By Mark Stoddard, author of Marketing Singers, a business and marketing guidebook written specifically for singers.
*Note: This is Part 2 of a two part post. You can also read Part 1.
Last time I provided information about the reality music schools are facing. Simply put, university tuitions have risen dramatically in part because so many students can afford to attend higher education due to easy money in the way of student loans and grants. Demand is greater than the supply allowing the supplier to boost prices.
But what goes up may come down hard on the students. As usually happens, legislators will feel another pinch and pull back on easy student loans, putting a cap on the amount of subsidies a student can receive. When that happens, the number of available students with money will shrink and universities will scramble to find ways to get students – including lowering tuition. Budgets will contract and some schools will close.
So . . . what must universities, students, singers and vocal teachers do?
Here are some very abbreviated courses of action each much take:
Universities
Become more relevant by teaching singers not only great techniques but practical ways singers can get jobs. Start thinking like most university departments do – placement in jobs makes a university become attractive to consumers (students) so they can justify what they’re paying for their education. Julliard has a great program like this at Snow College in Utah as well as other locations. I mention Snow College because it is a small school stuck in the middle of nowhere (Ephriam, Utah – you can’t get there from here). If Julliard sees the need for music students to get business and marketing training, maybe they have a reason.
Students
Demand your music school include a healthy dose of marketing, advertising and business classes related directly to helping singers and musicians become professional (paid) musicians. And if they don’t, go sign up for the classes on your own. It’s your future.
Singers
If you’re making money singing, go to your favorite music school and volunteer to advise musical students. If you’re not making money singing, read books on this subject, and get professional advice. You’ve paid too much to leave singing as a hobby. Your talent is too great to hide under a bushel. Many singing jobs are available right now if you know how to find them. I’ll plug my book, Marketing Singers, but Carol Kirkpatrick, Cindy Sadler and many other singing/marketing experts can be found in Classical Singer magazine’s resources.
Vocal Teachers
Become more relevant by including help to your serious vocal students on how they can find auditions, competitions and schools that teach singers to be professionals. Share with singers practical ways they can find jobs. There are plenty of resources at Classical Singer magazine to help you with all of these matters.
As universities and singers pay attention to the market place, they will become more relevant and find ways to share their great talent performing wonderful music with the paying public. People will pay for quality.
Mark Stoddard, author of Marketings Singers, is a business leader, professor, marketer and consultant who has been helping singers get jobs for more than 20 years. On the singing front he staged more than 100 professional shows aboard cruise ships that employed classical singers, pianists and strings. He’s also coached singers on how to sell their CDs and other products, use the social media and how to negotiate contracts. Email Mark at mark@mjstoddard.com.
