Wisdom from young working artists
Welcome to the ArtsBound Newsletter. Every Tuesday, I share three thoughts or insights meant to help performing arts students and young professionals flourish in their life and career. Today I’m featuring wisdom and insight from the first three young artists ever featured on the ArtsBound Podcast.
- 4-minute read -
(NOTE: I started ArtsBound because I believe the world would be a better place with more people living their true calling. If you know a student or young professional who is searching for their niche in the performing arts world, consider forwarding this email to them. If this email was forwarded to you, you can sign up to receive my newsletter every Tuesday. It's free, and I’ll never share or sell your data.)
This week’s newsletter has a bit of a different spin on it.
I often write to debunk what I call ‘the myth of the starving artist’ - a pattern of thinking that keeps young performers from pursuing work that they are passionate about. However, like all mythology (in the classical understanding of the term), there is truth to the notion that becoming a professional artist is not as secure as many other career paths.
The first three guests on the ArtsBound Podcast are all working performers/creators, and I’m proud to say that all are former students of mine who have become friends and colleagues. Each has their own take on the challenges of establishing themselves in their industry, as well as tips for how to make it happen. Here’s a highlight of my conversations with each of them and some common themes I hear in what they each have to say.
1. “A wise concern to have”
Chris Leidhecker is a gigging and touring drummer based in Nashville. In addition to his playing, he composes music for commercials, produces recordings for local artists, and does construction work.
In our conversation, Chris shares how he made the leap from being a college student to a professional artist, and he confirms that there is wisdom in being concerned about how you will make ends meet as a working musician.
Chris emphasizes the need to think like an entrepreneur who is building a business and expresses the mandate on contemporary musicians to have a diverse set of skills to bring to the table - not just the ability to play and/or sing well.
If you listen to our chat, you’ll also hear Chris say this: “We’re all in this together.”
The industry has enough space for everyone who has the desire and drive to be there. The secret is finding your niche and connecting with others who appreciate the true value you have to offer and will help connect you to opportunities.
2. “Not for the faint of heart”
Tess Marshall is an actor living and working in Manhattan. She’s performed across the US and beyond in touring musical theatre shows, and she babysits.
Tess has, and my opinion, a profound perspective on what it means to be in her industry. Having been turned away from hundreds of potential opportunities - many for which she did not even audition, because the directors had already heard enough people - she highlights the need to be self-affirming, not reliant on feedback from others.
What I found most poignant about our talk, however, was her encouragement to avoid comparison (“Everybody’s journey is different.”), and the important role that parental support plays in the confidence young artists have to go after their dreams.
3. “Making your way up the ladder”
Jasper van Dijk is an L.A.-based film composer and sound designer, working at Bleeding Fingers Music, the Emmy-nominated collective of composers founded by Academy Award winning composer, Hans Zimmer.
Jasper’s experience is different from Chris’s or Tess’s. The film music world is a bit more of an institution that requires working your way up the ranks - kind of like corporate America. When I interviewed Jasper earlier this year, he was providing technical assistance to another BFM composer, not writing his own music for the company. He was promoted just a few months later.
A gifted composer and a thoughtful decision-maker, Jasper speaks about developing clarity in career-related decisions and the importance of doing what you love - things we worked on closely together while he was a student.
A few more thoughts…
There are a few commonalities across all three of these interviews. First, Tess, Chris, and Jasper all reinforce the notion that who you know is key to the opportunities that will unfold for you. Aspects of self-knowledge - being in tune with what you love, knowing what you want, and being able to articulate the value that you offer - are also a part of the story that each has to tell.
Lastly, in each of these interviews, you can pick up the confidence that comes from living in alignment with their core values.
I started this newsletter by comparing the security offered by a career as a professional artist versus other possible paths. These young artists may need extra savvy when it comes to generating a steady income and obtaining health care, but living life in this self-honoring way is the deepest type of security a person can find.
See you next week!
Lee
PS - I started ArtsBound because I believe the world would be a better place with more people living their true calling. If you know a student or young professional who is searching for their niche in the performing arts world, consider forwarding this email to them. If this email was forwarded to you, you can sign up to receive my newsletter every Tuesday. It's free, and I’ll never share or sell your data.