The Portfolio Composer

John David Mann is an award-winning author whose books have sold more than 2 million copies, including the New York Times bestseller "The Red Circle" and the national bestseller "The Go-Giver." He performed his first composition, a musical score for Aeschylus’s "Prometheus Bound," in Greece when he was 13; won the BMI Awards for Student Composers at 15; started his own high school at 17; and concertized on the cello before turning to business and authorship.

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Author and composer John David Mann discusses what adding value means, how composers and do so, and his Go-Giver series of books.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• The 5 Laws of Stratospheric Success
• Adding value
• Randall Thompson is the 3rd law
• Music is about life
• Saying a lot about a lot
• The Study of Counterpoint
• Hermes
• Portfolio Penguin
• Find someone who can give you criticism
• Be the best writer
• Be easy to work with
• Have faith like a rock & humility like water
• Expand what you know

Website:

• johndavidmann.com

Recommended Listening:

• J. S. Bach, Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004: V. Chaconne
• Bela Bartok, String Quartets

Recommended Reading:

• Bob Burg and John David Mann, The Go-Giver
• Bob Burg and John David Mann, Go-Givers Sell More
• Bob Burg and John David Mann, The Go-Giver Leader
• Seth Godin, The Dip
• Stephen King, On Writing

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David Maslanka is best known for his more than 40 works for wind ensemble. His music is deeply informed by meditative explorations of dream spaces. Matthew Maslanka is the owner and general manager of Maslanka Press. He publishes many of David Maslanka’s works and manages David's residencies and commissions.

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Composer David Maslanka and his son Matthew discuss the creation and operation of Maslanka Press and building your self-publishing business.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Self-publishing
• Showing up
• Taking it one step at a time
• Persistence
• Working like a demon
• Having faith in choosing a composing career
• The self-study Harvard MBA
• Follow the money
• Have a book keeper and accountant
• Getting back to people timely
• Making a good visual presentation
• Building a team
• Hiring an assistant
• Black Ribbon
• Sell, don't rent your music
• Asia Pacific Band Director's Association
• One person/director/performer at a time
• Maximizing your options

Website:

• davidmaslanka.com
• maslankapress.com

Recommended Listening:

• Igor Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring
• Bela Barok, Concerto for Orchestra
• Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Le Cog d'or
• Philip Glass, Koyaanisqatsi

Recommended Reading:

• Carl Jung, Man and His Symbols
• Carl Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections
• Nassim Nicholas Taleb, The Black Swan: Second Edition: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
• Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder

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A review of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D.

The students with growth mindset completely took charge of their learning and motivation. Instead of plunging into unthinking memorization of the course material, they said: "I looked for themes and underlying principles across lectures," and "I went over mistakes until I was certain I understood them." They were studying to learn, not just to ace the test. And, actually, this was why they got higher grades—not because they were smarter or had a better background in science.

Instead of losing their motivation when the course got dry or difficult, they said: "I maintained my interest in the material." "I stayed positive about take chemistry." "I kept myself motivated to study." Even if they thought the textbook was boring or the instructor was a stiff, they didn't let their motivation evaporate. That just made it all the more important to motivate themselves."

What do you believe about yourself and your abilities? Can one improve and grow or does one have all the abilities they will ever have at birth? Dweck reveals the two mindsets that most people have about their abilities and personalities: the fixed mindset and the growth mindset.

The Mindset diagram by Nigel Holmes: Nigel-Holmes-Mindset-Diagram-from-the-work-of-Dr-Carol-Dweck.

Purchase Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. on Amazon.com here.

You can find all the Must Read episodes here.

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This week marks the second anniversary of the podcast! To celebrate I've gone through the 10 most popular episodes of 2016 and pulled out a short highlight from each one. Episode popularity was calculated by the number of unique downloads. Links to the full episodes are below.

Be sure to go to theportfoliocomposer.com/survey to let me know more about you and how I can make the podcast even more relevant to you and your career.

