The General Business Gig: Artistry and Business Development

A course focused on all aspects of artistic and business development, organization, and learning required skills and techniques for creating and operating a successful professional-level event and general business band. This class also includes a performance component. This course meets once weekly for two hours. Techniques taught include how to form a general business band, marketing and production skills, demos, auditioning and showcases, repertoire development, staging, movement, audience communication, and effective organizational behaviors and business development as applied to a professional performance setting. Each week’s class will include a general business lecture component and a performance component in an ensemble-like setting. As part of the class, students will practice performing on their instrument in a setting designed to simulate the practices and techniques required in the professional general business band environment. Assignments will be tailored to build on knowledge and gain skills in important aspects of founding, directing, marketing, and operating effective performing groups.