Entrepreneurship: Page 2

I recently heard a mordantly humorous new take on Benjamin Franklin’s most famous quote: "In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes and the immutability of conservatoires."

Bill Zuckerman, founder of www.musicschoolcentral.com, has written a recap of the January 15, 2015 Chamber Music America pre-conference workshop “How to Succeed in a Changing Musical World,” presented by the Paul R. Judy Center for Applied Research at the Eastman School of Music.  You can read Bill’s article here. The pre-conference day included: a keynote […]

As musicians we often believe that we do one thing, and only one thing, really well. The reality is that musical training provides a wide range of transferable skills that are unmatched by any other discipline. Critical thinking, listening, problem solving, cognitive and physical sharpness, poise, discipline, teamwork and leadership are all present in any […]

So—most of you reading this know that Polyphonic.org is an initiative of the Institute for Music Leadership at the Eastman School of Music, and some of you also know that our site is funded by Paul R. Judy, a philanthropist and former CEO of A. G. Becker, an investment banking firm. But, only a small […]

This post first appeared in Symposium, the journal of the College Music Society.  It is reprinted here with permission. I’ve had two careers in my lifetime: as a symphony orchestra clarinetist and as a technology executive. One of the advantages these dual careers have given me has been the ability to apply my business experiences […]

How many times have we musicians heard those phrases? Do they mean that we should try to be like Janice Martin, the violinist who plays while hanging upside down?  My most recent experience is not quite that dramatic….. “What time is the lunch break?”  I asked the stage manager, knowing that he was the one […]

The Eastman School of Music invites applications for the position of Director of the Institute for Music Leadership, a senior leadership position reporting to the Dean. Eastman is recognized nationally and internationally for the quality, breadth, and intensity of its music education and for the unique emphasis on artistry, scholarship, teaching, and leadership. The Institute for Music Leadership serves as the hub of entrepreneurial activities at Eastman; it currently houses five divisions:

What I Would Tell My Younger Self… As a university professor, I often tell my studio stories from my student days in order to make a point about something, usually practicing!  I have been thinking about this topic quite a bit this summer, as the new performing/academic year is fast approaching.  This is certainly not […]

In this week’s edition of The New Yorker (paywalled, unfortunately) is a fascinating piece by Alex Ross on Iván Fischer, the Hungarian conductor and founder of the Budapest Festival Orchestra. While the piece focuses largely on his unhappiness with the current rightward lurch of Hungarian politics, Ross also reports on Fischer’s views on the orchestra […]

In the latest edition of Symphony Magazine, the League of American Orchestras President and CEO Jesse Rosen discusses the rise of “musician-led” ensembles such as Alarm Will Sound, The Knights, and more.  He also makes the argument that American orchestras are full of entrepreneurial musicians whose ideas should be tapped to keep orchestras at the […]