Our students face major changes in the music profession. Research by the European Association of Conservatoires (AEC, 1999 and 2001) shows that graduates encounter a variety of problems, nearly all of which are related to generic skills and finding (or generating) work. The three top skills that students say they missed during their conservatoire training were health issues, improvisation, and participation in chamber music and larger ensemble performance. The three top skills that, according to them, should be offered after graduation were further instrumental and technical training, marketing and further development of teaching skills. The strongest needs expressed in the responses were for life skills (think of management, health issues, marketing, stage presentation, networking, skills of leadership in different contexts).
The new demands arising from the rapidly changing music profession are described in Creating a Land with Music (Youth Music; Rick Rogers, 2002), which gives a detailed overview of a research project about the work, education and training of present day professional musicians. It gives an interesting overview of the ever broadening cultural landscape and the changing career patterns for musicians in the UK. Although this research was done in the UK, the results, compared to to outcomes on European level, can count for a larger part of Europe.
Outcomes of the research:
Lifelong Learning
Promuse
Creating a Land with Music
Summary research on professional musician's portfolio careers in the Netherlands
Presentation given at the AEC congress, November 2009, Maastricht by Laura Hölzenspies (KNTV)
Expanding Career Options
Address given by Rineke Smilde at the Annual Conference of the Network of Music Career Development Officers in New York, USA. The Music Profession.
Today's musician - a Chameleon
Address given by Rineke Smilde at the expert meeting of Yo! Opera Festival in Utrecht.