (1992)
World premiere of David Lang Cheating, Lying, Stealing (1993)
6
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C. Walsh Theatre at Suffolk University, 41 Temple Street on Beacon Hill in Boston
Tickets: $12 general admission; $6 students and seniors
For tickets and information, call the C. Walsh Theatre Box Office: (617) 573-8680
###
General Format for a Press Release
LETTERHEAD OR LOGO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today’s date
Contact name
Contact telephone and email
HEADLINE IN ALL CAPS AND CENTERED
The first paragraph should list:
• Who, what, where, and when in a few sentences
• Specifics only where necessary and a summary of the importance of the event
• If relevant, program information
The second paragraph should provide:
• Biographical or historical information that provides further context
• Potentially a quote from a featured artist or important collaborator, providing a personal or
organizational perspective as to why the particular event, project, or album is newsworthy
The last paragraph should contain:
• Information about admission or tickets
• Contact information: phone number, email, address, etc.
###
(This signifies the end of the release and should always be included)
Funding credits should go at the very end on one or two lines, unless they are included in the copy
above.
7
Sample Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2012
CONTACT: Rachel Roberts
Director, Entrepreneurial Musicianship
617-585-1108
[email protected]
NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY STUDENTS EXPLORE THE CONCEPT OF “OPEN SOURCE”
THROUGH PERFORMANCE OF NEW MUSIC
BOSTON, MASS. - The New England Conservatory’s Entrepreneurial Musicianship (EM)
Department is sponsoring a student-run contemporary music concert centered on the theme of
“open source.” Responding to the trend of open and crowd source music platforms, a creative team
of NEC students have spent the last seven months exploring this phenomenon musically through
seminal works and original compositions that make use of electric and multi-media elements. The
performance will take place at 7:00PM May 17th at Space with a Soul (281 Summer Street, Boston).
The inspiration for this event grew out of the EM Innovation Forum, a lecture and open discussion
led by acclaimed U.K.-based cellist Peter Gregson, who has been recognized internationally for his
work in electronic new music. Looking forward to his return trip to Boston for the May
performance, Gregson shared, "Although our evening's theme might be current, the concept of
commissioning music from your peers is hardly new, but is often overlooked. It's been
tremendously exciting to watch this project develop with such passion from all involved; it won't
just be a concert, I'm convinced it'll be a sign of great things to come."
Newly composed and adapted works will be performed by NEC students, including (OPEN)Source
by Peter Dodds, which uses crowd-sourcing data in composition; Silence by Charlie Haden for solo
bass and loop station; Unseen by Tara Mueller for Violin, Voice, and electronics; Significant Transits
by Vanessa Wheeler for solo tuba and electronics; Solo Duet in Three Movements by Peter Gregson,
which uses goPlay, a new responsive performance interface; and H No. 1-7 Redux by Neal
Markowski, performed by The Gradient Us Ensemble, with art film by SMFA student Angela Counts.
Thrilled to see this fruitful collaboration between Peter Gregson and NEC’s EM Department,
Director Rachel Roberts commented, “It’s immensely gratifying to see students take charge of all
facets of this event—from artistic vision, to marketing and production—our students are actively
engaged in making their music live outside the walls of NEC.”
Admission is $10 ($5 with valid student ID) and tickets can be purchased at the door with cash or
credit card, or in advance at opensourcenec.eventbrite.com. More information can be found at
necmusic.edu/open-source.
###
8
Sample Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 17, 2012
CONTACT: Vessela Stoyanova
617-111-2222
[email protected]
EMPEROR NORTON’S STATIONARY MARCHING BAND CD RELEASE FOR “DISCO DISCHORDIA”
Who: Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band, Bury Me Standing
What: “Disco Dischordia” CD release
When: Friday, August 3rd 2012, 9:30pm
Where: Johnny D’s, 17 Holland St., Somerville, Massachusetts 02144
Additional info: $12, 21+
Boston’s premier steampunk circus party band Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band is
releasing their second full-length CD on Friday, August 3 at Johnny D’s (Somerville, MA). ENSMB is
an eclectic 16-piece group, whose instrumentation includes marching-style brass, electric violins
and marimba, accordion, guitar, upright bass and drums. Their music is influenced by fast, oddmetered Eastern European folksongs, klezmer, vaudeville, New Orleans second line, and James
Brown-inspired funk.
ENSMB’s new album, recorded at the famed Blue Jay Studios, showcases original songs, as well as
their own arrangements of Serbian and Indian traditional songs. ENSMB will perform much of this
material at the CD release party, along with the frantically grooving repertoire for which they are
well-known. Strap in -- their raucous stage antics is where “stationary” collides with “marching,”
with circus-level energy and close encounters with the audience.
Indeed, Johnny D’s couldn’t be a more appropriate venue; it’s right in the heart of Davis Square,
where the activist street band festival HONK! originated—the highlight event of ENSMB’s season.
ENSMB has spent the past couple of months traveling around the country, including pummeling
HONK! audiences in Austin and Seattle. Now they’re back home. And it’s time to have a ridiculous
party.
ENSMB will be joined by Bury Me Standing, self-described as gypsy dirge-core, whose music is a
strange intertwining of art metal and Balkan folksong, with haunting Turkish inflection from their
otherworldly singer.
###
9
Reprinted with permission by Illinois Wesleyan
Promo Kits
Introduction
A promo kit is a concise yet comprehensive package that showcases your artistic accomplishments.
This handout will walk you through the different components of a promo kit with samples to guide
your work. You will encounter several terms—often used interchangeably—that refer to an artist
promo kit. There are four common formats, each with subtle differences:
1. Promo kit: a package of promotional material that artists assemble to send to concert
presenters, club managers, and festival curators to book performances.
2. Press kit: is almost identical in format, but includes a press release with information about
an upcoming performance or album release, with the goal of attracting coverage.
3. Electronic Press Kit (EPK): is an electronic version of your promo kit that lives on your
website, in the form of a PDF download or a unique subpage. The material included in your
EPK will be used by presenters and collaborators to promote your upcoming engagements
or by members of the press to supplement their coverage.
4. One Sheet: is a condensed version of your promo kit, formatted to fit on one page. A one
sheet should include basic information, a press quote, photo and links for more information.
Basic Contents of the Promo Kit
•
•
•
Biography. Written in the third person, this is a prose version of your most impressive
credentials: where and with whom you have studied, performance experience of distinction,
and competitions, scholarships, or awards you have won. (See our handout “Tips on Bio
Writing” for step-by-step assistance.)
Repertoire List of solo and/or chamber works. List works alphabetically by the
composer’s last name, with complete and correct titles. Only include complete works you
have performed or studied (no single movements). Singers may want to have a category
called “Roles Studied,” organized by major headings such as Art Songs, Oratorio, Opera, etc.
Instrumentalists should not include orchestral works, but you may use separate sheets for
solo repertoire and chamber music. Composers should list original works and
arrangements (with credit to the original composer).
Publicity Photos of you or your ensemble. Invest in a good photographer—ask your
colleagues for recommendations and create a folder with press photos that appeal to you
for inspiration. Be sure to check whether your photographer requires a photo credit, and if
so, make sure to include it in all of your materials.
290 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 | (617) 585-1118 | [email protected] | necmusic.edu/em
•
•
•
Recordings. Include both excerpts of pieces that start immediately with the most effective
part of the piece, as well as full compositions that showcase the scope of your performance
or composition. In either case, label them very clearly including your name, piece or album
title, composer, date and place of performance. Make sure they are available for download,
and/or easy streaming online (check across multiple browsers to make sure it runs
smoothly on Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, etc). If you need to send a physical
CD, don’t forget to include your name and contact information both on the CD case, and the
CD itself. It’s very likely that the two will get separated, and the last thing you want is a
nameless CD with great music and no way to identify the artist.
Press you have received. Include any reviews, articles, and published interviews. If they are
long, choose the best parts, scan them, and arrange them in an easy to read manner. You can
create a one-sheet with the most impressive quotes, or create a “paste-up” of an entire
article (include the logo/masthead of the publication and lay-out the text of the article
below). Whatever format you select, be sure to include the name of the publication, author
of the piece, and the date it was published.
Other relevant materials. Include anything else that you think could convince the booker,
festival, or conductor to include you in their roster of musicians. Some examples include
programs from past concerts, a list of past concerts, appearances on TV and radio, as well as
prospective programs for possible shows, clinics, master classes, residencies, etc.
