Success Beyond The Score

Time For My Music, the online project to empower women in the music industry, is currently open for subscriptions, but not for too long! In fact, there’s only a few hours left, the system will close at 11:59pm today, UK time.

If you are a female musician who wants to step up your game and advance in your career, this is the perfect chance to join a community of like-minded women and receive all the tools and support that you need.

In this cycle, we are going to focus on how to grow your brand online and build a loyal fanbase. On top of that, you will have access to all the materials of our previous cycles and to live forums with the other women. You will also be able to participate in the next T4MM concert and have your photo and bio exhibited in Birmingham City Centre.

Sounds good? Then head to the T4MM website before midnight and join us! We can’t wait to meet you.

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...

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...

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!

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...

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...

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...

The last weeks of December and the first of January are a time to relax and look back, but also to look forward. It is a good moment to decide on what you want to achieve in the new year, which is important because, without goals, you could find yourself drifting and not getting anywhere fast.

With this in mind, I tend to write my yearly music business plan around this time of the year. Yes, it is a scary word for some, but I have found that writing a plan has helped me to achieve more goals in better condition, than not having any outline at all. 

It is a good exercise to write it out. Doing so, I have learned to differentiate elements that could be done efficiently from those that would take longer, and also distinguish between the urgent and the important. Using the plan as a guide, I have also been able to go through the year seeing the opportunities that match my goals and go for them, and reject those that, even if they look beneficial, don't...

As we are close to the end of the year, this episode of the podcast "Success Beyond The Score" is dedicated to reflection, in particular about the critical event that marked 2020 and 2021: the coronavirus pandemic.

How did it affect the music industry? Specifically, how did it impact musicians? Today you will hear true stories from Anna Brooks, Tony Bean, Louise Dengate, Dan Whitehouse, Abigail Kelly and Ruby Turner MBE, in which they will tell us about their hardships, opportunities, the good and the bad.

Find the video of the episode on YouTube and choose your favourite podcast platform to listen to the audio version on this list.