Pianist Business Cards - the Highlights

Finding a piano business card template can be problematic. Usually they are scattered throughout a large 'arts' category and depict improper or improbable note sequences (yes, we notice). Some cards feature random floating clefs, notes and staves - reminding me of my elementary school music teacher's wall decorations*. But there are a few decent cards out there. For those wanting a musically-inspired template, consider these:

Vistaprint has Template A, Template B and Template C.

123Print has Piano 1 and Piano 2.

Postcards.com has Example page - it is not allowing me to do specific links with any success.

Printbusinesscards.com has Idea 1, Idea 2 and Idea 3.

Zazzle.com has Pic1 available in several colors and Pic2.

Businesscardsthatwork.com has Image1 and Image2.

On the ridiculous side of things:

This business card cracked me up.

This one just looks painful . . .

*Although if you like the abstract, brightly colored look, try this card.

Collaborative But Solo

It was slightly odd when I began a new gig a few weeks ago - because I was paid to play the piano by myself.

Background music, cocktail piano - whatever you want to call it - is a venue I have never pursued. When the opportunity came (as it often does, when I wasn't looking for it), I mentally shrugged - and pulled together repertoire. The gig: 2 hours a day, once or twice a week, play background music in an office building lobby, surrounded by modern art, orchids and random businessmen. Selecting music to fill two hours (avoiding any repeat pieces) took some thought, but I was amused to find collaborative repertoire I've performed in other venues translates just fine when played solo. For example, popular opera arias (O Mio Babbino, Quando Men Vo, Summertime), showtunes (selections of Bernstein, Sondheim, Cole Porter) and wedding music (Canon in D, Jesu Joy of Man's etc, Schubert or Bach/Gounod Ave Maria) all work well even without a singer/instrumentalist.

Solo piano music selections usually are 'whatever pieces you know how to play', but also consider that people enjoy familiar pieces. Classical chestnuts people recognize, such as Clair de Lune, Moonlight Sonata and Gymnopédie No 1, are all appreciated and not too difficult to work up. I add some contemporary pop music in as well - but is isn't required. I find the gig a nice temporary departure from what I usually do, and enjoy the challenge of providing atmosphere while avoiding monotony. All pianists should have their own folder of at least 60 minutes of music - ready to go. It comes in handy on several occasions, such as wedding and funeral gigs, providing incidental music for church services and so on.

*Quick side note - I was sad to discover that Nordstrom has let their pianists go.

Careers for Pianists, Part I: Expectations and Beginnings

So you want a career in piano . . .

Bugs Bunny Had a Candelabra and a Tux

Common portrayals of classical pianists' careers are pretty lofty, usually including concerts, recordings, masterclasses and elite teaching studios. Orchestras, singers, or cleverly named trios may also be shown. The superior images are so ingrained that some pianists aren't even aware of career options beyond being a concert artist and pedagogue. It shouldn't be a huge secret that the countless hours of Czerny, scales and Beethoven hones practical keyboard skills that transfer nicely into several other music careers. The snag: the skill sets required in diverse environments are left out of many music curriculums. Too often, piano performance majors graduate with virtuosic skill, but are virtually clueless of how to be useful in different venues. So what environments ARE they ready to work in?

Adjunct, Instructor, Staff . . .

Hands down, staying in academia is the simplest way to go for all piano performance graduates. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of secure, full-time positions available. Even with a doctorate in hand, it is startlingly difficult to land a university gig that exceeds the part-time or adjunct level. Here is some info about the present academic job market for pianists. The College Music Society posted 43 jobs between Aug 2008 to the present (discounting positions outside the US, sabbatical replacements and temporary positions).

• Of the 43 jobs, 31 are tenure track (TT)
• Of the 31 TT jobs, 24 indicated a doctorate was preferred or required
• Of the 43 jobs, 6 are repeated ads from the previous year
• Of the 43 jobs, 5 are for Staff Accompanists (none TT)

A warning on the above information: high turnover rates (repeat ads) may indicate a poisonous position (back-breaking workload, suffocating location, or snake-pit politics). For those encouraged to see the five accompanist positions, consider their locations: Clarksville, TN; Arkadelphia, AR; Nacogdoches and San Angelo, TX and Lake Charles, Louisiana. Previously, in 2007-2008 there were 80 pianist positions posted. I didn't crunch the statistics, but I did count the number of accompanist positions posted: twelve. Several other jobs were listed that held 'collaborative' in the title, but I discounted those as essentially veiled piano teaching jobs saddled with additional accompanying duties. The accompanist jobs' diverse locales: Carbondale, IL; Oxford, MS; Mt Pleasant, MI; Knoxville, TN; Conway, AR; Rome, GA; Los Angeles, CA; Kirksville, MO; Wayne, NE; Moscow, ID and Macomb, IL.

It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't in Academia

For some, academia means more than an easy transition: it is an idealized sanctuary of civilization. Spending many years in that environment has deluded some to believe that life outside of academe means failure. An article, Is Grad School a Cult?, talks about the ivory tower seduction of such students, who become convinced a university is the only 'real' option for meaningful employment. When the realistic likelihood of landing a full-time position in a good location with job security (tenure track) is the equivalent of winning the lottery* - it is time to change faiths. Believe that meaningful jobs exist outside academia.

Freelance Nation

Some academics are focusing on preparing pianists for employment beyond teaching. The authors of the article, Keyboard Collaborative Careers, are definitely on the right track, discussing useful piano skills that get you work. Further net-crawling for practical information revealed this article on music employment, Refocusing (Musical Entrepreneurship), written by a freelance bass player/professor. It calls attention to the ever-growing reality of many classical musicians: full-time work assembled from divergent part-time jobs. This is golden information: pianists who curl their lip concerning that brand of lifestyle need to find another major. Pianists who embrace the kaleidoscopic lifestyle need to investigate the skill sets more relevant to today's employment landscape.

Next Up: Careers for Pianists, Part II: Practically Educational

*paraphrased Graduate School in the Humanities quote