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The 10 Most Popular Episodes of 2016:

• #10: Ep 68-Whitney George on Why You Need Your Own Ensemble
• #9: Ep 71-Patricia Leonard on Fundraising 101
• #8: Ep 72-Arthur Breur on Websites and Online Presence
• #7: Ep 61-Alex Shapiro Pt 2 on Being In Control of Your Career
• #6: Ep 101-Christopher Tin on Networking & Creating Opportunities
• #5: Ep 98-Jason Heath on Podcasting and Platform Building
• #4: Ep 60-Alex Shapiro Pt 1 on Self-Publishing and Consortiums
• #3: Ep 86-Daniel Felsenfeld on Freelancing & The Portfolio Life
• #2: Ep 77-Daniel Spreadbury on Dorico & The Future of Notation Software
• #1: Ep 66-Seth Godin on Creating Value Through Connections

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Nick Storr is a musician, sound designer and media composer based out of the Australian island state of Tasmania. He's done sound design and music composition work for several TV series, shorts and documentaries. His most recent project was the animated television series "Fanshaw and Crudnut" - 52 twelve minute episodes plus a feature length telemovie - which wrapped production October 2016.

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Composer Nick Storr has taken a non-linear, and non-traditional path, to making his living as a composer. In this episode he discusses writing for media, the abundance of work available, and simply doing the work.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Saying yes and figuring the rest out later
• The role of technology in the music business
• Distance work
• Having a niche
• The abundance of work outside of major Hollywood productions
• Building relationships
• Package deals
• Prepare yourself for the work
• Do the work, don't take it for granted
• Nick's portfolio
• Prepare for work & do the homework
• Be flexible
• Be sensible with your money

Website:

• nickstorr.com

Recommended Listening:

• Alan Silvestri, Back to The Future: Music from the Motion Picture

Recommended Reading:

• Timothy Ferriss, The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9–5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
• Jeremy Borum, Guerrilla Film Scoring: Practical Advice from Hollywood Composers

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A coaching short on taking action.

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A car in motion is easier to steer than a parked car. Your career is the same way. If you want to achieve your goals and see change in your life and in your career you MUST take action and do things.

Click here to see a list of all the Coaching Short episodes.

Sydney Guillaume’s compositions are known to be intricate, challenging and yet highly spirited. They promote human values and are full of heart and passion. His compositions continually enthrall choirs everywhere and have been performed around the world. He is an active member of the choral community as a composer, singer, clinician and conductor. Sydney also writes film music – he has written original film and documentary scores for the Los Angeles based company Loyola Productions. He graduated from the University of Miami in 2004 where his works were performed by the Miami University Chorale conducted by Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe. Originally from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, he is currently residing in Portland, Oregon working as a full-time composer, conductor and clinician.

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Composer and conductor Sydney Guillaume discusses how to make a living as a composer the value of Skype rehearsals and the ins-and-outs of self-publishing.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Sydney's portfolio
• Skype workshops
• Alex Shapiro (Pt 1, Pt 2)
• Dealing with conductors and various interpretations
• Self-publishing
• Cutting through the noise
• Matthew Curtis
• How to make a living as a composer
• Selling your music
• Putting yourself out there
• Having an online presence
• Networking
• Knowing what your audience wants

Website:

• sydneyguillaume.com

Recommended Listening:

• Gabriel Faure, Requiem
• Morten Lauridsen, O Magnum Mysterium

Recommended Reading:

• Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment

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Dr. Ian Gindes is an American Concert Pianist. He received his doctorate degree in piano performance from the University of Illinois under the guidance of Professor Ian Hobson. Recently, Ian released his new album, American Visions, which is a celebration of American culture with piano pieces written by composers Aaron Copland, Rodgers and Hammerstein, George Gershwin and more!!! American Visions has already been reviewed by such magazines as Gramophone, WholeNote Magazine, and Fanfare

Ian Gindes reveals the ins and outs of renting venues, contract negotiations, album promotions, and using Facebook ads for concerts.

