Why I’m Studying How Musicians Really Build Careers (And Why It Matters)
For over 15 years, I’ve been part of the music community — as a performer, student, educator, arts administrator, and advocate. Like so many musicians, my career has never fit neatly into one box. I’ve taught, performed, organized, sold instruments, advised young artists, written grants, and more. It’s what some call a portfolio career — balancing multiple streams of work to make a life in music.
While this way of working is nothing new to most of us, it’s surprising how little research actually exists on how musicians build sustainable careers today. Most music education still assumes a “one-job” model: land a symphony job, teach full-time, or get tenure at a university. Meanwhile, musicians in the real world are stitching together performances, lessons, commissions, arts admin jobs, adjunct teaching, and sometimes even non-music work to make ends meet.
That’s why I’m dedicating my final project for my MBA in Arts Innovation to exploring this very topic. My research, "Exploring Portfolio Careers in Music: A Global Study of Career Development and Educational Strategies for 21st-Century Musicians," aims to better understand:
How musicians actually make a living today
What challenges they face navigating these portfolio careers
What essential skills musicians wish they had learned earlier
How education could better prepare musicians for the careers they are likely to have
I’m not doing this work for a grade alone. I’m doing it for every musician out there — those just starting out, those in the middle of the grind, and those wondering what’s next. I want to take what we learn and use it to improve career development resources, professional development, and arts education — not just for my work with New Works Project, but across the field.
Why This Matters Now
The classical and contemporary music landscape is shifting. Full-time jobs are rare. Arts funding is unpredictable. More and more musicians are forging creative paths through freelancing, entrepreneurship, and blended careers.
However, too often, young musicians leave school unprepared for this reality — not because they lack talent or passion, but because their training rarely addresses the portfolio careers that most will navigate. By integrating portfolio career development into music education earlier, we can give musicians the tools to unlock more opportunities, take ownership of their artistic lives, and build careers that are both adaptable and sustainable.
This research isn’t just about identifying challenges — it’s about actively shaping solutions. By listening to musicians and gathering real-world insights, we can help educators, institutions, and organizations like New Works Project better prepare musicians to thrive in today’s diverse and evolving professional landscape.
How You Can Help
I’m currently gathering data through a survey and a series of interviews. If you are a musician — regardless of genre, career stage, or location — I invite you to share your story. Your perspective matters.
Even if you don’t personally have time to participate, you can help by sharing the survey with your network. The more diverse voices we include, the more useful this research will be for shaping the future of music career education.
Take the Survey Here
Closing Thoughts
My hope is that this project doesn’t just result in a final paper, but that it becomes something actionable — something that informs workshops, training, resources, and curricula for the next generation of musicians.
Thank you for being part of this community. Thank you for sharing your stories. Together, we can make sure musicians aren’t just surviving — they’re thriving.
