Over the last 12 months my focus has been entering into the music industry. I started by enrolling into the Diploma of Music Business course in September 2014. My reasons for applying were
• I hated working 60 hours a week to do jobs I was not passionate about and did not like
• The horrible feeling I felt each day, going to work for a company that treated me so well and me just feeling like I could do better
• I was tired of trying to find work in the corporate and government workforces because my parents thought it was a good idea for me and believing what they were saying was best for me
• I hated the fact that I was so passionate about wanting to work with musicians, play music and have a life that was filled with me doing music in some way and I was not doing anything music related.
By early January 2015 I had been accepted into the Diploma of Music Business. I was so excited. It was the first step on my path into a music career. I then enrolled into the course and stuck around for the orientation.
From February until now has been almost like a blur. I have been so busy completing assessments, going to class, going to concerts, putting on gigs and working a part time job. However, writing this blog post has given me time to see just how much I have accomplished. My accomplishments include
• Putting on a metal gig at The Civic Hotel called Brutalism 101: A Lesson in Brutality. I had the help of Brendan Preston, Meg Phillips-Jones, Danika Tierney and Melissa Defiddes.
• Attending the Peter Garrett book launch
• Attending my first Music conference. This was the WAM Conference held between the 5 & 8 November 2015.
• Started managing a hard-rock band called Kraill.
• Attended a songwriting sundowner called the MISS Session: A Songwriters Tale.
• Been apart of the Richmond Street Records Management Committee as an Administration Manager.
• Volunteers for RTR as their receptionist and at an event called In The Pines.
• Helped in launching Richmond Street Records for 2015
• Was the Artist and Repertoire person for Wabisabi. This allowed me to help them get onto the Richmond Street Records Compilation CD
• Helped with the 2015 Music Department Graduation and Richmond Street Record Compilation CD launch
• Completed all assessments (I am putting this as an accomplishment as it is sometimes really hard to get motivated to do an assessment)
Whilst looking back at all that I have learned and accomplished in the last year, I have become more focused on where I want my music career to head. I want to eventually own my own music publicity business, manage a couple of bands, get back into playing flute and piano again and teaching flute and piano. I have chosen this path for a few reasons. These are:
• I love playing flute and piano to an audience and would love to excel in that area
• I love the business side of the music industry and the challenges it provides me with
• I would like to work with bands and solo artists but I don’t necessarily want to manage them all. I would prefer a fee for service in which a publicity company offers.
• I would like to be able to pass on all the amazing things I have learned onto other people.
As I am only starting to get myself into the music industry there is so much I still need to learn. Things I would like to learn are
• How to set up a music business in Australia and overseas
• How to manage a band and the best ways in which I can do this
• More about the different jobs within the music industry
• The best ways in which I can market myself, my business and the bands I manage.
I would go about learning all this by
• Enrolling and studying a Advanced Diploma of Music Business
• Completing the Tom Hess Music Career Mentoring Program
• Completing my AMEB theory and practical exams. This will allow me to teach music in schools.
• Learning on the job. This can be done through managing a band and through interning in the music industry.
There are so many other things I will possibly be able to learn along the way. Some will be things I never expected.
Aleighsha Glew 