Electronic Press Kits
Your website will likely have all the components of a promo kit, dispersed over several menus
and/or pages. Even though it may feel duplicative, it’s advisable to have a separate page for your
electronic press kit or a link for an EPK download. Presenters or collaborators will appreciate the
ability to quickly access all the information they need in one clearly labeled place. Below are a few
examples of effective EPKs:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
AB Duo
The Breaking Winds
The Escher Quartet
TORQ Percussion Ensemble
The Borromeo Quartet
The Raya Brass Band
Moon Hooch
Promo Kit vs. Press Kit
A press kit has almost all the same content as a promo kit, but its goal is to attract press coverage
for an upcoming performance or new album release. A press kit should include:
•
•
•
•
Press release or radio announcement (see “Publicity for Musicians” for tips on how to write
these)
Bio
High resolution photo for print or online publication
Page of press quotes or paste-ups
2
•
•
Recording
Past concert programs or list of appearances
One Sheet
In some cases, it is useful to send a one sheet instead of a full promo or press kit. For example, if you
are a wedding band looking for new clients, it may be best to send a one-sheet along with sample
recordings. The couple won’t need an extensive list of your performance credentials and press—
they will want to see basic information about the range of music you play, photos and testimonials
from happy clients. A one sheet is much more succinct than the full kit—it includes your logo and
contact information, a tag line, a very short bio, your best photo, a press quote, album graphics and
track listing (if promoting a new release). All of that is formatted to fit on one sheet, as the title
suggests. The idea is to give the reader a good sense of your music at a glance.
Sample Repertoire List
J A M E S K N AB E , T R U M P E T E R
1 Main St. | Our Fair City, MA 02115 | 617-555-1212 | [email protected]
Trumpet and Piano Repertoire
Damase, J.M.
Enesco
Hindemith, P.
Honegger, A.
Kennan, K.
Peeters, F.
Hymne
Legend
Sonata
Intrada
Sonata
Sonata
Damase, J.M.
De La Lande, M.R.
Hovhaness, A.
Pinkham, D.
Sampson, D.
Trois Pieces Sans Paroles
Suite
Prayer of Saint Gregory
Psalms
The Mysteries Remain
Aldrovandini
Bach, J.S.
Bassani, G.B.
De Torrente
Cantata 51
Quel Che Dice
Trumpet and Organ Repertoire
Trumpet and Soprano Repertoire
3
Conrad, L.
Handel, G.F.
Sample Bio
The Chariot
The Path
Eternal Source of Light Divine
Let the Bright Seraphim (Samson)
Revenge
The Trumpet’s Loud Clango
MSC
Miki Sophia-Cloud, Violinist
1/2 Favorite Avenue, Great Town, MA 02116 | 617-555-1212 | [email protected]
Always on an adventure, violinist Miki-Sophia Cloud indulges her musical wanderlust with
an itinerary that is constantly challenging, varied, and fresh. As a soloist, she has appeared
at the Kennedy Center and Boston Symphony Hall, the Salzburg Mozarteum, and on
National Public Radio. Recent performances include Barber’s Violin Concerto under
Maestro Peter Oundjian, Berio duets with Ani and Ida Kavafian at Lincoln Center, Bach’s
Concerto for Two Violins with Curtis Macomber, and a debut at the 2009 Bang on a Can
Marathon in New York City. Always a passionate chamber musician, Miki was recently
appointed the new violinist for the North Country Chamber Players, the first appointment
of the group’s “new generation” of members. Her drive to support talented young
composers has led Miki to give frequent premieres and performances of new works,
several of which have been written for her. Outside the purely classical realm, she also
performs with the free jazz/art rock nonet “Your Bad Self” and is known to shed some
bluegrass fiddle from time to time.
A graduate of Harvard College, where she earned a double degree in English Literature and
Music, Miki was awarded the George Peabody Gardner fellowship upon graduation, which
granted her the opportunity to study at the University for Music and Performing Arts in
Vienna with Philharmonic Concertmaster Rainer Küchl. Miki completed her master’s
studies with Ani Kavafian at the Yale School of Music, where she won first prize in the
Concerto Competition and served as a concertmaster of the Yale Philharmonia. She is
currently a doctoral candidate under Miriam Fried at the New England Conservatory of
Music. The lone crier residing in Cambridge, Miki happily tinkers in the kitchen whenever
at home, feeding her gracious husband and friends all of her experiments.
4
Sample One Sheet
5
Sample Press Paste-Up
You might think you haven't heard the bassoon outside a concert hall before, but you have: The
woodwind instrument features prominently in the theme music of Leave It To Beaver, represents
the grandfather character in Peter and the Wolf, and scores Mickey Mouse's misadventure with the
dancing broomsticks in Fantasia. Notice a trend there?
'Uh oh — things are going comically awry!' That's the way I think it is most often used in television
and movies," says Eileen Reynolds, who has played the bassoon since elementary school. "When I
started playing it, I started getting these really strange comments from people. My dad said it
looked like a plumber had gotten drunk, because there's all this tubing and keys."
6
The bassoon is one of the most difficult instruments in the orchestra to play, but people just don't
take it seriously. That's not surprising when you get a glimpse of the thing: It's a double-reed
instrument that looks like someone turned a bong into a saxophone. The reeds are connected to the
instrument by a metal mouthpiece.
"And then it's attached to almost 8 feet of wooden tubing that's been fashioned with a bend in the
bottom of it, so it's folded in half and the top part sticks up," Mark Eubanks says. "It looks like a
bedpost."Eubanks teaches bassoon at Lewis & Clark College. He says that, to understand how the
instrument became the butt of jokes, one must look back to its birth in the 17th century.
'Bassoon playing was very bad in those days, because they had bad instruments," he says. "The
wood warped. ... There probably weren't that many good bassoon players, so it probably took on
the role as this quirky, nasty-sounding thing." The muffled, dark-sounding bassoon of the baroque
era was so hard to play in tune that composers didn't write solos for it. But a century later, with
better reeds and more keys, they began to take notice of its comic potential. Reynolds says Haydn's
Symphony No. 93 and Beethoven's Sixth were some of the earliest to feature the bassoon as
buffoon.
In this century, we've heard the bassoon in dopey pet-food commercials, in movie soundtracks and
on sitcoms such as Curb Your Enthusiasm — where music supervisors often pick out the strangest
bassoon sounds to make odd moments seem even more awkward. Eubanks says he is tired of the
bassoon being typecast as the Rodney Dangerfield of instruments."Why can't a bassoon play Irish
music?" he asks. "Why can't a bassoon do any kind of ensemble — jazz, rock, whatever?"
So Eubanks jams out with a group of other "oonists" — that's bassoonists, contrabassoonists,
tenaroonists, and so on — who call themselves the Bassoon Brothers. (One of them is a sister.)
Based in Oregon, the group has released three albums with some less traditional bassoon songs —
including Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze," featuring a bassoon with a pickup and an amp. Ben Wendel
is another musician giving the bassoon a makeover. When he's not playing the sax, he's jazzing it up
on the bassoon.
"There are very few bassoonists out there that deal in the world of jazz or improvising. We're the
Illuminati of the jazz world or something," Wendel says, chuckling. "There's sort of a beauty of the
limitations of that instrument: the fact that I actually can't do all the things I can do on the
saxophone. I can't go 150 miles per hour."
The bassoon has also broken into the world of pop. Last year, a quartet of classically trained
bassoonists, who call themselves The Breaking Winds, donned wigs and costumes to perform
a Lady Gaga medley — the video of which quickly went viral. Even hip-hop isn't immune: In
January, Kanye West bragged on Twitter about putting bassoon on a track.
Modern-day bassoonists aren't trying to change the sound of the instrument. They just want you to
know that, while the bassoon can be bouncy and silly, it can also be jazzy, romantic and altogether
serious.
7
Reprinted with permission by Illinois Wesleyan
Opportunities Abroad
If you are thinking about studying abroad, the first thing is to determine which country(s), schools, and
teacher(s) to consider. Ask your teachers and fellow students for recommendations or consult
international music school directories to explore your options.
Once you have a list of possible teachers, write to them via email to say that you are potentially interested
in studying with them and would like an in-person or pre-recorded audition. You may need help
translating the letter; ask your language arts faculty or an international student for assistance.
Before considering a year of study with a teacher you do not know, you may want to arrange to travel to the
country between semesters, or on vacation and have several lessons with any prospective teachers. You
want to find a good match. Once a teacher has agreed to take you as a student, you can ask for letters of
recommendation from that teacher to help you in applying for any grants or scholarships.
The following is a general reference list of grant programs and technical assistance resources for music
study, research and project work abroad. Check carefully the entries below—some organizations sponsor
more than one program. Guidelines and deadlines change frequently—contact the specific program offices
for more information on the opportunities listed below.
Most grant applications require a proposal statement (how you would use the grant) and background
information in the form of a personal statement or resume. The most successful applications are the ones
that detail a concrete plan: a teacher, a school, and your specific repertoire, research or goals for the time
spent abroad. See our handout “Grantwriting for Artists” for tips on how to craft a compelling project
proposal.
There are several grant programs that cover study in many countries: Fulbright, Rotary (both are for study
in all fields in nearly any country in the world), and the Frank Huntington Beebe grant for music study in
Europe. Otherwise, there are grants for study in specific countries, such as the Harriet Hale Woolley
Scholarship, which is just for music and art studies in Paris.
You will need to write or call the grant organization to get a current application. Make sure you understand
all the eligibility requirements (e.g., some require that you be enrolled in a school, some require that you
already have a Bachelor’s degree). Some grants provide money for room, board, travel, and a small stipend
for living expenses, but the amounts vary from program to program. Make sure you have realistic
information on what your expenses will be to live and study in the country that interests you.