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Topics discussed in this episode:

• Touring to promote recordings
• Finding performers who want media attention
• Contract negotiations
• Learning the going rate
• Renting a venue
• Find sponsors
• PR & promotions
• Marketing
• Facebook ads
• Not knowing your audience
• Selling out
• Engaging your audience
• Benefit concerts

Website:

• iangindes.com

Recommended Listening:

• Ian Gindes, American Visions
• Serge Rachmaninov, 24 Preludes; Piano Sonata No. 2

Recommended Reading:

• Barry Alexander and Cosmo Buono, The Classical Musician Today: Getting and Keeping the Career You Want

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The compositions of Ed Windels have been described variously as “nice, a little too long” (his aunt), “lacking a distinctive voice” (a renowned orchestral executive), “awfully repetitive with not much going on” (a highly regarded flautist) and  “really really hard” (several performers, especially singers).

The first known (or at least acknowledged) member of either side of his family to display any artistic inclination, Ed squandered his youth in dilettante explorations of most of the fine and performing arts, before dismaying his parents by devoting his studies to the most unreliable and ephemeral, classical music, earning both Bachelors and Masters degrees in composition at the Mannes College of Music in just three years. Possessing little to no ability as a performer of any kind and a sanguine attitude about the challenges of making a full time living as a composer, he has earned his keep in the corporate world and as a “5 to 9” artist, a path he for which he has become an advocate. He has since developed a burgeoning side career as an arranger and orchestrator in theatrical world.

Ed has never earned a residency, won no major awards or prizes, and holds no certificates or distinction of merit... yet. Outside of a showcase concerts of his works by NewMusicNewYork, his compositions have never received public recognition, although he has had the pleasure of being performed, albeit grudgingly, by some of New York City's most notable up-and-coming artists.

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Composer and corporate jobber Ed Windels discusses being a 5–9 composer and taking skills from the business world to the music world.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• New Music Box articles:
  • Coming Out (As a 5–to–9 Composer)
  • Do You Have What It Takes To Be A 5–to–9 Composer?
  • Eight Easy Steps To Becoming a Successful 5–to–9 Composer
  • Embracing Being a 5–to–9 Artist
• Being a 5–9 composer
• Arthur Breur
• Musochat
• Blogging
• Getting a job after college
• Being out of the new music world
• The traditional path for composers is gone
• The changing musical landscape
• Doing it yourself
• Time management
• Deportment
• Presenting yourself in public
• There's no shame in having a day job
• Making it work with a job
• Making appointments with yourself
• Examples from history

Website:

• www.ed-windels.com

Recommended Listening:

• Stephen Sondheim, Sunday in the Park with George

Recommended Reading:

• David Cutler, The Savvy Musician
• Mason Currey, Daily Rituals: How Artists Work

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Megan Ihnen is a mezzo-soprano and new music specialist dedicated to powerful musical performances, high-quality digital communications, audience experience, and education. While so many in the classical music world are competing for ever-shrinking pieces of the pie, she is actively creating opportunities and brainstorming strategies to change things to better support the entire field and not just a select few. Most people know her from Twitter or her work on the Sybaritic Singer blog.

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Mezzo-soprano and knew music specialist Megan Ihnen shares how composers can create access points for audiences and be better communicators.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• #musochat
• Brand
• Access points
• Garrett Schumann
• Daniel Felsenfeld
• Jewell
• Megan Ihnen's Music Publishing Podcast interview
• 29 Days to Diva
• Audience building
• Shared interests
• Being an enthusiast
• Showing up
• Mindset and language
• Ambiverts
• Shared interest events
• Have a social wing man
• Hacking networking opportunities
• Make it easy to get in touch
• Have your bio ready to go
• Make it easy to sort your catalog
• Communicating quickly & clearly
• Stacy Garrop
• New Music Gathering

Website:

• meganihnen.com
• sybariticsinger.com

Recommended Listening:

• Samuel Barber, Adagio for Strings
• George Crumb, Ancient Voices of Children

Recommended Reading:

• Joan Didion, The Year of Magical Thinking
• Dorothy Day, The Long Loneliness: The Autobiography of the Legendary Catholic Social Activist
• Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
• Chris Guillebeau, The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future
• Jeri Goldstein, How To Be Your Own Booking Agent: THE Musician's & Performing Artist's Guide to Successful Touring

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