Beyond Talent: Creating a Successful Career in Music [Paperback]

Angela Myles Beeching (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 5, 2010 | ISBN-10: 0195382595 | ISBN-13: 978-0195382594 | Edition: 2

The first edition of Beyond Talent quickly became a favorite among classical and jazz musicians, and has been used in courses at scores of conservatories and universities. This expanded second edition provides updated user-friendly advice, inspiring examples, and practical tools to advance a career in music. Packed with new tips and resources, Beyond Talent now covers everything from social networking tools, to commissioning, branding, and online fundraising, as well as tips on staying motivated, assessing one's strengths and weaknesses, and managing time, money, and stress.

Loaded with new sidebar profiles from entrepreneurial musicians, artist managers, and concert presenters, the new edition balances warmth and candor with straightforward advice on developing and sustaining a meaningful life in music. Beyond Talent is the ideal companion for students and professionals, emerging musicians and mid-career artists.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book can serve as an excellent resource for faculty who advise undergraduate music students coming to the end of their time in college as well as for arts management faculty who have musician entrepreneurs among their student body. Further, the book is a valuable call from the field, reminding arts administrators and arts administration educators about the current state of the artistic job market and how artists might be supported by our programs, institutions of higher learning, and arts organizations." --The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society

"Starting with her love of music and years of experience in both academia and the real world, Angela Myles Beeching has written a book full of inspiring yet practical lessons for performing musicians--a kind of workbook for a life in music." --Charlotte Schroeder, President, Colbert Artists Management

"Beyond Talent is like the ultimate Swiss army knife for the young musician. Packed with savvy insights, sage advice, practical ideas and inspiring examples, this omprehensive guide delivers the tools to navigate a successful path in music no matter where it might lead." --Phillip Ying, Violist, Ying Quartet; Associate Professor, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester; former President, Chamber Music America

"Beyond Talent is a wonderfully helpful book for the professional future of any young musician. Beeching writes clearly and comprehensively. Her book is a must for the library of any professional musician." --Robert Freeman, Dean, College of Fine Arts, the University of Texas at Austin

"Authoritative, informative and comprehensive books about the 'classical' music industry are rare and to be prized when they appear. [This] is just such a book. And is consequently to be valued...The tone, manner of delivery, layout, comprehensiveness, accuracy, appropriateness, common sense, wisdom and up-to-date nature of Beyond Talent: Creating a Successful Career in Music, not to mention its very reasonable price, make this as near definitive a winner as there is." --Classical.net

"Beyond Talent provides a much-needed update and will undoubtedly become the new classic in years to come. Beeching's book is extremely helpful, comprehensive, generous,
and insightful. I give it my top four-reed rating, all of them suitable for a Carnegie Hall recital." --Michèle Gingras, The Clarinet

"Convenient to use as a textbook for a one-semester course on career planning...Beyond Talent fills a gaping hole, as it provides excellent material that is difficult to find in other sources...This new edition of Beyond Talent is highly recommended for all libraries that support classical and jazz studies." --Canadian Association of Music Libraries Review

About the Author

A leader in the field of music career development, Angela Myles Beeching has advised hundreds of musicians, successfully coaching them on ways to turn their entrepreneurial ideas into successful projects and career paths. The former director of the New England Conservatory Career Services Center, Angela is director of the Center for Music Entrepreneurship at Manhattan School of Music and a consultant to the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Her articles have appeared in Classical Singer, Inside Arts, and Chamber Music magazines. In demand as a speaker, Ms. Beeching has presented at conferences for the National Association of Schools of Music, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, and the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy. Ms. Beeching maintains a thriving consulting practice and can be reached through her website: BeyondTalentConsulting.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (November 5, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195382595
• ISBN-13: 978-0195382594
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 1.1 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #163,605 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #38 in Books > Education & Reference > Encyclopedias > Music
  • #45 in Books > Education & Reference > Encyclopedias > Business
  • #92 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Business

More About the Author

A leader in the field of artists' career development, Angela Myles Beeching is the author of "Beyond Talent: Creating a Successful Career in Music." She has taught at New England Conservatory, Boston University, Cal State Fresno, and SUNY Potsdam. This fall, as visiting consultant to the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Ms. Beeching launched Project Jumpstart, an innovative career and entrepreneurial leadership program. In demand as a speaker, Ms. Beeching has presented at many music schools as well as for the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, the National Association of Schools of Music, Chamber Music America, and the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy. A Fulbright Scholar, Ms. Beeching holds a doctorate in cello performance from SUNY Stony Brook and maintains a thriving consulting practice, helping both individuals and organizations create paths to success.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beyond Talent : Creating a Successful Career in Music March 18, 2006

By M. R. Taylor

Format:Paperback

A music business book for the classical musician? Is that some sort of oxymoron? Imagine my amazement upon finding this absolute gem while browsing in the BYU bookstore's small music section. I've never seen a book with this focus before, and had no reason to hope for one. This book descended on me out of the blue, almost like a revelation.