290 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 | (617) 585-1118 | [email protected] | necmusic.edu/em
Country/Location Specific Programs:
Asia
Program: Research grants (3 months to a year)
for scholars in the field of Chinese studies,
including cultural studies/music. Includes travel
to Taipei and a stipend.
Fellowship Programs
American Institute of Indian Studies
1130 E 59th St
Chicago, IL 60637
www.indiastudies.org
Program: Senior Performing and Creative Arts
Fellowships for study in India (4-9 months).
General Fellowships are awarded to academic
specialists in Indian studies for periods of
research in India. All fields of study considered.
Japan Foundation
Research Fellowships
152 W 57th St, 39th Floor
New York, NY 10019
www.jfny.org
Program: In order to promote Japanese Studies,
this program provides support to outstanding
scholars in the field by offering the opportunity to
conduct research in Japan. Areas of research
include music.
Graduate and Post-Graduate Fellowships
American Center of Oriental Research
656 Beacon St, 5th floor
Boston, MA 02215-2010
www.bu.edu/acor
Program: Various fellowships for graduate
students and scholars for research in Jordan and
the surrounding area. Student status and degree
requirements apply.
The Japan-US Friendship Commission
US/Japan Creative Artists Residency
1201 15th St. NW, Suite 330
Washington, DC 20005
www.jusfc.gov
Program: Creative Artists' Program provides fivemonth residencies in Japan for five individual
artists in any discipline. Artists work on an
individual project i.e. the creation of new work or
pursuit of their individual artistic goals.
Graduate School Grants
Academy of Korean Studies
110 Haogogae-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si,
Gyeonggi-do, 463-791
Republic of Korea
http://intl.aks.ac.kr/english/portal.php
Program: Grant for research or graduate and
post-graduate study in a range of fields, including
music; most grants include tuition, housing,
registration fees, stipend. Must take language
tests, if not passed, student may be admitted on a
probationary basis.
Europe
Rome Prize Fellowship
American Academy in Rome
7 E 60th St
New York, NY 10022-1001
www.aarome.org
Program: Applicants for 11-month Rome Prize
fellowships in musical composition must hold a
bachelor's degree in music, musical composition
or its equivalent. 11-month fellowship recipients
receive a stipend of $25,000.
Lady Davis Fellowship Trust
Hebrew University, Givat Ram
Jerusalem 91904 ISRAEL
http://ldft.huji.ac.il
Program: Fellowships for graduate or
postdoctoral students, and for visiting
professorships. Fellowships allow scholars of
various disciplines to engage in research at either
Hebrew University in Israel. Disciplines include
the humanities.
Research Grants
Center for Chinese Studies
20 Chungshan South Road
Taipei, Taiwan 10001, R.O.C.
ccs.ncl.edu.tw/ccs2/ENGLISH/information.aspx
2
Fellowships and Grants
American Scandinavian Foundation
58 Park Ave
New York, NY 10016
www.amscan.org
Program: Fellowships/grants awarded to
individuals/institutions for creative work in
Scandinavia; preference given to candidates who
have not previously lived or studied in
Scandinavia. Average amount awarded: $3,000 $18,000 to individuals. Countries included:
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden.
The Ansbacher Fellowship for Young Conductors
The American Austrian Foundation
150 East 42nd Street
32nd Floor, Room 32.48 A
New York, NY 10017, USA
www.aaf-online.org
Program: Fellowship provides young and
promising conductors from the United States the
opportunity to attend rehearsals at the Salzburg
Music Festival for up to four weeks.
Chamber Music America
305 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY 10001
www.facecouncil.org/jazz
Program: Supports collaborations of French and
U.S. jazz artists (citizens or legal residents of their
respective countries) that take place in one or
both countries. A partnership program with the
French American Cultural Exchange (FACE) and
the French Embassy
Scholarship Programs
Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation
56, Amalias Ave. 10558 Athens – Greece
www.onassis.gr/en
Program: Grants and scholarships for research,
study, and artistic endeavor within Greece.
Music Fellowships
Camargo Foundation
1 Ave Jermini
13260 Cassis, FRANCE
www.camargofoundation.org
Program: One semester of residence in Cassis on
south coast of France; for scholarly pursuit of
French-related projects. Up to five musical
fellowships per year. Applicants must be college
faculty, secondary school teachers, graduate
students ABD, or musicians/artists.
Austro-American Association Scholarship
Austro-American Association of Boston, Inc. 67
Bridle Path
Sudbury, MA 01776
www.austria-boston.org
Program: Award of $1,500 for students or junior
faculty members for scholarly research or
creative work related to Austrian culture; grant
may be for travel or for other costs related to
research or publication.
Grants for Venetian Research
Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation
521 Fifth Ave, Suite 1612
New York, NY 10175-1699
www.delmas.org
Program: The Foundation awards grants (predoctoral and postdoctoral) for travel to and
residence in Venice and the Veneto. These grants
are made to individuals to support historical
research on Venice and the former Venetian
empire and the study of contemporary Venice.
Belgian American Educational Foundation, Inc.
195 Church St
New Haven, CT 06510
www.baef.be
Program: Fellowships for advanced studies at one
of the Belgian universities or institutions of
higher learning. Applicant may be nominated by
the dean of the graduate/professional school of
his/her university.
Gilbert Chinard Scholarships
Institut Français d’Amérique
234 Dey Hall CB# 3170
The University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3170
http://institut.unc.edu
Program: Four $1500 awards for maintenance
(not travel) during research in France for a
period of at least one month. History/Musicology
students are eligible.
Chateaubriand Fellowship
Embassy of France
Office for Science and Technology
4101 Reservoir Rd NW
Washington, DC 20007-2176
www.frenchculture.org
Program: The Chateaubriand Fellowship is a
grant offered by the Embassy of France in the US.
For doctorate students of the humanities enrolled
in American universities and post-doctorates to
conduct research in France for up to 12 months.
Recipients receive a stipend, a round trip ticket to
France and health insurance.
CMA/FACE French-American Jazz Exchange
3
Harriet Hale Woolley Scholarships
Fondation des Etats-Unis
15 blvd Jourdan
75690 Paris cedex 14, FRANCE
Web: www.harriet-hale-woolley.com
Program: 4 awards yearly for American artists
and musicians pursuing studies in Paris.
Musicologists are not eligible. Applicants must
possess American citizenship and must be
between 21 and 35 years of age. Stipend and
studio provided.
Program: Study grants are available for advanced
musical training in Italian institutions.
Scholarships for Study in France
Nadia and Lili Boulanger International
Foundation
25 avenue des Gobelins
75013 Paris
www.cnlb.fr
Program: Scholarships are awarded to musicians
of all nationalities; composers, performers,
musicologists ages 20 to 32 years at the deadline
(30 June) who wish to pursue their studies in
France.
Harvard Center for Italian Renaissance Studies
Villa I Tatti – University Place
124 Mount Auburn St
Cambridge, MA 02138
http://itatti.harvard.edu
Program: Postdoc fellowships in any aspect of the
Italian Renaissance for study residencies of up to
one year in Florence.
Study Scholarships for Musicians
German Academic Exchange Service/DAAD
871 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
www.daad.org
Program: Provides support for young musicians
and Musicologists to conduct research and/or
study in Germany. Grants include living
expenses, travel, health insurance, stipend,
German courses.
NYU in Prague Music Scholarship
New York University
NYU Office of Global Programs
110 East 14th Street, Lower Level
New York, NY 10003-4170
www.nyu.edu/studyabroad/prague
Program: Allows students from a college or
university other than NYU, who are pursuing a
major or minor in music performance or related
field, and who plan to enroll in at least two music
courses at NYU in Prague to receive financial
assistance.
IES Abroad Vienna Music Program
IES Abroad
33 N. LaSalle Street, 15th Floor
Chicago, IL 60602-2602
www.iesabroad.org
Program: Offers a wide-ranging and academically
rigorous Music curriculum coupled with unique
components such as the Music Performance
Workshop. Area studies courses in a variety of
disciplines are also available.
King Olav V Norwegian-American Heritage Fund
Sons of Norway Foundation
1455 West Lake St
Minneapolis, MN 55408-2666
www.sofn.com
Program: For study in Norway at undergrad/grad
levels in number of areas include music. For
North American who has demonstrated a keen
interest in Norwegian heritage and/or any
Norwegian w/demonstrated interest in American
heritage.
French Study Abroad Tuition Grants
Institute for American Universities
US Office Mailing Address:
1830 Sherman Ave.
Suite 402
Evanston, IL 60201, USA
www.iaufrance.org
Program: Scholarships undergrad study abroad
at any of the centers in France operated by the
institute (Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Toulon).
Programs of study include the Humanities and
Fine Arts.
Study Grants
Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Piazzale della Farnesina, 1
00135 Rome
Web: www.esteri.it/mae/en
Bicentennial Swedish-American Exchange Fund
Swedish Institute
Slottsbacken 10, Box 7434
103 91 Stockholm, Sweden
https://studyinsweden.se/scholarship/bicentenn
ial-swedish-american-exchange-fund
Program: Program for US citizens is intended for
professional enrichment in a two-to-four weeks’
study trip to Sweden.
