TRUST YOUR VISION

I know it’s hard – I GET IT.

It’s a super discouraging time to be in a music career — especially for those trying to break in whether it’s straight from school or after time away. It’s so easy to be overwhelmed by the vastness of the field (“Where do I fit in?“), the competition (“How can I get into graduate school or secure a job?“), and by the times we live in (“Does my work matter?“).

It may be that when we no longer know what to do we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go we have come to our real journey… Wendell Berry

These are questions I’ve contemplated my whole career. Seriously. Take a breath, and read on…

“Jennie had unpacked perhaps the most under-discussed aspects of being today’s young musicians in training, whether they are composers or performers – how to navigate one’s career once they leave school! The students gained insights on how to articulate their artistic visions, apply for grants, gather support, build a community and maneuver various career paths in music. With assurance that comes from ample experiences and empathy, Jennie’s talk was an inspiring two-hour jam session that was as good as any concert series!” Kay Rhie, Assistant Professor of Composition and Theory, UCLA

“ART AND RESONANCE is an engaging, energizing, and enlightening interactive workshop that will bring clarity and focus to your musical path. What sets ART AND RESONANCE apart is that Jennie gives practical exercises and advice on precisely how to uncover and use your unique voice in the music industry. ART AND RESONANCE gave me the tools I needed to hone in on my specific skill set and to re-energize my musical drive.” Gianna Capobianco, Board Member, Chicago Flute Club

Five things I want to tell you about your music career:

1. Your music career dreams are significant, and they can change not only your future, but often someone else’s, too. We all have periods in life where our dreams get a little beat up. If this is where you are at, this is your call to action! Resilience is a daily practice for musicians, not an emotional response. It’s about continually adapting and rising, and developing great organizational skills to put your dreams on track and into motion. (Did you know that musicians make GREAT leaders? TRUTH!)
2. I believe your best team to help you reach your music career goals is connected to your current network.
3. I believe you have the ability to be entrepreneurial and discover a variety of ways to monetize your work and create opportunities for yourself.
4. Your communication skills (whether in conversation, email, social media, or web design) are your key to connection to the field. Never stop working on them.
5. Whatever your calling may be, be GREAT at it, and be relentless about improving your game.

“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is LOVE and INSPIRATION, I don’t think you can go wrong.” Ella Fitzgerald

Music Career Coachings: ART AND RESONANCE

I have spent decades of my career teaching at all levels, but coaching professional musicians outside of school has been some of my most gratifying work. To describe this aspect of my coaching and teaching, I arrived at the phrase Art and Resonance. It comes from my shared desire with you to bring great music into the world and create ongoing impact around us whether through teaching, sharing a unique musical perspective as a performer, composer, or improviser, or by giving fabulous solo, chamber, or orchestral performances onstage. When I think of this phrase, it focuses the priorities in my artistic life and music career, and I hope it inspires yours, too!

Over the years, I’ve coached many musicians through what I call the “gap” years — those years between undergrad and grad school, from grad school into careers, and throughout changing careers. I won’t have all the answers to life’s quandaries, but I will be present and honest with you, I’ll be your biggest cheerleader, and most importantly, I will be happy to share everything I know to help you move upwards and onwards towards your true life’s work. Consider the fact that it is impossible to move through a day without hearing music, and then think about the fact that there are hundreds of musicians behind every note you hear. With perseverance and creativity, you will find the space where you belong, and the journey will be as much fun as the destination.

“Jennie Oh-Brown has given me the knowledge and courage to find my way back to a flute career after a long hiatus. Her suggestions and expertise have given me new life with playing my flute.  With her guidance, I received a grant for a recent recital. I also began a new business that combines my love of music, poetry, and art.  Jennie encouraged me to look outside the box when it came to restarting my flute career and I couldn’t be more grateful.” Kathrine Eldridge

Here are three ways we can work together:

PRIVATE LESSONS: What do you need to feel strong? Whether it’s telling a great story, fine tuning your art, or developing your technique, let’s get to work!	CAREER COACHINGS: Workshops and one-on-one coachings to craft your vision. How do you get it off the ground? What elements would comprise your personal brand?	SPECIAL PROJECTS: What projects will most impact your career, and how do you mobilize your network? How do you create momentum around your ideas?

I’d love to hear from you!

Email me at [email protected] to be in touch to start one-on-one coachings, small group sessions or college/university level workshops through Zoom, Skype, Facebook Messenger, or Facetime. I’m looking forward to hearing your story!

“Inspiration is for amateurs – the rest of us just show up and get to work. And the belief that things will grow out of the activity itself and that you will – through work – bump into other possibilities and kick open other doors that you would never have dreamt of if you were just sitting around looking for a great ‘art [idea].’ And the belief that process, in a sense, is liberating and that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every day. Today, you know what you’ll do, you could be doing what you were doing yesterday, and tomorrow you are gonna do what you [did] today, and at least for a certain period of time you can just work. If you hang in there, you will get somewhere.” Chuck Close, artist