from The Savvy Musician by David Cutler (Helius Press) Opportunity Brainstorm (Appendix A) HANDOUT #3 Opportunity Brainstorm The following brainstorm not only demonstrates the vast amount of music opportunities available, but can also serve as a launching pad for exploration. If an opportunity catches your imagination, use the Internet, your network of contacts, and other available resources to investigate further. Ensembles Ballet orchestras Barbershop quartets Big bands Brass bands Broadway touring companies Classical chamber Chamber choirs Circus bands Concert choirs Church choirs Church orchestra Community theater groups Contemporary music Freelance Performance Alumni associations Anniversary parties Art councils Association meetings Audition accompanist (pianists) Awards banquets Baby showers Bar/bat mitzvahs Bars Cruise ship bands Dance bands Early music Educational groups Festival orchestras Festival choirs Folk groups Gospel choirs Jazz combos Jazz choirs Light opera companies Light opera orchestra Marching bands Military bands Military choirs Military jazz groups Bachelor(ette) parties Background music Banquets Baptisms Barbeques Benefits Birthdays Block parties Bookstores Business luncheon Busking (street musician) Military orchestras Musical theater companies Musical theater pit orchestras Opera companies Opera orchestras Performance art Pop groups Symphony orchestras Touring Wedding bands Wind World music Cabarets Ceremonies Church gig Circuses Chamber music societies Christmas parties Club dates Clubs (Rotary, Elks, etc.) College events Comedy shows Community events
Company picnics Concert series Concerto soloist Conferences Corporate engagements Country clubs Cruise ship work Dance class accompanist Demonstrations Dorm events Educational concerts Educational residencies Embassies Ensemble member Ensemble sub Expositions Fairs Fashion shows Festivals Fraternities & sororities Fundraisers Funerals Grand openings Guest artist Graduation ceremonies Graduation parties Historical associations Hobby related events Performance Venues Amusement parks Antique galleries Aquariums Art galleries Holiday parties Hospital events House concerts Hotels Instrumental accompanist Jam sessions Memorial services Military events Museum events Music conferences Music festivals New Year s Eve parties Office parties Opening acts Pageants Parades Parties Performing on TV Picnics Political conventions Radio concerts Rallies Rehearsal pianist Rehearsal dinners Religious ceremonies Resorts Restaurants Retreats Reunions Revivals Ringer Romantic dinners Atriums Auditoriums Bars Backyards Barns School events Silent film accompanist Sing- alongs Singing telegrams Singles events Social dances Strolling violins Summer camps Surprise parties Studio work jingles Studio work movies Studio work radio Studio work television Studio work record dates Temple gigs Theatrical incidental music Touring shows Trade shows University events Variety shows Vocal accompanist (pianists) Yacht clubs Wedding ceremonies Wedding receptions Wedding showers Beach Bed and breakfasts Botanical gardens Bookstores Cafés 2
Cafeterias Carnivals Casinos Churches Colleges/ community colleges Comedy clubs Concert halls Convention centers Country clubs Cruise ships Clubs Department stores Discotheques Embassies Exhibits Factories Fairs Farmer s markets Firehouses Fitness centers Food courts Golf courses Grocery stores Historical properties Homes Hospitals Hotels/motels Libraries Malls Military bases Music stores Museums National parks Night clubs Nursing homes Open air theaters Opera houses Orphanages Outdoor bandstands Parks Prisons Private schools Public schools Radio stations Resorts Restaurants Retirement communities Rooftops Schools Sports stadiums Stadiums Staircases Subway stations Supermarkets Synagogues Temples Tents Theaters Town squares Universities Warehouses Wineries Yacht club Zoos Composing Opportunities Arrangements Ballets books on tape Children s books with CDs Ceremonial music Commercials Commissions as gifts Commissions by artists in other disciplines Commissions by individual musicians Commissions by musical Community Competitions Concert music Copy work Cruise ship shows Dance Daytime television Documentary scores Educational Film scores Incidental music Industrial videos Internet greeting cards Jingles Method books Music for beginners Musicals Online greeting cards Opera Operettas Professional 3
Radio themes Recordings Regional Re- orchestrations Ring tones Teaching Subjects Accompanying Arranging Choral Composition Conducting Ear training Ensembles Eurhythmics General music Guitar class Improvisation Sacred music Songs Television scores Theme songs Theater music Toys playing music Instrumental lessons Keyboard class Kodaly Music appreciation Music business Music education/ pedagogy Music entrepreneurship Music history Music literature Music technology Transcriptions Video game music Website music Wedding music Music theory Music therapy Notation Orchestration Orff Percussion Score reading Sequencing Strings/orchestra Suzuki Winds/band Vocal lessons Teaching Opportunities Adult/continuing ed. Adjunct college teaching After school programs Band/orchestra /choir assistant College/university professor Community college teaching Community groups Daycare music instructor Drum corps assistant Education dept. of orchestra Educational residencies/worksh ops Festival adjudicator Instructional videos Kindermusik Music teaching assistant Public school- elementary- high school Pre- school/ kindergarten Private lessons community program Private lessons music store Private lessons school music program Private school (K- 12) Private studio Settings for social change Special needs kids Substitute music teaching Summer camps Summer festivals Teaching artist Tutoring Vocal coach Workshops 4