4
Italian for Opera Singers Program
Scuola di Italiano Dante Alighieri
Via Del Torrione, 95
Patrocinio Università degli Studi di Camerino
Piazza G. Garibaldi, 7 - 62032 CAMERINO (MC) ITALIA
www.scuoladantealighieri.org
Program: Tuition scholarship to International
students awarded on the basis of financial need
for studies in Italy. Specific study program is
available for opera singers to study Italian
language.
Program: An international scholarship program
to enable outstanding graduate students from
outside the United Kingdom to study in any
program at the University of Cambridge.
Joanna Randall-MacIver Junior Research
Fellowship
Oxford University
www.ox.ac.uk
Program: For female college graduates of any
nationality who wish to study music or fine arts
at Oxford University; provides stipend of
£15,311, single room and board. Awarded up to
two years. Available at various Oxford colleges.
North America/South America
Canada Council Visiting Foreign Artists Programs
Canada Council
Canada Council for the Arts
350 Albert Street, P.O. Box 1047
Ottawa ON K1P 5V8
http://canadacouncil.ca/council/grants/find-agrant/grants/visiting-foreign-artists-program
Program: Recognized professional Canadian
cultural organizations may nominate a
distinguished foreign artist to visit for the
purposes of directing workshops or teaching
master classes.
Marshall Scholarships
Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission
20-24 Tavistock Square
London
WC1H 9HF UK
www.marshallscholarship.org
Program: For graduate study in the UK .
Available to US citizens who hold a first degree
from an accredited four-year college or university
in the US. Scholarship includes tuition, living
expenses, annual book grant, thesis grant,
research and daily travel grants, and fares to and
from the US.
Charles DelMar Foundation
PO Box 1525
Pennington, NJ 08534-0686
Program: Grants to organizations working in
multiple areas, including fine and performing
arts. Focused on organizations in DC area or
Puerto Rico.
The Martin Musical Scholarship Fund
Philharmonia Orchestra
6th Floor The Tower Building
11 York Road
London, SE1 7NX
www.philharmonia.co.uk/about/mmsf
Program: Scholarships for instrumental music
study in the UK, for those pursuing solo, chamber,
or orchestral career. Not open to organists,
singers, guitarists, or academic or jazz studies.
Age limit 25.
Study Scholarships for International Students
Québec International
Québec Government Office in Boston
One Boston Place
201 Washington Street, Suite 1920
Boston, MA 02108
www.gouv.qc.ca/portail/quebec/international
Program: Scholarships for doctoral or postdoctoral research, or short term masters or
doctoral research projects in Quebec. To be
eligible for a scholarship, an applicant’s file must
be presented by a teacher or researcher at a
Québec university.
The Mitchell Scholars Program
The US-Ireland Alliance
2800 Clarendon Blvd. suite 502 West
Arlington, VA 22201
www.us-irelandalliance.org
Program: Twelve Mitchell Scholars between the
ages of 18 and 30 are chosen annually for one
year of postgraduate study in any discipline
offered by institutions of higher learning in
Ireland and Northern Ireland.
United Kingdom
Gates Cambridge Scholarship
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Gates Cambridge Trust
PO Box 252
Cambridge CB2 1TQ
www.gatesscholar.org
5
Music Study Scholarships
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
24 Portland Place
London W1B 1LU, UNITED KINGDOM
www.abrsm.org
Program: Music scholarships to enable full-time
study at one of the UK Royal Schools of Music.
endorsed by their institutions. See local St.
Andrew’s Society for further study abroad
opportunities.
Study Awards
Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme
www.orsas.ac.uk
Hosted by: The Higher Education Funding Council
for England
www.hefce.ac.uk
Program: ORSAS awards offer international
postgraduate students the opportunity to carry
out a broad range of research at well-established
UK academic institutions. Awards are for the
amount of the difference in fees between UK
home and overseas rates.
RSAMD International Opera Scholarships
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
Scottish Opera / RSAMD Repetiteur Fellowship
100 Renfrew St
Glasgow G2 3DB, UNITED KINGDOM
www.rcs.ac.uk/studyhere/feesandfunding
Program: Scholarships for postgrads awarded to
singers for study in Opera at the RSAMD.
Rhodes Scholarships
The Rhodes Scholarship Trust
8229 Boone Blvd, Suite 240
Vienna, VA 22182
www.rhodesscholar.org
Program: Funding for undergrad/grad study at
Oxford University, UK. Must be aged 18-23 on
October 1 of year of application. Selection is
made on 4 criteria: scholarship, character,
leadership, and physical vigor. Candidates apply
in either state of legal residence or college (min. 2
years).
Visiting Research Fellowships
Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities
University of Edinburgh, Hope Park Square
Edinburgh EH8 9NW, United Kingdom
www.iash.ed.ac.uk
Program: Research fellowships in a variety of
fields, including music. Institute has set research
themes and schemes. Fellowships range 2-6
months.
Multiple Locations/Non Specific Programs:
American Association of University Women
Educational Foundation
1111 16th St NW
Washington, DC 20036-4873
www.aauw.org
Program: Various grants to women to conduct
research or study at dissertation and
postdoctoral levels in the US. Programs available
for International applicants and US citizens.
Several fellowships are available for study
outside of the US.
Scotland’s Saltire Scholarships
The British Council
The Tun, 3rd Floor
4 Jackson's Entry, Holyrood Road
Edinburgh, EH8 8PJ
Scotland, UK
www.scotland.org/study-inscotland/scholarships/saltire-scholarships
Program: Award for international students
worth £2000 towards the tuition fees of a one
year Master’s course at any of Scotland’s higher
education institutions. Music is a supported field
of study.
Study Abroad Scholarships
St. Andrew’s Society of the State of New York
150 East 55th Street, Suite 3
New York, NY 10022
www.standrewsny.org
Programs: Scholarships available for grad study
in Scotland. No restriction on subject. Eligibility:
grads from US institutions who have some
Scottish descent, and preferably live within a
250-mile radius of NYC. Applicants should be
American Council of Learned Societies
228 E 45th St
New York, NY 10017-3398
www.acls.org
Programs: Grants and Fellowships in the
humanities, including musicology and music
theory. Awards are mainly for research projects
and travel. Programs specific to study in China
are also available. See website for available
programs.
6
American Institute for Foreign Study
River Plaza, 9 W Broad St
Stamford, CT 06902-3788
www.aifsabroad.com
Program: Int’l Merit Scholarships awarded to
currently enrolled undergrads with at least 3.0
GPA who satisfy program reqs for chosen course;
other considerations include leadership qualities
and involvement in multicultural/int’l issues and
activities. Semester & summer scholarships are
available.
Program: $2,000 For post-graduate studies in
music, painting or sculpture in Canada or abroad.
Available to Canadian women.
The Frank Huntington Beebe Fund for Musicians
Boston, MA
www.beebefund.org
Program: Fellowships for gifted musicians to
pursue advanced music study & performance
abroad (usually Europe) for the first time. The
Fund provides financial support for round trip
transportation, living and other expenses approximately $15,000. Fellowships are for one
year and are generally not renewable. See
website for contact information.
American Music Center
322 8th Avenue, Suite 1401 New York, NY 10001
212-366-5260 x10
www.amc.net
Resources: AMC promotes performances of
American music in other parts of the world and
helps facilitate American Music Week each
November. The library provides contact names &
addresses of music professionals abroad who
work with US musicians traveling internationally.
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
Institution of International Education
809 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017-3580
www.iie.org/gilman
Program: Grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate
students of limited financial means to pursue
academic studies abroad.
Grants for Travel and European Research
American Musicological Society
6010 College Station
Brunswick ME 04011-8451
www.ams-net.org
Programs: Grants for travel and European music
research. Usually awarded to PHD candidates,
post-doc, or junior faculty members to conduct
research in any musical field. Awards are approx.
$1,000
Council for International Exchange of Scholars
3007 Tilden St NW, Suite 5L
Washington, DC 20008-3009
www.cies.org
Program: Multiple Fulbright programs
specifically for faculty/professional grants for
research, lecture, teaching music in countries
around the world; includes travel, housing, and
incidentals. See also Fulbright.
Grants for Individuals and Organizations
Asian Cultural Council
6 West 48th Street, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10036
www.asianculturalcouncil.org
Program: Asian individuals in the visual and
performing arts seeking grant assistance to
conduct research, study, receive specialized
training, undertake observation tours, or pursue
creative activity in the United States are eligible
to apply for fellowship support from the
Council. Americans seeking aid to undertake
activities in Asia are also eligible to apply.
CFUW Elizabeth Massey Award
Canadian Federation of University Women
251 Bank Street, Suite 305
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2P 1X3
www.cfuw.org
Council on International Educational Exchange
(CIEE)
300 Fore Street
Portland, ME 04101
www.ciee.org/study
Program: Offers study and work abroad program
for US students. Programs are also available to
faculty. Numerous programs, including music
study. Scholarship available through CIEE.
7
The Cultural Exchange Fund
Association of Performing Arts Presenters
1211 Connecticut Ave., NW Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 888-820-2787
www.apap365.org/KNOWLEDGE/GrantProgram
s/Pages/cef.aspx
Program: Travel subsidy program supported by
the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to assist U.S.
based presenters in building partnerships and
collaborations with international touring artists,
companies and their collaborators and in seeing
the work of artists from around the world.
