Are You a Serious Musician? Then You Need to Get Serious About Business
Last month I attended something called the Peak Performance Project, an annual boot camp for indie bands held by Pattison Broadcasting at at remote location near Princeton, BC. Artists in BC and Alberta compete for the right to be sequestered at Rockridge Canyon for a week where they’re subjected to a punishing week designed to prepare them for life in the music business. It’s hard but it’s worth every single second. I’m a huge fan.
I’m also a huge fan of Coalition Music’s artist entrepreneurship school in Toronto. Unlike the Peak event, anyone can attend. It’s not free, but it’s worth every single second.
They’re now taking applications for their Tour & Tech Program, which is specifically designed to teach and/or enhance the skills of tour managers, festival/events managers, promoters, instrument techs, stage managers and sound engineers. It’s a full-time 10-week professional development program that runs four days a week from 10a-4p. No dabblers need apply.
If you’re interested, the next course stars November 4 in Toronto. Here’s a quick outline of the curriculum:
- How to run your business and get work
- Artist and crew management
- Contract rider advancing/settlement/negotiation
- Short and long-run tour logistics
- Tour budgeting and accounting
- Customs and immigration
- International touring and travel
- Festival/event/conference management
- Concert production/pa and consoles
- Tour management
- Front-of-house (FOH) and monitor sound engineering
- Guitar/drum/keyboard tech (all backline)
- Lighting logistics and consoles
- Stage management
- Merchandise
- Tour Promo/Publicity/Social Media
Program Highlights:
- Volunteer and paid work placement opportunities
- Guitar, bass, and drum workshops
- Hands on training with analog and digital consoles
- In-house performances for hands-on stage and production experience
- Tech workshop for DJs
- Local and national tour planning, budgeting, and advancing
- Networking with industry professionals and organizations
- Working with artists, agents, promoters, managers, labels
- Venue and festival site visits/tours
For more information, talk to Jesse Mitchell at Coalition ([email protected]) or call (416) 755-0025