Writing Opportunities Blogging CD liner notes Children s books (music themes) Educational books How- to books Instructional books Journal articles Magazine music journalist Museum notes on music exhibits Musician biographies News releases/publicity Newsletters for musicians Newspaper music journalist Novels about music/musicians Online articles Program notes Reviews of performances Reviews of recordings Scholarly text Textbooks Music Related Jobs A&R administrators A&R scout Accompanist Accountant for musicians Arranger Artist manager Audio technician Booking agent Cantor Competition judge Concert producer Concert promoter Conductor Contractor Copyist DJ/announcer Director of publicity Entertainment attorney Grant writer Instrument builder Instrument restorer Instrument technician Instrumental performer Lyricist Mastering engineer Minister of music Music author Music critic Music documentary maker Music editor Music journalist Music librarian Music program director Music retail sales manager Music school dean/ administrator Music software designer Music software consultant Music store employee Music store owner/manager Music therapist Music video producer Orchestra librarian Piano tuner/technician Pipe organ tuner/technician Photographer of musicians/events Private music teacher Publicist Radio announcer Radio programmer Recording studio owner Record producer Recording engineer Recording mixer/editor Retail sales management Road manager Salesperson Singer Songwriter Sound designer Sound engineer/mixer 5
Stagehand Stage manager Talent agent Teacher/ professor Transcriber Tour coordinator Videographer of musical events Web designer Webmaster Marketing Tactics Advertisements Alliance Audio postcards Auditions Articles Autographing Banners Billboards Bios Blogs Bookmarks Books Booths Brand identity Brochures Bulletin boards Bumper stickers Business cards Bus bench ads Buzz Calendar listings Canvassing (door- to- door) Cards Catalogues Chalking Chat rooms Classified ads Client referrals Cold calling Concerts Concert program ads Conventions Co- sponsoring Coupons Customer service Curriculum vitae Direct mail Direct marketing Directories Demo recordings Email Email signature Exhibits E- zines Facebook Feature articles Finder s fees Flyers Free consultations Free demonstrations Free seminars Free services Fundraisers Gifts Gig marketing Giveaways Internet Internet bulletin boards Internet radio Internet registries Interviews Invitations Lawn signs Letters Letterhead Links List- servs Logos Magazines Magazine ads Marketing parties Marketing teams Mementos Movie ads Multiple streams (7+) Name Name recognition Networking News releases News stories Newsletters Newspapers Niche marketing Organization websites Outstanding/ unusual offerings Packaging Pins Permission marketing Photos Podcasts Pre- concert concerts Press kits Professional referrals Program ads 6
Postcard drops Postcards Posters Print ad Public service announcement (PSA) Public relations (media) Public speaking Quick- follow through Reputation Radio Resumes Reviews Satisfied customers Seminars Showing up Signs Slogans Social networking Special events Stationary Staying current Store windows Strategic alliances Street marketing Telemarketing Television Thank you notes Three- dimensional items T- shirts Trade publications Trade shows Video postcards Video- sharing websites Vlogs Web calendars Web- based media Web presence Webvertisting Writing ability Word of mouth Your website Your passion Target Audiences Alumni Amateur musicians Associations/guilds Business communities Children Colleagues College students Communities Clubs Donors Ethnic groups Families Fans of other music genres Film enthusiasts Fraternities/ sororities Grandparents Immigrant communities Internet relationships Like minded individuals Literary buffs Locals Men Music buffs Music majors Organization members Parents Past clients People connected to a theme Performing arts fans Political groups Professional musicians Religious groups Restaurant patrons Retirees Rural communities School- aged musicians Seniors Singles Social organizations Special needs individuals Spiritual groups Sports fans Students Teachers Teenagers Travelers/vacationers Underserved communities Visual art fans Volunteers Wealthy individuals Women Young adults 7
Networking Opportunities Activities with kids Acquaintances Advisors Airplanes Alumni events Artist colonies Arts events Arts administrators Arts organizations Board of directors meeting Businesses Cafes Career fairs Chambers of Commerce Charities Civic organizations Classes Clients Collaborators Colleagues Community college courses Competitions Concerts Conductors Conferences Continuing education Cultural events Donors Everyday life Family Fans Festivals Former acquaintances Fraternities/ sororities Friends Friends of family Friends of friends Gigs Guest artists Guilds Gyms Health clubs Happy hour Hobbies Homeowner s associations Industry employees Industry events Internet Karaoke Leisure activities Like- minded people Lessons with celebrities Luncheons Meal networking Media personalities Meetings Mixers Music enthusiasts Music festivals Music schools Nature settings Neighbors Networking clubs Networking meetings Parents of your children s friends Parties Poker night Political organizations Post concert hangs Private clubs Professional organizations Receptions Restaurants Schools Seminars Showing up Social events Social networking sites Sporting events Sporting events Students Summer festivals Teaching Traveling Rehearsals Relatives Religious organizations Retreats Reunions Teachers Universities University events Vacationing Volunteering Work colleagues Yoga classes 8