10 rue du Lac
CH-1207
Geneva, Switzerland
www.ifuw.org
Program: The International Federation of
University Women offers a limited number of
international fellowships and grants to women
graduates for international postgraduate
research, study and training.
English-Speaking Union
Dartmouth House
37 Charles Street
London W1J 5ED
See website for US Branch Information
www.esu.org
Program: Various scholarships to attend
international and national music festivals or
academies. For current/past students of a UK
conservatory or music department.
International Dissertation Research Fellowship
Social Science Research Council
One Pierrepont Plaza, 15th Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201 USA
www.ssrc.org/fellowships/idrf-fellowship
Program: Offers nine to twelve months of support
to graduate students in the humanities who are
enrolled in doctoral programs in the United
States and conducting dissertation research
internationally.
Fulbright Program
Institution of International Education
809 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017-3580
www.iie.org
Program: Fulbright fellowships available to
students, professionals, and researchers for
study/research abroad. Awards grants in nearly
all fields and disciplines, including Creative and
Performing Arts.
OAS Scholarship Program
Organization of American States
The Department of Human Development
The Organization of American States
1889 F Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006 USA
www.educoas.org
Program: OAS scholarships are awarded for fulltime study, or research, leading to a graduate or
undergraduate degree, in any OAS member state
except the one sponsoring the candidate for the
OAS scholarship.
Fulbright-mtvU Awards
Institution of International Education
us.fulbrightonline.org/fulbright-mtvu-awards
Program: Awards are available to conduct
research/outreach projects abroad for one
academic year
Rotary Youth Exchange
Ambassadorial Scholarships
Rotary Foundation
One Rotary Center, Educational Programs Dept.
1560 Sherman Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
www.rotary.org
Program: Short-term and long-term international
exchanges for young people ages 15-25
worldwide (exchange). Ambassadorial
scholarships award grants of US $26,000 for one
academic year of study in another country.
Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Guggenheim Fellowships
90 Park Ave
New York, NY 10016
www.gf.org
Program: Awards Guggenheim Fellowships to
facilitate research in any field of knowledge and
creation in any of the arts. Open to composers
and performers who create their own art.
Institute for the International Education of
Students
33 N. LaSalle Street, 15th Floor
Chicago, IL 60602-2602
www.iesabroad.org
Program: Offers scholarships for studying abroad.
International Federation of University Women
8
Trevor Snoad Award for Violists
The Martin Musical Scholarship Fund
76 Great Portland St
London W1N 6HA, UNITED KINGDOM
www.philharmonia.co.uk/orchestra/emerging/m
artin_musical_scholarship_fund/applications
Program: For promising postgrad violists; covers
tuition and fees while studying in UK or on
European continent. Age limit 25; preference
given to UK citizens.
The International Educator
www.tieonline.com
International Institute for Education
www.iie.org
USArtists International
Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation
201 N. Charles Street, Suite 401
Baltimore, MD 21201
www.midatlanticarts.org
Program: Grants are available to American music
ensembles and solo performers that have been
invited to participate in international festivals
anywhere in the world outside of the United
States.
International Salary Calculator
www.homefair.com/calc/intsalcalc.html
International Schools Services
Information on private schools
www.iss.edu
SIT Study Abroad
Arts, Cultural Expression, and Social Change
Programs
www.sit.edu/studyabroad
Wingate Scholarships
2nd Floor, 20-22 Stukeley Street
London, WC2B 5LR
www.wingatescholarships.org.uk
Program: Awards offered for independent
research in most subjects and/or for advanced
training in music (including study at an
institution). Up to three years of funding at
£10,000 max per year. Applicants must be age 24
or older, citizens of the UK, Ireland, Israel, or
citizens of Council of Europe member countries
who meet a UK residency requirement.
Study Abroad
www.studyabroad.com
Thunderbird International Resources
www.thunderbird.edu
US Peace Corps
www.peacecorps.gov
WorldTeach
www.worldteach.org
Websites for opportunities abroad:
Dept. of Defense Education Activity
www.dodea.edu
EduLink
www.acp-edulink.eu
Financial Aid Information
www.finaid.org
Grants for Individuals: Music
staff.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3subject.htm
Grants for Individuals and Organizations for
Research and Study Abroad
http://grants.library.wisc.edu
Int’l Association for Educational & Vocational
Guidance
www.iaevg.org
International Education Financial Aid
www.iefa.org
9
Reprinted with permission by Illinois Wesleyan
Grant Writing for Artists
Basic Principles
A grant proposal is a compelling case for why a particular funder should support your project.
There are three core factors that contribute to success in the realm of grant writing: aligning
priorities, clear and compelling writing, and establishing a track-record of success.
Aligning Priorities
The first step in the grant writing process is to gain clarity on the impact you want to make through
your project. What is the overarching goal of your project? What need or problem is it
addressing? Once you have clearly established your project’s goals, you can seek funders that share
your goals and are looking to support projects that will advance their mission. Think of foundations
as investors who want their money to influence change and make an impact in their areas of focus.
For example, if you want to create an after-school music program that utilizes music and as agent
for social change, you will direct your research to funders that have this mission articulated clearly
in their funding priorities and also have a history of making grants to similar projects. No matter
how well articulated your proposal is, or how innovative your programmatic approach may be, if
you are applying for a grant from a funder that does not share your priorities, you will most likely
not succeed.
Clear and Compelling Writing
Most grant proposals require extreme clarity and brevity. You may be asked to summarize your
project’s history in 250 words or less, or synthesize your project’s goals into two bullet points. It’s
crucial to use language that is precise and that clearly communicates the scope of your project to a
reader who will likely be encountering your work for the first time. Using terminology that is overly
specialized, making broad sweeping statements about the rationale of your project, or making
assumptions about the reader’s knowledge of your discipline can greatly hurt your chances of
securing a grant, even if your priorities are well aligned. While building a clear body of language
about your project can be slow and challenging, it will serve you well for future grant proposals and
other deliverables, such as content on your website, presentations, promotional materials, etc.
When you are starting out, don’t go it at it alone. Enlist the help of a friend, family member or
colleague whose writing and skill as an editor you appreciate. Ideally, you should enlist the help of
someone who knows very little about your discipline or project and can give you an honest
appraisal of whether someone who is reading about your work for the first time will walk away
with a clear picture of your project’s activities and goals.
Building a Track Record
Simply put, funding begets funding. It can be hard to secure your first grant, but once a funder has
invested in your project, it becomes exponentially easier to secure additional funding. Funders like
to see that your project has received other ‘votes of confidence’ and that the success of your project
290 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 | (617) 585-1118 | [email protected] | necmusic.edu/em
doesn’t rise and fall with one source of funding. You can begin to build this track record while you
are a student, by applying for university-based grants, or summer fellowships. These small-level
grants early in your career can go a long way in convincing a funder that you are driven,
accountable, and quickly building a track-record of success.
Who Gives Grants: The Landscape
Before you begin researching grants for your project, it’s important to understand the basic
landscape of grant-based fundraising—most importantly, which bodies give grants, and what basic
eligibility requirements you will need to be aware of. Below you will find information about two
primary grant-giving bodies: foundations and government agencies. You will also find crucial
information about eligibility requirements and some helpful organizations and resources that help
artists navigate the process of applying for grants and soliciting tax-deductible donations from
individuals.
Foundations. A foundation is a nonprofit corporation or a charitable trust, with the principal
purpose of making grants to unrelated organizations, institutions, or individuals for scientific,
educational, cultural, religious, or other charitable purposes. There are two primary types of
foundations: private foundations and grant making public charities. A private foundation derives its
money from a family, an individual, or a corporation. Examples of private foundations include: the
Ford Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and The Righteous Persons Foundation
(Spielberg). Public charities generally derive their funding or support primarily from the general
public, receiving funding from individuals, government, and private foundations. Examples of grant
making public charities include: The United Way, Ms. Foundation for Women, and The Mayo
Foundation. In addition, many non-profit organizations, such as universities, arts presenters and
agencies, have small grant-making programs, even if their primary mission is programmatic or
educational.
Government. There are many grant programs that are administered by government agencies at the
municipal, state and federal level. Examples include National Endowment for the Arts (Federal),
Mass Cultural Council (State) or Boston Cultural Council (Municipal).
Who Gets Grants: Basic Eligibility Requirements. While some foundations and government
agencies have grants that are tailored for/open to individual artists, the vast majority of grants
require non-profit 501(c)(3) status. This eligibility requirement used to be a considerable barrier
that cut artists off from a large pool of funding. Today, through organizations such as Fractured
Atlas (www.fracturedatlas.org), artists can apply for fiscal sponsorship, enabling them to qualify
for grants and solicit tax-deductible donations from individual donors.