In the "prelude" Ms. Beeching gives her "confessions" as a career counselor. First she expounds on the "truth about career paths" : there really is no such thing as a laid out path for any musician (classical or pop) that will lead them to enduring success. She then offers "five trade secrets" of her profession:

Look for the light in the eyes (what make you light up when talking?)

People often create their own obstacles

The first steps are most important

You already have the answers

People move ahead when they're good and ready, and not a moment sooner

This is essentially a book about being a self-starter and taking things into your own hands rather than waiting for "them" to discover you. The book gives numerous tools for doing so. It covers qualities you must develop to "make it" as a musician, networking skills, developing your image (letterhead, bios, photos, promo kits, etc.), expanding your impact with demos and CDs, using the internet to promote your career, booking performance like a pro, building your audience (the media, publicity and you), connecting with audiences through residencies and community programming, performing at your best, freelancing - managing yourself, raising money for music projects (yes, you too can fund-raise), and getting it all together.

I am currently re-reading the book as there is so much information it will take a while to digest it all and even more time to implement it. The good news is, there are things you can do to promote your classical career and be a success.

If there is one drawback to this book, it is that I wish it contained more specifics on one of my main specialities, composition. There is some info for composers and composers will find the book of immense value, but the book is definitely slanted toward performers. The thing that almost negates this drawback is that Ms. Beeching states several times the need for performers to work with composers, newer repertoire or find some other niche in order to distinguish themselves from the mass of people already performing the standard repertoire. Sound advice.

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M. Ryan Taylor is a composer vocalist working out of American Fork, Utah. h t t p : / / M R y a n T a y l o r . c o m

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A fresh look at the business September 14, 2005

By L. Abramson

Format:Paperback

A little while ago I reviewed a strangely titled book called "Making Music in Looking Glass Land" by Ellen Highstein. A labour of love, this book became the seminal "text book" for the classical musician and, now it its fourth edition, is still the book I would recommend to any musician either starting out on their career or working actively in the industry. However, this year an equally good, authoritative and comprehensive book has been published that aims to equip the classical musician with the tools and techniques required to make a success in this career.

Angela Beeching, an author who has gained a tremendous amount of experience through her work as the director of career services at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston brings to this book real life problems and practical solutions that can help any and all musicians. Staring off by talking about the entrepreneurial musician, Beeching embeds in the mind of the reader the thought that success in this profession is up to you, the musician, and no one else. The characteristics a musician needs, Beeching writes, include "flexibility, resiliency and the ability to find opportunities in the midst of difficulties or challenges". It is from this position that she then moves the reader onto some of the key soft skills required to run your career such as the art of networking (or "Schmoozing for Success" as she puts it), time management, dealing with performance anxiety and the fundamental questions of what you, as a musician, actually do. However, it is the practical advice that really sets this book apart.

Each chapter deals with a different topic including information about creating promotional material (brochures, biographies, etc.), recording demo CDs, using the internet to promote and advance your career, securing performance opportunities, raising funds, tax (although this is geared towards the American market), writing letters and press releases, publicity photographs, contracts, setting up and running residency or community education projects and on and on. For a relatively short book, Beeching manages to cover a lot of ground without being too detailed nor too information light. Each section is liberally peppered with real-life examples, case studies, handy tips and checklists in order to provide a complete start-to-finish tutor covering all of these vital subjects.

All too often I have reviewed similar books in these pages with the recurring caveat that, while they are useful, they are very much aimed at the non-classical musician. Here, in Beeching's volume, we have a useful and informative book that is aimed solely and directly at the classical musician. Buy it now!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A no-nonsense guide to music career success June 8, 2005

By Dream Architect

Format:Paperback

A few years back, Angela Beeching (my dear colleague at New England Conservatory down the road) wrote a "Career Guide for Musicians". I was very impressed at how resourceful the guide was. Well, she finally got the chance to flesh out that first guide and "Beyond Talent" is the result. While ably covering all the nut & bolts of music career success (networking, building your image, recording, performing and raising support), the chief value of the book lies in the wisdom Beeching brings to creative career development. She understands the psychological profile of the career musician and that understanding shines through every page of her book.

In addition, Beeching tackles lesser-explored subjects geared to her primary readership of classical and jazz musicians: residency programs, performance health, teaching and grant opportunities. Up to date and immensely practical, Beyond Talent should be on the bookshelf of all career musicians.