Each year as yet another class of conservatory students are unleashed upon the cultural organizations of the world, a terrifying conclusion is struck upon – there simply aren’t enough gigs. Never mind your wunderkind, mind-blowing, haven’t-seen-anything-like-this-since-Mozart talent. There are thousands more where you came from, and you and your student loans will just have to wait for the 78-year-old section violinists to die off before assuming 362nd chair of your regional orchestra’s sub list.
Check out all these volunteers - the Metropolitan Opera House 2007 production of 'War and Peace' used 227 Volunteers
Hyperbolic? Perhaps, but the point I’m trying to get across is that successful careers in the arts are made by more than talent. Especially in regional arts markets such as Minneapolis, Austin, Philadelphia, and to a lesser extent, Boston, aspiring professional musicians and artists have the dual benefit and curse of being able to know everyone in town- and for everyone to know them. This is where the art of the introduction and audition come into play.
For a typical artistic administrator, 99% of the bit roles, chorus spots, and spare audition opportunities (you know, the kind of gigs recent grads get) are offered on the basis of name familiarity, rumor, and hearsay. It’s hard to get a company introduction, and even harder to make a good impression when all they have is your resume, a headshot, and perhaps a recording, which won’t be listened to. For this reason, I call upon the aspiring artists of the world to think small. Especially now, when it is so hard to make a decent living in the arts, think about the ways you can present your name and your face.
Volunteer for supernumerary roles, help at the open house, accept a chorus spot even though you’ve moved on in your career, offer to help copy music! Glamorous? No. The absolute best way to gain experience and be introduced? Definitely. We are not so fortunate as our preceding generation to have graduated into a booming economy where dreams come true over night and the next promotion is just around the corner. If you don’t think you’ll be recognized for these little things, trying Google searching for “managing generation x”, and tell me if the amount of material you find doesn’t point to a certain yearning for the employees of yesteryear by the upper management Boomers.
It’s a tough proposition, but there are more people than ever working towards a career in the arts. Those of us who are too proud to role up our sleeves will quickly be out of work.