Fiscal Sponsorship. Fiscal Sponsorship is a financial and legal system by which a legally recognized
501(c)(3) public charity (such as Fractured Atlas) provides limited financial and legal oversight for
a project initiated independently by an artist. That "project" might be a one-time project or an
independent artist or even an arts organization that does not have its own 501(c)(3) status. Once
sponsored in this way, the project is eligible to solicit and receive grants and tax-deductible
contributions that are normally available only to 501(c)(3) organizations. Many non-profit
organizations may be willing to provide fiscal sponsorship to an artist or project that aligns with
their mission, but working in tandem with Fractured Atlas provides many benefits. In addition to
fiscal sponsorship, Fractured Atlas provides fundraising tools and resources and has a
knowledgeable staff to help you navigate the ins and outs of operating as a fiscally sponsored artist,
2
project or organization. You can learn more, by visiting: www.fracturedatlas.org/site/fiscal.
Research Funding Opportunities
General Literacy
Students often ask how they can begin building skills in the area of grant-based fundraising before
they are actually ready to execute an independent project. Below are a few easy steps you can take
to increase your grant literacy so that when you are ready to begin your research, you are starting
with a solid foundation.
Step #1: Increase your general literacy by taking notice of which foundations and government
organizations fund artists in your discipline. When you are on an artist’s website, click on the
‘supporters’ tab and copy and paste the list into a running document.
Step #2: Sign-up for free e-newsletters that include information about art-based funding or grant
opportunities in your discipline. When you receive the emails, skim them quickly and mine
information that may be relevant to your discipline.
Step #3: When you are at concerts, flip to the back of the program and look at the logos of funders
who have supported the artist, ensemble or particular concert series. Circle relevant names and file
the program, or keep a running Google doc with the names and links.
Free Resources for Grant Research
Below are several excellent and free resources that will connect you with information about
potential grant opportunities:
•
•
•
•
•
Foundation Directory Online, foundationcenter.org: one of the most comprehensive
funding research tools that includes foundation profiles, application guidelines, 990 filings,
and more. FDO is an expensive subscription service, but it can be accessed online for free at
the central branch of the Boston Public Library in the Social Sciences Department (700
Boylston St., Boston MA). All you need is a valid library card to use the electronic service.
NOZA, www.nozasearch.com: Free database of foundation grants. NOZA also includes
information on private donors and corporate grant programs, but this information is only
accessible to paid subscribers.
Grants.gov is the official government site for information on federal grants and funding.
Managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The site offers a database of
more than 1,000 grant programs administered by 26 federal grant making agencies,
searchable by agency, category, eligibility or CFDA number. Users can also browse listings of
grant opportunities by agency or category.
New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), www.nyfa.org: NYFA lists a wide range of
artist grants, residencies, fellowships, and student scholarships across the US.
NEA Listing of State and Regional Arts Agencies, www.nea.gov/partner/state: The
National Endowment for the Arts has a comprehensive list of state and regional arts
agencies (with links and contact information) that have grant making programs.
3
•
•
•
•
Bridge: Worldwide Music Connection, www.necmusic.edu/bridge: A free service for
NEC students and alumni (and students at institutions that license the service - check with
your library or career service center to see if you can gain free access), includes over 3000
listings of opportunities of music. There is an entire section dedicated to grants and
fellowships. You can also sign up for a bi-monthly newsletter that will include grant
opportunities relevant to your discipline.
Michigan State University, staff.lib.msu.edu/harris23/grants/3subject.htm: MSU
Libraries has a fantastic compilation of grants for individuals, broken down by discipline
area. This information is free and accessible to non MSU students and is a great jumping off
point for individual artists looking for funding that does not require fiscal sponsorship for
501(c)(3) status.
American Composers Forum, http://composersforum.org: specifically tailored to
composers, this website includes an excellent listing of upcoming opportunities, including
grants, commissions and fellowships.
Guidestar, www.guidestar.org: provides free access to tax filings and other basic
information about foundations around the country. This is a helpful resource when trying to
decide your ask amount—you can get a sense of the capacity and the range of grants that a
foundation generally awards. You can clearly see which other artists, projects and
organizations have received funding in the previous year.
Close Attention to Guidelines, Deadlines and Other Published Information
As you are reviewing possible grant opportunities, it is important to closely review the published
guidelines and check for your eligibility. Below is a basic list of eligibility requirements to be aware
of:
• Tax exempt status (organizations and projects)
• Nationality (individuals)
• Geographic location or focus
• Funding priorities
• Stage of project, organization or career
• Size of organization or project (annual budget, size of staff, etc.)
• Affiliations or memberships
As you identify potential grant opportunities, slot all of the relevant information into a table like the
one shown below:
Funder
Priorities
Meyer
Arts
Foundation Education,
for the Arts promotion of
classical
music in
public schools
Application Process
Deadlines
Grant Range
Letter of inquiry required,
visit meyerartsfun.org for
guidelines
Letter of
$5000inquiry due on $10,000
January 15.
Full proposal
request by
March 15.
Notes
Have funded
ClassicKids
and Strings
for All
projects in
Boston, MA.
4
Basic Grant Architecture: Mapping Your Project
Most grant makers will either provide an organization specific application form, or ask that you
complete the Associated Grant Makers common proposal, which can be downloaded here:
www.agmconnect.org/cpf. Below you will find the basic sections that you will most often find in
applications, along with prompts to give you a sense of what information should be provided:
Project Overview:
•
•
•
•
Description of the project you plan to undertake
Succinct rationale for your project: what conditions, ideas, challenges and research have
informed the shape of your project?
Clear articulation of your target audience or community services: who will be involved with
and/or impacted by your project?
Information about your collaborators and partners. Include details of your collaborators’
backgrounds and credentials (short bios can work well) and explain the nature and level of
their participation.
Goals and Outcomes:
•
•
Goals, which should be few in number, capture the overarching vision for the impact of your
work.
Outcomes are the finite, quantifiable results of your project (e.g. a recording, new curricula,
etc.)
Evaluation and Sustainability:
•
•
What criteria will you use to measure the success and impact of your project?
How will you continue to grow/sustain the project after the course of the grant?
Budget/Additional Funding Sources:
•
•
•
A detailed budget that includes all of the expenses associated with your project. Do your
homework and build a realistic a budget (e.g. investigate how much it will cost to rent
equipment or the cost of a specific venue).
How will you use the funding you are requesting? Give a clear picture of how the funding
will be allocated and what impact it will make on the health of the project.
Who else has supported you? Many funders will want to see a track record of success, or at
the very least, an indication that you are pursuing multiple sources of funding.
Appendices:
•
Evidence of tax-exempt status, supporting documents, letters of recommendation, reviews,
full length bios, etc. Keep this sparse but high quality.
5
Reprinted with permission by Illinois Wesleyan
Fulbright Application Procedure
What is a U.S. Student Fulbright Grant?
"Fostering leadership, learning and empathy between cultures was and remains the purpose
of the international scholarship program." – Senator J. William Fulbright
Sponsored by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs, the Fulbright Program provides funding for students, scholars, teachers, and
professionals to undertake graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and
teaching in elementary and secondary schools. A Fulbright grant:
•
•
•
Allows for individually designed study or research projects or an English Teaching
Assistantship
Provides support for study, research and teaching in a single country (for exceptions, see
World Region Summaries)
Facilitates cultural exchange and promotes mutual understanding.
Who Can Apply for a U.S. Student Fulbright Grant?
•
•
•
•
Recent BA/BS graduates: Graduating seniors and recent bachelor degree
recipients usually propose projects that reflect the focus of their undergraduate
studies or outside work/research.
Master's and doctoral candidates: Will demonstrate capacity for independent
study or research, together with a general knowledge of the history, culture, and
current events of the countries to which they are applying.
Young professionals: this includes writers, journalists, and those in law, business,
and other professional fields.
Artists and musicians: Applicants without a Bachelor’s degree may substitute at
least four years of professional training or experience.
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program has a preference for candidates who have not had recent
extensive experience abroad (excluding recent undergraduate study abroad), especially in the
country of application.
290 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 | (617) 585-1118 | [email protected] | necmusic.edu/em
When, and for how long is the Grant Awarded?
Grant lengths and dates vary by country. Please consult the Country Summaries for specifics. In
general, grants for 2016-2017:
•
•
•
Are one academic year in length—between 9 and 12 months
Begin no sooner than July 2016 and no later than March 2017
Correspond to the academic calendars abroad
Requirements for attendance at orientation programs and/or institutional affiliations are
also contained in the World Region or Country Summaries. Before considering a year of
study with a teacher you do not know, you may want to arrange to travel to the country
(between semesters, on vacation, etc.) and have several lessons with any prospective
teachers. You want to find a good match.
How Do I Apply?
Each school has its own procedure for sponsoring Fulbright candidates. Consult with your
career and/or student services departments to get detailed information about the process
and timeline. Obtaining sponsorship from a college or university can help strengthen your
application. Below is an overview of the general steps involved in preparing your Fulbright
application.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Step 1: Determine which country(s), schools, and teacher(s) you would like to
consider.
Step 2: Down load the online application form at: http://us.fulbrightonline.org. Check the
language requirements for the specific country that you’re interested in. You may need to
take language classes and/or hire a tutor in order to pass the language requirement.
Step 3: Contact your list of possible teachers to say you are interested in studying
with them and would like to audition by CD or in person. Be certain to check your
specific country’s institutional affiliation requirements.
