You Can Join 'Time For My Music' Now!
Hey ! Are you a female musician? Would joining an online community of female musicians, who meet twice a month, help you to take your music to another level?
If you are struggling with:
· Getting gigs.
· Promoting yourself effectively.
· Identifying the type of tech you need to amplify your sound at your gigs, and getting tips on how to use said tech.
· Acquiring equipment , within a budget, to perform online from your home.
· Meeting likeminded women in an online space, who are also working towards their music dreams.
· Being part of a safe group where you can bounce ideas, ask questions, talk about your hurdles, and receive support.
Well, you are not alone! Once upon a time, I was a struggling musician too. I did not know how to get gigs; I did not know the best way to present myself on stage or to engage an audience. I did not have a following but dreamt of having recordings. Over the years, I’ve learnt so much and now I am a multi award-winning musician and my accolades are a very long...
Is It Time To Get Help?
Last time, I mentioned that we get work through our connections. I hope my words helped you identify the people who do that for you. But how do you maintain the work you get through your connections? Today, I want to discuss one aspect of that.
In the early days of my music, I was on my own. I arrived to gigs on my own, I set up and pulled down on my own, I handled my gig enquiries on my own and sorted out my tax return on my own. I did everything myself, making decisions and only seeking advice when needed. Does that sound familiar?
This way of working was fine for some time, but as my music grew, it became unwieldy. I couldn’t keep up with everything. I worked long days and into the night to balance family commitments and work. I felt stressed with missed deadlines, keeping up with admin requirements was a nightmare and personal practise on my instrument was deteriorating. I felt like I was on burnout. It dawned on me that, in order to advance, I needed to create a team.
If ...
Success Beyond The Score, season 2, episode 20
The season 2 finale of the podcast Success Beyond The Score is available now! Listen to Millicent Stephenson highlight the best from the interviews she held during the season, comment and add on the advice by the guests and thank every one of them for their fantastic advice and contributions.
Click here to watch the episode on YouTube.
Click here to find your podcast platform of choice to listen to the episode in audio format.
Don't forget to leave comments and to share with friends that are also working their way into the music business.
Also, let's take this chance to confirm there will be a season 3 of the podcast. Stay tunned!
Join T4MM On Their Support Of The House of St. Barnabas and CEO Sleepout
The online evening performance by Time For My Music had the aim to raise funds for the homeless. The women chose two charities to achieve this: “The House of St. Barnabas” and “CEO Sleepout”.
Both of these were brought to the attention of the group my Anouck, who was also in charge of talking about them during the concert. You can listen to her following this link, and read more about each charity in the links below:
Working to break the cycle of homelessness by giving people affected by homelessness the skills and confidence to get into employment and find accommodation.
Visit the official website of The House of St. Barnabas.
Donate to the The House of St. Barnabas.
Around the UK business leaders are invited to sleep rough for one night to raise funds to fight poverty and homelessness in the UK. Monies collected are donated to charities at the front line of homelessness and poverty.
Visit the official website of CEO Sleepout.
Donate to the CEO Sleepout.
None...
What is your Motivation?
Did you know that, without being clear on your motivation, you won’t achieve your music targets or complete your plans?
During lockdown I, like many, had my live music work restricted, postponed or cancelled. I was depressed for the first two weeks of our first lockdown. Although I was worrying about my income, I was mostly sad not to be able to meet people and do my thing. Why? Because I enjoy the fact that my music makes people feel better and it takes them to another place. It’s one of the reasons why I go on stage. Realising this helped me to adapt the way I work during lockdown so I could continue doing what I do.
The other thing about motivation is that it can change. In the early days, I just wanted to play because I felt this is my talent and I must deliver. Later on, it was about earning through my music and making it my full-time career, which I did. Nowadays, it’s about making a difference by imparting my experience to help others to grow. Irrespective, there is always ...
SURVEY: Women in Scotland's Experiences of Sexual Harassment
From the Musicians' Union, there's an invitation to take part in the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) Women’s Committee’s anonymous survey, which seeks to gather comprehensive data in regards of sexual harassment directed towards women. The goal is to help building a safer and more equal world of work for all.
Take the survey following this link.
Remember to check the Musicians' Union website for relevant information regarding the music industry in the UK.
Time For My Music Has An Online Concert Tomorrow!
The concert organised for the Time For My Music community is just one day away! Starting 6:30pm UK time, watch aspiring female musicians perform to raise funds for the homeless. Where can you watch, you ask? On my YouTube Channel!
The charities supported by this event are:
The House of St. Barnabas: Working to break the cycle of homelessness by giving people affected by homelessness the skills and confidence to get into employment and find accommodation.
CEO Sleep Out: Around the UK, business leaders are invited to sleep rough for one night to raise funds to fight poverty and homelessness in the UK. Monies collected are donated to charities at the front line of homelessness and poverty.
See you there!
Do you have the right connections?
For quite some time, like the Frank Sinatra song, I thought ‘I did it my way’ with my musical achievements. I believed I developed my music hobby into a professional music business all on my own steam. I felt I carved my path and forged my way with no input from anyone else. That I figured it all out, through epiphany.
But, while I was compiling my music business plan on a course I attended 10 years ago, I learnt something quite significant. I learnt that although there were moments of revelation in my journey, I did not achieve half of what I had without someone else’s input.
The people who point the way; those who offer a shoulder to cry on; individuals who pass on opportunities; fans who take it upon themselves to be my ambassadors; colleagues who make the time to explain concepts so I can do my business better; and so on.
By the way, your own connections are not too far away.
Everything you do or achieve has a connection to someone else.
Maybe you think your connec...
It's going public!
I’m pretty excited about this! Last July the women of my online membership group ‘Time For My Music’, put on a private online concert to close friends and family. This time it's going public! Next week Saturday, 29th January 6.30pm (UK), they will be performing again and you can be there too.
It will take place on my YouTube Channel It’s free to watch wherever you are but we are encouraging donations to help the homeless.
More will be said about the performers, the Charities, and of course the details about this great night over the next few days so stay tuned, share and see you there.
Credits:
Flyer graphic design by Angela Schuster my PR & Community Manager
Photographers:
Angela by Sharon Jones
Angie-Lee by Delano Lewis
Anouck by Andreea Tufescu www.andreeatufescu.com
Janice by Laurence Stephenson www.laurencestephenson.com
Joannie - Steve Spurgin https://stevespurgin.co.uk/
Melody by Peter Keay
Millicent by Keri J Hunt www.kerijhunt.wixsite.com/kerijhunt
Are you a Planner?
What do you think about this word, ‘Plan’? What does it conjure in your mind? Hard work that you don’t want to do, or glee because you relish identifying parts and their connections, and seeing if they work?
I’m a planner, but not everybody is. Don’t get me wrong. Some people are more holistic, top-down, see the bigger picture. I’m the opposite. I see the big picture but I get down to the detail of how to make it happen. Actually, it doesn’t really matter too much which approach you prefer, as long as things are achieved.
How does this relate to your music?
Well, when you move forward, you are moving forward to something: your targets. How you move forward has to be decided. This is planning, deciding what, when, why, how, etc.
Most of my music life, pre-42 years old, I just ambled along. I performed when invited. I had dreams of what I wanted to become, but no plans on how to get there. At 42, one of the significant things that made a difference and propelled me forward was maki...