Step 4: Once you have secured a teacher, ask for a letter of recommendation for the
Fulbright grant or other scholarships. All letters of recommendation must be
completed online. See the Fulbright website for detailed information.
Step 5: Begin planning and making your demo video according to the guidelines on
the Fulbright website. Choose your repertoire carefully after consulting
requirements on the Fulbright website. Make sure your best samples are first.
Step 6: Finalize your written application materials, including: (1) statement of grant
purpose, (2) personal statement, and (3) your resume or curriculum vitae.
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After You Have Applied
1. Candidates who advance from Stage 1 will be notified by January 31, 2016. NOTE:
advancing to Stage 2 does NOT guarantee that you will be awarded the grant.
2. Between January – June, host countries will evaluate recommended candidates.
3. By mid-May, candidates will receive notification of their status as: selected,
alternate or non-selected
The Fulbright application is a lot of work and is very competitive. At least 1.5 – 2 times
more candidates eligible to fill Fulbright positions are recommended to each host country
than can actually be accepted. It is likely worth your while to apply for other grants as well
(you can easily revise your application materials for other applications). The more grants
you apply to, the more chances you have to find funding. There are several grant programs
that cover study in many countries: Fulbright, Rotary, and the Frank Huntington Beebe
grant for music study in Europe. Additionally, there are grants for study in specific
countries, such as the Harriet Hale Wooley grant in support of music and art studies in
Paris.
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Reprinted with permission by Illinois Wesleyan
DIY Radio Promotion
Overview
Radio promotion includes a wide range of activities and strategies, which can make it a confusing
process to navigate alone. This handout will focus on how to get your music played on the radio, but
it is worth noting that there many ways to get radio exposure: interviews, special-interest stories,
event-promos and more. If you are interested in pursuing this kind of exposure, refer to our
handout on Publicity for Musicians, which includes a section on radio announcements and
promotional coverage.
Before we delve into strategy, it’s important to understand the differences between radio formats:
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Commercial Radio: This category includes large, for-profit stations that show up on your
AM/FM dial and are typically owned by private media groups. They derive the majority of
their revenue from advertising and use the billboard charts to program their playlists.
College Radio: This category includes radio stations that are supported by universities and
primarily run by students. These stations are generally small, but can have a sizable
following, especially in communities where the university is a prominent part of the city
fabric.
Non-Profit and Community Radio: This category includes public (e.g. NPR affiliates) and
small community stations. NPR stations air a mix of nationally syndicated and locally
developed programs. Community stations don’t have national affiliates and therefore have
more flexibility with their programming.
Satellite Radio: This platform broadcasts radio from satellites, primarily to cars, for a
subscription fee. The largest satellite radio provider is currently Sirius XM, which offers a
huge variety of stations, each with a unique programmatic focus.
Internet Radio/Podcasts: The Internet has become a hugely popular platform for radio,
and involves several formats. The first is online streaming of traditional terrestrial radio
(e.g. listening to your local NPR station via your phone or computer). The second is original
radio content that is streamed exclusively online (see more in Internet Radio section). The
third is services like Pandora and Last FM, which offer tailored music recommendations
based on a set of criteria that the listener establishes.
When Does a Radio Campaign Make Sense?
Most artists pursue a radio campaign to support the release of a new album and/or tour. Getting
airplay can help spread your music to new fans, build excitement for local and national concerts,
and increase your album sales. The first step is to create a set of flexible goals for your campaign so
290 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 | (617) 585-1118 | [email protected] | necmusic.edu/em
that you can build a focused strategy. If your primary goal is to sell more tickets for a tour, you’ll
want to target stations that attract your target audience in the areas where you’ll be performing.
Securing on-air interviews or promotional spots is also a great way to generate exposure, interest
and audience for local shows. If you’re looking to establish yourself in a new community, it may
make more sense to build relationships with a few influential professionals in the market who can
help push your music to local fans. Generally speaking, it’s best to invest in a radio campaign as
soon as possible after the release of a new album or project (1-3 months out), to capitalize on the
‘newness’ of your news.
Should I Hire a Radio Promoter?
Another important question to consider if you are interested in building a radio campaign for your
ensemble or newly released album is what you can reasonably accomplish alone vs. what a radio
promoter may be able to achieve on your behalf.
A good radio promoter will understand the ins-and-outs of commercial, non-profit and college
radio and have strong working relationships with DJs and program directors across the country.
There is no doubt that a well-connected, seasoned radio promoter will greatly increase the chances
of your music making it into the right hands. Of course, that doesn’t always translate into airplay,
but it can certainly help you cut through the noise. The price-tag for a radio promoter is also highly
variable – you can expect to pay anywhere from $1500-$6000 for 3-12 weeks of work.
As with all things, it’s important to do your research and ask for recommendations. If you have
colleagues or friends who have run successful radio campaigns, ask them who they worked with
and what kind of goals and/or deliverables they established at the outset. Look primarily for
promoters who have worked with artists in your genre—they will have relationships with
appropriate DJs and directors—and have a work/communication style that most compliments
yours.
The Do-it-Yourself Radio Campaign
If you are just starting out and don’t have the money to invest in a professional radio promoter,
there is still a lot you can accomplish alone. Building relationships with area DJs and program
directors can serve you well into the future—even if you do, at some point, hand over this work to
someone else. Below are a few steps you can take now to expand your network and learn more
about the radio community:
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Listen to programs and stations that you want to target. Regularly listening to programs and
stations that air music in your genre will introduce you to key radio personalities, the range
of music that is aired, and influential artists in your community. This information will help
you be more strategic and effective in your outreach to stations.
Join the Conversation. If getting directly involved is not possible, there are many ways to
learn about and connect to the local radio scene. Many local DJs and radio programmers
have robust online presences—either via blogs, Twitter or Facebook. Follow their content,
respond, and share the hidden gems you’ve discovered. Radio professionals got into the
business because they are artists and/or love music—they like discovering new music and
connecting with local artists. You’ll be surprised how easy it can be to connect with these
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professionals and start building a meaningful relationship that will serve you both
personally and professionally.
Learn the Ropes. Many commercial and non-profit radio stations have long-standing intern
and fellowship programs, which you can participate in for class credit. If your college has a
radio station—get involved! There’s no better way to learn the ins-and-outs of radio than by
contributing as a student DJ, intern, or work-study student. This not only gives you a clear
behind-the-scenes look at how a radio program and/or station is run, it helps you build
contacts that can support your future efforts in radio promotion.
The previous two bullets describe ongoing, best-practices that can help set you up for success
when you’re ready to pound the pavement. Below are strategies for launching a targeted radio
campaign:
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Develop a Targeted List of Contacts. If you are able to get directly involved in the radio scene,
either as an active participant or observer, you should keep a running list of individuals and
stations you interact with—a roster to use when you’re ready to release a new artistic
project. If you don’t yet have a list, you can create one by researching college, community,
and public stations that are appropriate for your genre. In addition to the station names, it’s
crucial to find the contact information for the person who is responsible for curating the
show that would most likely air your music.
Your Promotional Package. Once you have a targeted list, pull together material for a
promotional package that you can send either via mail or email. Although so much of our
world now exists online, many DJs and program directors report that they prefer to get a
physical CD rather than an electronic press kit. Mp3 files can easily get lost in the shuffle,
mis-categorized or simply deleted. If possible, send your materials in both formats so that
you cover all your bases. Your promotional package should be fairly lean—it should include
your album and an artist one-sheet. (See our Promo Kits handout for more information on
creating an effective one-sheet.) Be targeted in your efforts, but also try to cast a fairly wide
net (up to 100-200 mailings) to increase the chances of your material getting noticed.
Follow-Up and Keep in Touch. There’s no shame in following up to see if a DJ or program
director received and/or had the chance to listen to the album you sent. In most cases, the
program director will be responsible for ultimate selections and also the most responsive to
inquires. An exception to this rule is if you are targeting a DJ with a popular show in your
genre. The key is to be brief, honest, and enthusiastic—introduce who you are, briefly state
that you’re following up on the album that you sent in, and solicit their thoughts. Many radio
professionals will appreciate the time and care you took to reach out, and it may come as a
welcome reminder to take a first or second look at your album. You may find that calling is
more effective if you have already sent an email—inboxes get unruly quickly, and it may not
the best mode of communication for a particular staffer. If you get a DJ on the phone, and
they sound annoyed that you’ve called, just thank them for their time and consideration and
end it there. No harm done. If a DJ does play your music on his/her program, be sure to
follow-up with a thank you and give their station a shout-out in return on your website,
social media platforms or mailing list. Ask the DJ if he/she would mind being added to your
mailing list so that you can keep him/her up-to-date on new creative projects.
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Share the News With Your Fans. Most radio stations have online and social media presences.
Leverage your airplay by interacting with the station through social media. If a station posts
an update about your album, share it. If you’re letting fans know that they can hear you on X
station, tag the station in your post. The more connectivity you can create between you and
a given station, the better. Just like you, radio stations big and small are looking to increase
their listenership—you can to return the favor by introducing fans to their work.
Internet Radio
Internet radio is rapidly growing in popularity. Obtaining significant airplay on these radio formats
is less complicated (and costly) than the commercial campaigns that once ruled the day.
There are many platforms that allow listeners to access original content that is exclusively created
for and available on the Internet. For example, Shoutcast and Live365 have large listings of Internet
radio stations. You can find an Internet radio station that focuses on your genre and reach out to the
program director with your EPK (electronic press kit). These radio stations are not geographically
segmented and therefore are better suited for general promotion, an album release, or a national
tour.
Another option is to pursue airplay through services such as Pandora, which offer tailored
recommendations to individual listeners. There is generally an online submission form to facilitate
this process. However, not all music that is submitted to these platforms is automatically
accepted—there are curators that approve or reject your submissions. Generally speaking, online
radio curators are looking for artists who already have some visibility (they consult blogs, local
show listings, traditional radio, album sales/downloads, social media, etc.) and/or have new music
that compliments their collection.
There has also been much debate about the disparity between royalty payments from airplay on
Internet radio platforms and terrestrial radio stations. While the promotional benefits of having
your music played on the radio are clear, it’s also important to understand the royalty
compensation structure and build realistic expectations for how much you can expect to get paid
from radio airplay. If you are pursuing radio play (online or terrestrial), be sure to create an
account with Soundexchange to collect royalties for music that is played online.
What is Charting and How Does it Work?
One undeniable benefit of a successful large-scale radio campaign is the possibility of “charting” –
getting enough airplay in a given period of time to garner a spot on the major radio charts. (e.g.
Billboard and Mediabase). In addition to the large exposure you will receive from the airplay itself,
being listed on one of the major radio charts puts your name in front of millions fans and the most
influential industry professionals.
Billboard publishes a host of charts that are individually or collectively based on key fan
interactions with music, including album sales and downloads, track downloads, radio airplay and
touring as well as streaming and social interactions on Facebook, Twitter, Vevo, Youtube, Spotify
and other popular online destinations for music. These measurements are tracked year-round by
Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen BDS, Nielsen SoundScan and Next Big Sound. To
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learn more about the type and volume of data that is collected to produce the Billboard charts, visit
their legend here.
The likelihood of getting sustained, high-volume airplay on a commercial station—which could
result in charting—is relatively remote without the backing of a major label or the help of a
seasoned radio promoter. However, there are some independent and genre-specific charts that
could be within reach (e.g. The Deli Magazine; College Music Journal). While it’s important to
understand how charting works—at least in broad strokes—there are many other ways an
independent artist can seek out radio play and gain exposure through influential local, non-profit
and college stations.
Additional Resources
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Getting Radio Airplay: Tips from the Experts - a guide to radio promotion and charting
produced by CDBaby
Charting the Course: A Radio Promo Discussion – Music ThinkTank’s seven-part interview
series on radio promotion with leading professionals in the industry
How to Get Your Music Into Pandora Internet Radio by Michael Zapruder, Music Curator for
Pandora
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Ask for advice. Start by making appointments with people who have shown interest in your work,
or individuals in the community who support similar artists or projects. Ask to meet them for coffee
to share information about your project and seek their advice about possible collaborators or
supporters. Your meeting should be fairly informal, but it’s a good idea to bring materials that
outline what you’re setting out to do (e.g. an album proposal, a program overview, a timeline, a
budget, etc.). This is the first step in cultivating a relationship and creating buy-in for your project.
Follow up with a thank you note after the meeting and reach out every few months to share an
update on your latest accomplishments.
People give money to people. Start with the people you know: your extended family, your family
doctor, dentist, lawyer, your local Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions club members, your first music teachers,
your neighbors, your parents’ business associates. You have a large circle of people who feel
connected to you and who would take pride and pleasure in contributing to your success. If your
campaign involves reaching out to people you don’t know personally (e.g. an online campaign or an
organization campaign), craft an appeal that delivers a sense of who you are and/or who is being
impacted by your project.
Tell stories that demonstrate involvement or impact. It’s hard to get a donor excited about the
day-to-day needs of a project or organization, even if the funds you are soliciting will support the
general operating budget. Instead, donors want to connect to the mission, activities and impact of
your project. The best way to share these points memorably is through stories—concrete, relatable,
moving or humorous anecdotes that demonstrate how your project is impacting individuals and
communities. Think about what prompted you to start the project, or a moment when you felt
deeply inspired by the outcomes. Share these pivotal moments to help the donor connect
personally to the work you’re doing.
Articulate what the money will help to accomplish. It’s important to be as concrete as possible
about what the money will help you accomplish. No matter the amount, let the donor know what
the money will be used for—a scholarship for a student to participate in your summer program, an
additional concert in your series, renting equipment for a special production, etc. You should also
be ready to share general financial information, such as your overall project budget, the breakdown
of programmatic and administrative costs, and the total amount of money you need to raise.
Right person, right reason, right time, right amount. Do your homework to find out who is
giving to projects that fall in your area, and if possible, what their average gift is. This will help you
assess whether a donor is right person for your project, and what a reasonable “ask” would be.
Timing is also important—you don’t want to make an ask during your first conversation. In all
likelihood, the cues and responses you receive from a potential donor will give you a sense of when
they are ready to have a conversation about making a gift. They may ask how they can help, or what
you most need to be successful in the coming year. They may begin to give you advice, or talk about
how your work connects with projects that they are passionate about. They may express the desire
to see your project in action, or connect with other stake-holders. These are all signs that a
potential donor is invested and would be open to a conversation about giving.
You can’t say thank you too many times. Acknowledge all contributors whenever and wherever
possible. Besides saying it and writing thank you notes, put their names in the programs, on the CD,
on the posters, on your website, announce them at the concert and reception, etc. Your
appreciation is a big part of the return on their investment. You might also want to arrange for
private “salon” performances for your patrons — they are, after all, music lovers.
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Think beyond cash. You can also pursue in-kind donations (services or goods) that will help offset
your costs and build awareness about your work. For example: securing a recital hall rent-free
through your connections with a religious institution, museum, school, or community center; free
advertising or an event preview in a print or online publication; sponsorship from a local business
in exchange for advertising on your promotional materials; free print services for concert posters
and programs. You could explore the possibility of partnering with a local college radio station to
record and broadcast your concert. Other possible in-kind donations include chair and table rentals,
lighting, and refreshments for the reception.
Don’t say no for other people—be bold. At times, your own discomfort will hold you back from
reaching out to a potential donor, or making a new connection with someone who can help your
project. It’s easy to say no for other people—it protects you from rejection. If you are honest,
respectful and clear, the worst possible outcome is getting a polite “no thank you.” The more
practice you get, the easier it will be to make these kinds of connections—so be bold!
House Concerts and Fundraising Events
Relationships are built through ongoing one-on-one interactions and shared activities. A great way
to do both is organize a house concert, hosted by a donor or friend who is willing to introduce you
to people who might also be interested in your work. This helps you broaden your network, make
new connections and deepen your relationship with the host. In this kind of intimate setting, you
can share your art, your ideas, and build rapport with key figures in the community. These kinds of
events can be easier to organize than you think—do a scan of your mentors, teachers, and family
friends to assess if any have a home that would be suitable. Hosting a house concert is also a
relatively easy way for a donor or advocate to support your project—it’s not costly and it’s a nice
way to bring friends together.
Below are a few basic tips for organizing and maximizing a house concert:
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Have resources on hand—an album or a one-sheet—that audience members can take away
with them.
Deliver remarks before, during and after the concert, that provide information about your
project and what the audience will hear.
Work with the host to choose an appropriate program length and atmosphere for their
guests.
Collect business cards and follow-up with new contacts within a couple days of the concert.
Language to Use
It can be hard to strike the right tone in an email to a potential donor. Below is a sample email that
you might send as an initial request for a meeting.
Dear Jane,
I hope this email finds you and your family well. It was wonderful to see you last summer at the
Tanglewood new music concert—I hope you enjoyed the performance and your time in beautiful
Lenox. I am back at New England Conservatory this fall and am looking forward to a great last year.
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I’m reaching out because I would love to pick your brain about a new project that I am developing.
Through my involvement with the Community Performances and Partnerships Program last year, I
had the opportunity to perform in diverse settings in the Haitian community of Hyde Park and I was
blown-away by their enthusiasm and hunger for classical music. This inspired me to create Viva, a
project that will commission 3 Haitian-American composers to write new music for my string quartet,
which will be performed at local schools, libraries and community centers in Hyde Park. As a long-time
educator and supporter of the arts, I would love to hear your ideas and feedback about this project. At
this stage, I am looking for new connections, ideas and collaborators to deepen the impact of this
project. Attached, you will find some basic information about the project history, goals, and leaders.
I would be happy to meet whenever it might be convenient for you. Please let me know what might
work for you in the next several weeks.
Thanks and looking forward,
Sam
Additional Resources
Links about Fundraising, Philanthropy & Foundations:
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The Foundation Center: www.fdncenter.org
Council of Foundations: www.cof.org
Philanthropy Journal Online: www.philanthropyjournal.org
The Chronicle of Philanthropy: www.philanthropy.com
Fundraising Professionals: www.nsfre.org
Alliance for Nonprofit Management: www.allianceonline.org
ARNOVA: www.arnova.org
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